VISTA exploitation: PI support from 2011
Lead Research Organisation:
Queen Mary University of London
Department Name: Astronomy Unit
Abstract
The Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA) was handed over to ESO for operation on 10 December 2010. Although VISTA is now an ESO telescope the VISTA Principal Investigator and Consortium Director's tasks have not ceased, and T&S is needed to attend various meeting with ESO in their Garching HQ. With VISTA now operating routinely the role of the UK provided VISTA Data Flow System (VDFS - pipeline at Cambridge & science archive at Edinburgh) in processing the vast data volumes from VISTA and turning them into images and catalogues suitable for science use has become prominent. Leading the VDFS, and helping mediate/balance the sometimes confliciting requirements of users, and helping ensure the accuracy of the products, and the contentment of users withtin the resources avialable to VDFS remains an important task. T&S is needed for face-to-face meetings in both Cambridge and Edinburgh. There are six VISTA Public Surveys with 75% of all VISTA time over the five years 2010-2014. T&S is sought to allow the PI to interact face-to-face with the other members of five of these teams (the sixth team is led from QMUL). Attendance at one UK and on non-UK conference a year will allow presentation of the performance of VISTA to the wider community, presentation of results from commissioning, the applicant's own J band varuability survey of the Carina nebula, and of VISTA survey results in general. These will also enable the applicant to keep abreast of competitive work.
People |
ORCID iD |
James Emerson (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Dalton G
(2010)
Commissioning the VISTA IR camera
Petr-Gotzens M.
(2011)
Science Results from the VISTA Survey of the Orion Star-forming Region
in The Messenger
Cross N
(2012)
The VISTA Science Archive
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Comer
(2012)
High-speed Bandwidth between Europe and Paranal: EVALSO Demonstration Activities and Integration into Operations
in The Messenger
{Emerson}, J.
(2012)
Vista: An Overview
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
Ripepi V
(2013)
The VMC Survey - VIII. First results for anomalous Cepheids?
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Minniti D.
(2014)
The VVV Survey: New Results (Part I)
in Formation and Evolution of the Galactic Bulge
Li C
(2014)
THE VMC SURVEY. XI. RADIAL STELLAR POPULATION GRADIENTS IN THE GALACTIC GLOBULAR CLUSTER 47 TUCANAE
in The Astrophysical Journal
Description | This grant is one of a series covering the VISTA (Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy) Principal Investigator's involvement in leading the design, construction, commissioning and delivery of VISTA to the European Southern Observatory(ESO) in Chile for operation by ESO. VISTA was successfully delivered in 2009 and has been working well ever since. |
Exploitation Route | Many (>100) research papers have appeared in astronomical journals based on VISTA's 6 'public surveys'. The US Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) has adopted some ideas from VISTA's design. |
Sectors | Education Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology Other |
URL | http://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/surveytelescopes/vista/ |
Description | Many (>100) research papers have appeared in astronomical journals based on VISTA's 6 'public surveys'. The US Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) has adopted some ideas from VISTA's design. |
First Year Of Impact | 2009 |
Sector | Education,Other |
Impact Types | Cultural |
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 |