UK Programme for the European Extremely Large Telescope

We propose a programme to enable the UK to take a leading role in the construction of the first generation of instruments for the world's largest optical and infrared telescope - the European Extremely Large Telescope. Previously funded STFC programmes have been used to develop technology and instrument concepts to put the UK in a position to take the PI role in one of the two 'first light' instruments for the E-ELT and to take significant roles in three of the instruments expected to closely follow. Strong involvement in a programme of instruments will give the UK considerable science return through direct influence on the scientific priorities of these instruments and early science through guaranteed time return to the UK. There will also be important industrial return to the UK in terms of direct contracts and technology transfer.

The European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) project aims to provide European astronomers with the largest optical-infrared telescope in the world. With a diameter of 42m and being fully adaptive from the start by incorporating a large deformable mirror, the E-ELT will be more than one hundred times more sensitive than the present-day largest optical telescopes. The E-ELT will vastly advance astrophysical knowledge by enabling detailed studies of planets around other stars, the first galaxies in the Universe, black holes, and the nature of the Universe's dark matter and dark energy.

The E-ELT has now completed its Phase B study, led by ESO with strong involvement of European Industry, and a fully-costed construction proposal is now undergoing international review before to be put to ESO Council in December 2010. A series of instruments has gone through detailed Phase A studies with strong UK involvement. Out of this process, ESO has developed an instrument plan which has two instruments selected for 'first light' and a pool of six other instruments in competition to form a sequence in the first generation.

The ESO E-ELT Science Working Group (SWG) and the Scientific and Technical Committee (STC) have both recommended that the first light complement at the E-ELT should comprise a "HARMONI-like" spectrograph (ELT-IFU) and a "MICADO-like" imager (ELT-CAM). This first light complement is part of the instrumentation plan embedded in the E-ELT construction proposal.

The outcome of the ESO selection process places the UK in the unique position of being one of only two European countries leading the development of an E-ELT first light instrument. Given the enormous discovery potential of the E-ELT, this provides UK astrophysicists with an unprecedented opportunity to exploit the power of the world's largest ground based optical/near-IR telescope.

The two key beneficiaries of this research will be (a) the general public in the UK -- Astronomy has always been extremely effective at enthusing students to study math and science up to a high level of proficiency. The E-ELT will be the world's largest ground based telescope for optical/near-infrared astronomy when it is built. By having a UK led team building the first light spectrograph for such an eye-catching facility will contribute enormously to the UK's reputation in high-tech science and engineering, and provide renewed enthusiasm to the population at large.
(b) students who are at an advanced stage of their career: coupled with this program, we will be offering up to six D.Phil studentships at Oxford. These will provide unique doctoral training opportunities for the next generation of professional instrumentalists to hone their research skills in the field of astronomical instrumentation. This will help ensure continued leadership by the UK in this area of expertise.

In addition, we can foresee the following benefits:
UK Industry: Part of Project Office role is to continue to publicise the E-ELT programme and advise on areas in which UK Industry may bid for contracts for the E-ELT telescope and instrumentation build phases. In addition, with a small amount of the funds in the overall R&D programme instrument will be used for work with UK Industry and a substantial amount of the equipment being bought is likely to be from the UK.
UK Industry / UK PLC: there may be spin-offs from some of the astronomy-directed R&D (e.g. pick-off mirror micro-robots)
UK PLC via trained scientists (e.g. from PhD studentships)
Promotion of science within the UK:
UK School students, as part of the Public engagement element (e.g. Big Telescopes for Big Science programme) partly funded within this proposal.
UK General Public, via the Outreach programme events and announcements.

The goals of the Outreach Programme (see Public Engagement section of the detailed proposal) are:
Ensure such milestones receive appropriate national media coverage
Further establish and exploit the 'Big Telescopes for Big Questions' and the 'Dark Sky UK' initiatives, providing and using material in conjunction with JWST/MIRI and other major facilities
Organise more educational activities across a broader UK base for professionals and volunteers, refining and utilising powerful concepts and resources already piloted, for example under the auspices of the RSSE, also continuing to work with ESO and other E-ELT partners
Generate new sponsorships, with a goal to include industry as build opportunities are realised.

See also Economic Impact and Knowledge Exchange section of the detailed proposal.