Exploiting VISTA: the Public Surveys
Lead Research Organisation:
Queen Mary University of London
Department Name: Astronomy Unit
Abstract
We are planning to use the new VISTA wide-field survey telescope in the Atacama desert of Chile, to make several near-infrared sky maps and associated catalogues of objects found. VISTA with its 4-metre mirror and 67-megapixel 3-tonne infrared camera will be the world's most powerful survey telescope when operational in 2008. We will contribute to the work of each of the teams working to deliver the products from five of ESO's VISTA Public Surveys (VHS - a hemispheric survey of 20,00 sqare degrees, VVV - a variability survey of the bulge and plane of our galaxy, VMC - a survey of the nearest galaxies the Magellanic Clouds, VIDEO - deep extragalactic observations and UltraVISTA - an ulradeep survey of a small area). This work will be coordinated with the respective team leaders, and involve strong interaction with the VISTA Data Flow System pipeline and archive products and staff. To check the quality of the science products we will be doing science with them and iterating with the processing teams, thereby improving the quality of the product and getting new science insights. We will contribute to survey generation, quality control of intermediate and final products. The fundamental data products for public release are images and catalogues generated from them including: - Image data stored as full 1.5 square degree fille 'tiles', separately for each passband, astrometrically calibrated with systematic errors below 0.1 arcsec rms, on a standard zeropoint scale, in the VISTA natural instrumental system. together with confidence maps used and generated during the production of the above images, including automated and/or manual masking of defective sub-regions. - Single-band catalogues separately for each passband, including discrete and continuous star galaxy classification parameters, aperture magnitudes in log-spaced apertures , etc. - Merged multi-band catalogues created from the full set of single-band catalogues in each tile. - Catalogues containing list-driven photometry in matched apertures in all bands for all objects selected The primary focus of this work will be to produce high quality products for public release to the international astronomical community. In doing this we will be exploring the science results that arise and exploiting them as appropriate (e.g. follow up spectra of exciting objects found etc). This work also builds a sound base to eventually exploit the full data products which will be available after the surveys complete (data taking takes 5 years), and we expect to seek further support after the three years covered by this application.
Publications
Arnaboldi M.
(2010)
VISTA Science Verification - The Galactic and Extragalactic Mini-surveys
in The Messenger
Barbá R
(2015)
Hundreds of new cluster candidates in the VISTA Variables in the Vía Láctea survey DR1
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Catelan M
(2014)
Stellar variability in the VVV survey: overview and first results
in Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
Catelan M
(2014)
Stellar variability in the VVV survey: overview and first results
in Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
Chené A
(2013)
Massive open star clusters using the VVV survey II. Discovery of six clusters with Wolf-Rayet stars
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Cioni M
(2012)
The VMC Survey VI. Quasars behind the Magellanic system?
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Cioni M
(2011)
The VMC survey I. Strategy and first data
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Cioni M. -R.
(2011)
The VISTA Near-infrared YJKs Public Survey of the Magellanic Clouds System (VMC)
in The Messenger
Cioni M. -R. L.
(2013)
The VMC ESO Public Survey
in The Messenger
Comer
(2012)
High-speed Bandwidth between Europe and Paranal: EVALSO Demonstration Activities and Integration into Operations
in The Messenger
Comerón F
(2008)
A fast link with Paranal: new operational opportunities
Cross N
(2012)
The VISTA Science Archive
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Dalton G
(2010)
Commissioning the VISTA IR camera
Edge A.
(2013)
The VISTA Kilo-degree Infrared Galaxy (VIKING) Survey: Bridging the Gap between Low and High Redshift
in The Messenger
Emerson J
(2008)
The 2007 ESO Instrument Calibration Workshop
Emerson J
(2006)
VISTA data flow system: status
Gauza B
(2012)
A new L dwarf member of the moderately metal poor triple system HD 221356
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Gauza B
(2012)
A new L dwarf member of the moderately metal poor triple system HD 221356 A new L dwarf member of the HD 221356 system
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Gonzalez O. A.
(2013)
The Wide View of the Galactic Bulge as seen by the VVV ESO Public Survey
in The Messenger
Greggio L
(2014)
A panoramic VISTA of the stellar halo of NGC 253
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Gullieuszik M
(2012)
The VMC survey III. Mass-loss rates and luminosities of LMC AGB stars??????
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Hempel M.
(2014)
VISTA Variables in the Vía Láctea (VVV): Halfway Status and Results
in The Messenger
Iodice E.
(2012)
The structure of the barred galaxy NGC253: target of the VISTA and VST Science Verification extragalactic mini-survey.
in Memorie della Societa Astronomica Italiana
Ivanov V
(2016)
New quasars behind the Magellanic Clouds. Spectroscopic confirmation of near-infrared selected candidates
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Ivanov V
(2013)
Discovery of new companions to high proper motion stars from the VVV Survey
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Jarvis M
(2013)
The VISTA Deep Extragalactic Observations (VIDEO) survey?
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Li C
(2014)
THE VMC SURVEY. XI. RADIAL STELLAR POPULATION GRADIENTS IN THE GALACTIC GLOBULAR CLUSTER 47 TUCANAE
in The Astrophysical Journal
Lodieu N
(2012)
First T dwarfs in the VISTA Hemisphere Survey
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
McCracken H
(2012)
UltraVISTA: a new ultra-deep near-infrared survey in COSMOS
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
McCracken H. J.
(2013)
UltraVISTA: A VISTA Public Survey of the Distant Universe
in The Messenger
Minniti D
(2010)
VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV): The public ESO near-IR variability survey of the Milky Way
in New Astronomy
Minniti D
(2011)
Discovery of VVV CL001 A low-mass globular cluster next to UKS 1 in the direction of the Galactic bulge
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Minniti D
(2014)
Milky Way demographics with the VVV survey III. Evidence for a great dark lane in the 157 million star bulge color-magnitude diagram
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Minniti D.
(2014)
The VVV Survey: New Results (Part I)
in Formation and Evolution of the Galactic Bulge
Minniti D.
(2014)
The VVV Survey: New Results (Part II)
in Formation and Evolution of the Galactic Bulge
Minniti D.
(2009)
VISTA Milky Way Public Survey
in Revista Mexicana de Astronomia y Astrofisica Conference Series
Petr-Gotzens M.
(2011)
Science Results from the VISTA Survey of the Orion Star-forming Region
in The Messenger
Ripepi V
(2013)
The VMC Survey - VIII. First results for anomalous Cepheids?
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Ripepi V
(2015)
The VMC Survey - XIII. Type II Cepheids in the Large Magellanic Cloud?
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Ripepi V
(2012)
The VMC survey - V. First results for classical Cepheids VMC first results for classical Cepheids
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Rubele S
(2015)
The VMC survey - XIV. First results on the look-back time star formation rate tomography of the Small Magellanic Cloud?
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Rubele S
(2012)
The VMC survey IV. The LMC star formation history and disk geometry from four VMC tiles???
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Saito R
(2012)
VVV DR1: The first data release of the Milky Way bulge and southern plane from the near-infrared ESO public survey VISTA variables in the Vía Láctea
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Saito R
(2012)
Milky Way demographics with the VVV survey I. The 84-million star colour-magnitude diagram of the Galactic bulge
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Saito R.
(2010)
VISTA Variables in the Vía Láctea (VVV): Current Status and First Results
in The Messenger
Smith D
(2011)
Herschel-ATLAS: counterparts from the ultraviolet-near-infrared in the science demonstration phase catalogue? Herschel-ATLAS: counterparts
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Smith D
(2011)
Herschel-ATLAS: counterparts from the ultraviolet-near-infrared in the science demonstration phase catalogue?
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Soto M
(2013)
Milky Way demographics with the VVV survey II. Color transformations and near-infrared photometry for 136 million stars in the southern Galactic disk
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Tatton B
(2013)
The VMC survey VII. Reddening map of the 30 Doradus field and the structure of the cold interstellar medium
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Description | EVALSO |
Organisation | University of Trieste |
Country | Italy |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Science case for installation of fibre to connect ESO Paranal to Antofagasta and then Santiago to enable fast(er) data transfer to Europe. |
Collaborator Contribution | Partner from organisations involved including Italian & Chilean equivalents of Janet (GARR & REUNA) |
Impact | The publications are listed elsewhere. The fast access enabled all ESO telescopes to send their data to Europe in almost real time, rather than on disks by courier. It also improved academic network along Chile's backbone, and enable REUNA to improve connectivity yo Lima in Peru. |
Start Year | 2007 |
Description | ESO VISTA press releases |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Type Of Presentation | Poster Presentation |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | See the press releases at http://www.eso.org/public/about-eso/search.html?q=VISTA&searchthis=Go%21 and the many pictures of VISTA itself at http://www.eso.org/public/images/archive/category/surveytelescopes/ Some of my images have been in ESOS's top 10 and top 100 (one was top image for many months) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2007,2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013 |
Description | Talks to Astronomical Societies |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Keynote/Invited Speaker |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Typically 20-30 amateur astronomers attended various talks given at various (~10) astronomical Societies around the country. Audience seemed interested and impressed at UK building VISTA |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009,2010,2011,2012 |
Description | Talks to RAS and Universities |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Keynote/Invited Speaker |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Participants in your research and patient groups |
Results and Impact | Raised awareness of VISTA and its capabilities. Some became involve din using VISTA |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008,2009,2010,2011,2012 |