1 DECam in Chile Intro to Dark Energy Survey & DECam Project Status of arrivals in Chile Instrument checkout in Chile Schedule for first light

The Dark Energy Survey Science goal : Measure the time dependence of the dark energy equation of state, improving the figure of merit defined by the Dark Energy Task Force by a factor of 4-5 compared to present knowledge. Method: Conduct a 5000-square degree survey in 5 optical/near IF wavelengths in the Southern Hemisphere, down to ~21st -24th magnitude. Will observe 3 x 10 8 galaxies and 3 x 10 4 galaxy clusters, plus 4 x 10 3 Type Ia supernovae. Time scale: Requires ~ 500 observing nights over 5 years on a 4-meter telescope. 2

The DECam Project 519 Megapixel CCD camera with 3sq deg FOV Low noise readout system DAQ system Support systems: cooling, mirror handling, instrument handling 3

A reminder of the site in Chile Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory 2215 m elevation V.M. Blanco Telescope – 4 meter mirror, completed in early 1970’s Excellent astronomical ‘seeing’ 4 Merritt All Experimenters Meetting Dec

Shipping I. 2,501 s directly related to shipping 1,034 s related to coordinating and allowing shipments 62 people who have been directly involved. There are 45 shipments listed (including 5 which have not yet arrived at CTIO) Stats (lower limit): 89 boxes 17,069 cubic feet 147,089 pounds $7,227,159 in shipping value Merritt All Experimenters Meetting Dec

Shipping II. Large heavy parts were shipped by boat Oct 2010 F/8 handling system June 2011 Cooling system parts Aug 2011 Cage, NW platform, etc. Dec 2011 Final cooling sys parts 6 Flaugher July 2011 More delicate pieces by truck and air May 2011 RASICAM June 2011 Hexapod, Filter Changer and Shutter June 2011 Parts of LN2 Cooling system July 2011 i and z filters (from Japan to Chile) [delayed by volcano eruption] Aug r and y filters (from Japan to Chile) Nov 2011 The Imager (with CCDs installed!) Dec 2011 The corrector (enroute now!)

Imager with all Science grade CCDs. Testing completed at Fermilab at end of July

Cooling installation at CTIO July 2011 Herman, Andy, Rolando, Brenna and Tom went to Chile July 7-21 LN2 tank and piping was installed on console roof, LN2 circulated to Coude room (where imager will be serviced and tested) July 7th July 20th

July 25-Aug. 5: Shutter, FCM, Hexapod Ken Schultz and Cheryl Jackson replace Herman Andy and Rolando Tom Diehl exercising the shutter Filter changer operating in the Coudé room Flaugher July Hexapod operating at CTIO Limit switch issues with hexapod – now resolved Hexapod

August 3, 2011 The boat shipment with the prime focus cage, cage cart, imager handling system etc … arrived on the mountain top It had been unloaded from the shipping container onto the flatbed shortly after it was taken off the ship, making it possible for Gale & co. to unload the boxes using a forklift.

Installing Barrel in cage (no shroud on barrel) Barrel weighed (2200 kg) 11 September Trip for Cage Assembly DECam cage complete!

Training 12 Troublemaker in the Coude room, tests debugging skills of trainer and trainee

The Imager’s Trip Merritt All Experimenters Meetting Dec Left Fermilab Nov 17 Arrived CTIO Nov 23 Unpacked Nov 30 Under vacuum Dec 2 Cooled down Dec 5 Good full image Dec 6 !!

Shock Logger from Imager Trip 14 Left Fermilab Landed Santiago Unloaded at CTIO

Imager Checkout Team Merritt All Experimenters Meetting Dec

Cooled down & Reading Out! Merritt All Experimenters Meetting Dec Dec 5 18:10 Later on Dec. 5 Dec. 6: Beautiful flat field Image!!

Corrector Leaving UCL Earlier Today Barrel travels in two pieces: Body with C2,C3,C4,C5 Cone with C1 Left UCL this morning Arr Santiago Thurs, CTIO Fri-Sat 17

Still to Do 18 Corrector needs to arrive and have alignment of lenses checked at CTIO Final filter needs to be completed – 4 of the 5 filters have been manufactured by Asahi in Japan and are at CTIO. C1 lens in the cone – Nov 29 at UCL

Filters 19 Asahi Filter Plant 50 Mile zone

Safety Issue Merritt All Experimenters Meetting Dec

Summary of Current Status The Imager has arrived undamaged. It is cold and reading out. The Corrector is enroute to CTIO. By late January the imager and corrector should be reassembled and checked out completing the DECam Project after only 8 years!

Next: The Stars (and Galaxies)! CTIO will take the telescope out of service in February. The old cage will be removed and the new cage (empty) will be installed/uninstalled to check its fit and the installation procedure Next the DECam corrector, hexapod and dummy imager will be put in the cage and it will be reinstalled on the telescope. Finally the Imager will be installed, and we will be ready to observe the Southern sky – probably late Spring/early Summer. The Dark Energy Survey will start its 5-yr run this Fall. Merritt All Experimenters Meetting Dec

DECam Shipping Status 23

RASIcam in Action at CTIO Merritt All Experimenters Meetting Dec

f/8 Handling System at CTIO f/8 Handling System shipped to Chile in Sept – first large DECam system completed Designed and built at Argonne 25

Cooling Installation – July 2011

July 20, 2011 Training in shifts on cool down. LN2 reached the Coude room and the Jorge/Rolando copper by pass frosted up as planned. Congratulations to everyone!!

More Scenes from Imager Checkout at CTIO Merritt All Experimenters Meetting Dec

Alignment Frame for Corrector Completed at UCL Ken Schultz David Brooks Brenna

Rotary table alignment frame and laser system in UCL Optics Lab Plates added for precision x-y motions required for installing lenses in corrector barrel

Oct. 5: C2/C3 are installed in the Body! C2/C3 Next week C4 goes in (from the top) then C5. At that point we will know if our mechanical alignment and pins produce acceptable optical alignment. If so, shipping in early Nov. is on track. Ken and I go back to UCL Oct 24 th in case we can help.

DECal part 1: the new flat field screen from TAMU is installed It was installed by CTIO in October and has been tested with Mosaic – the new screen has 5 times more reflectance in u- band than the old screen.

Cone C1 lens is protected behind this cover Dec. 5 C1 lens