Future Opportunities for Adaptive Optics Galactic Science Andrea Ghez University of California Los Angeles

Targets/Science n Young Stars u Direct detection of planets u Dynamical measurements of low mass binaries (calibrate pre-main sequence evolutionary tracks) n Circumstellar Disks u Grain growth u Structure induced by young planets n Embedded Young Objects u Envelope/Disk structure n Evolved Stars u Mass loss n Globular Clusters u Dynamical measurements (astrometric and spectroscopic) to search for intermediate mass black holes u Photometric measurements to study stellar population n Galactic Center u Dynamical measurements (astrometric and spectroscopic) to search for extended dark matter & Ro u Spectroscopy - stellar population and dynamics

Much of this Science Benefits From High Strehl Over Small/Modest FOV ● Strehls at 3.8  m: S= 0.5 – 0.7 ● ~2 hour on-source integration using NIRC2/AO. ● Peak disk = 1/2750 of GG Tau A peak

For Grain Growth Studies Need High Strehl Over Large Wavelength Range & Polarimetry WFPC2 F814W NICMOS F110W NICMOS F160W NIRC2 L' Observations Models 0.3  m 1.5  m1.25  m 0.9  m 0.5  m =a max

Many of These Object are Very Red - How Can we Compete With the IR WFS at VLT? First direct detection of a giant planet? Note: SIFONI has optical WFS First spectrum of Sgr A*?

How Much Would an IR TT Sensor Help the LGS vs. an IR-WFS? 5” LGS Strehls under great conditions, 0.35 (K) and 0.7 (L’) Guide Stars: (1) K = 7 mag at 5”, (2) R = 13.2 mag at 30” (3) 13.7 mag at 20”

External Fund Raising Opportunity at UCLA if there is a Route to Improve GC observations n Moore Foundation u Originally approached last fall by UCLA for Center for IR, now considering IR-WFS proposal n UCLA u Funds from Dean u Development Office interested u VC Research (Roberto Peccei) also offered help n But how best to match this with a strategic plan

Would an IR TT/WFS Help the building Pressure on Grey Time? n Our current AO systems are moving a community that traditionally requests bright time to gray time

Conclusions n There are lots of great AO targets within our Galaxy u Need to figure our how to make LGS more available (and robust) n Most benefit from high strehl performance over small/modest fields of view n Increasing wavelength range and adding polarimetry will benefit some studies (e.g., grain growth) u Visible AO u Thermal IR (3-5 micron) optimized AO system n IR TT/WFS offers advantage for dusty targets (YSO, Mass Loss, GC) u Fund raising opportunity at UCLA for GC observations u Reduces pressure on grey time