4MOST Phase A Study
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cambridge
Department Name: Institute of Astronomy
Abstract
With the approaching dawn of Gaia - Europe is preparing to take the lead in transforming our understanding of the evolution of the Milky Way and thus the Universe more generally. This proposal is specifically to provide a leading UK role in the construction of an advanced, flexible, wide field multi-object spectrograph. 4MOST (with a goal of 3000 spectra simultaneously over 7 deg^2 FoV at R of > 5000 at 850nm and a wavelength coverage of 380-1000 nm) and its associated science survey (up to 25x10^6 spectra over 25,000 deg^2), an integrated component of the Gaia related programme unravelling the chemo-dynamic properties of the nearby universe. Our essential UK involvement, will not only enable a state of the art spectrograph design, but also through leading roles in the science definition and data processing, will give the wider UK community priority access to its large scale spectroscopic surveys. In combination with the ESA Gaia mission data, 4MOST will enable a transformational leap in our understanding of the processes which shape our Galaxy, giving definite answers to a range of fundamental questions, e.g. the Galactic potential, galaxy assembly history, early galaxy formation. The opportunity exists for major scientific, technological and training returns on a modest UK investment in this significant European initiative.
Planned Impact
The IoA 4MOST involvement will enhance the UK position in delivery of advanced technologies, such as optics and complex data analysis systems, and positively impact on training of highly skilled new researchers and software engineers. The Milky Way surveys delivered by 4MOST will have a significant resonance with the public, with an ability to inspire children's interest in discovery. The IoAs, Cambridge excellent outreach programme will highlight the 4MOST Galaxy science.
Organisations
- University of Cambridge (Lead Research Organisation)
- European Southern Observatory (ESO) (Collaboration)
- Leiden University (Collaboration)
- Max Planck Society (Collaboration)
- Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (Collaboration)
- University of Groningen (Collaboration)
- Leibniz Association (Collaboration)
- Uppsala University (Collaboration)
- Lund University (Collaboration)
- Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU Munich) (Collaboration)
- Heidelberg University (Collaboration)
- Observatory of Paris (Collaboration)
Publications
De Jong R
(2012)
4MOST: 4-metre multi-object spectroscopic telescope
Gravish Nick
(2012)
Entangled granular media
in arXiv e-prints
Banerji M
(2014)
Combining Dark Energy Survey Science Verification data with near-infrared data from the ESO VISTA Hemisphere Survey
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
| Description | We have shown: 1) that the scientific objectives of 4MOST (dark matter in our Milky Way galaxy, the structure and history of the Milky Way; the nature of cosmic acceleration, the growth of structure and the formation and evolution of super-massive black holes) are a high priority for European astronomers. 2) that the proposal to convert the VISTA telescope into a powerful wide field spectroscopic survey facility, which will carry out major long-term surveys, is technically feasible and can be done within an affordable budget and within an acceptable timescale. This work contributed directly to selection of 4MOST by ESO, and a successful Preliminary Design Review in 2016. |
| Exploitation Route | Our findings will be used to take the project forward to completion. |
| Sectors | Other |
| Description | There has not been any significant economic or societal impact of the grant yet. This small grant was a contribution to a conceptual design study for a large long-term project which will end in 2025. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2011 |
| Sector | Other |
| Description | The 4MOST project |
| Organisation | European Southern Observatory (ESO) |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | 4MOST is a large European collaboration to build a major instrument (called 4MOST) for the European Southern Observatory (ESO). Our team in Cambridge contributed to the design study for this instrument. Specifically we were responsible for the wide-field corrector, the acquisition and guiding systems, the wavefront sensors, the overall VISTA telescope model and some of the science planning. The design study successfully led to ESO approving the project to move forward to full construction with a total capital cost of about 16 million euros. Our team played a key role in making this happen. 4MOST will start operating on the VISTA telescope in Chile in 2020. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our partners did the design study work on the rest of the instrument sub-systems (e.g. the fibre positioner, the spectrographs and the optical fibre feeds) and the rest of the science planning. |
| Impact | Saviauk, A (July, 2014) The fiber positioner for 4MOST: exploration of an alternative R-? design, SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9151: Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation 9151 , 110820298 (08, 2014) From space to specs: requirements for 4MOST 110820096 (07, 2014) The 4MOST instrument concept overview 084871948125 (12, 2012) 4MOST - 4-metre multi-object spectroscopic telescope 10552613 (07, 2014) Combining Dark Energy Survey Science Verification Data with Near Infrared D... 310450551 (05, 2014) Integrating Mass Scale Spectroscopic Processing |
| Start Year | 2011 |
| Description | The 4MOST project |
| Organisation | Heidelberg University |
| Department | Center for Astronomy- Observatory |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | 4MOST is a large European collaboration to build a major instrument (called 4MOST) for the European Southern Observatory (ESO). Our team in Cambridge contributed to the design study for this instrument. Specifically we were responsible for the wide-field corrector, the acquisition and guiding systems, the wavefront sensors, the overall VISTA telescope model and some of the science planning. The design study successfully led to ESO approving the project to move forward to full construction with a total capital cost of about 16 million euros. Our team played a key role in making this happen. 4MOST will start operating on the VISTA telescope in Chile in 2020. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our partners did the design study work on the rest of the instrument sub-systems (e.g. the fibre positioner, the spectrographs and the optical fibre feeds) and the rest of the science planning. |
| Impact | Saviauk, A (July, 2014) The fiber positioner for 4MOST: exploration of an alternative R-? design, SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9151: Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation 9151 , 110820298 (08, 2014) From space to specs: requirements for 4MOST 110820096 (07, 2014) The 4MOST instrument concept overview 084871948125 (12, 2012) 4MOST - 4-metre multi-object spectroscopic telescope 10552613 (07, 2014) Combining Dark Energy Survey Science Verification Data with Near Infrared D... 310450551 (05, 2014) Integrating Mass Scale Spectroscopic Processing |
| Start Year | 2011 |
| Description | The 4MOST project |
| Organisation | Leibniz Association |
| Department | Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | 4MOST is a large European collaboration to build a major instrument (called 4MOST) for the European Southern Observatory (ESO). Our team in Cambridge contributed to the design study for this instrument. Specifically we were responsible for the wide-field corrector, the acquisition and guiding systems, the wavefront sensors, the overall VISTA telescope model and some of the science planning. The design study successfully led to ESO approving the project to move forward to full construction with a total capital cost of about 16 million euros. Our team played a key role in making this happen. 4MOST will start operating on the VISTA telescope in Chile in 2020. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our partners did the design study work on the rest of the instrument sub-systems (e.g. the fibre positioner, the spectrographs and the optical fibre feeds) and the rest of the science planning. |
| Impact | Saviauk, A (July, 2014) The fiber positioner for 4MOST: exploration of an alternative R-? design, SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9151: Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation 9151 , 110820298 (08, 2014) From space to specs: requirements for 4MOST 110820096 (07, 2014) The 4MOST instrument concept overview 084871948125 (12, 2012) 4MOST - 4-metre multi-object spectroscopic telescope 10552613 (07, 2014) Combining Dark Energy Survey Science Verification Data with Near Infrared D... 310450551 (05, 2014) Integrating Mass Scale Spectroscopic Processing |
| Start Year | 2011 |
| Description | The 4MOST project |
| Organisation | Leiden University |
| Department | Leiden Observatory |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | 4MOST is a large European collaboration to build a major instrument (called 4MOST) for the European Southern Observatory (ESO). Our team in Cambridge contributed to the design study for this instrument. Specifically we were responsible for the wide-field corrector, the acquisition and guiding systems, the wavefront sensors, the overall VISTA telescope model and some of the science planning. The design study successfully led to ESO approving the project to move forward to full construction with a total capital cost of about 16 million euros. Our team played a key role in making this happen. 4MOST will start operating on the VISTA telescope in Chile in 2020. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our partners did the design study work on the rest of the instrument sub-systems (e.g. the fibre positioner, the spectrographs and the optical fibre feeds) and the rest of the science planning. |
| Impact | Saviauk, A (July, 2014) The fiber positioner for 4MOST: exploration of an alternative R-? design, SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9151: Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation 9151 , 110820298 (08, 2014) From space to specs: requirements for 4MOST 110820096 (07, 2014) The 4MOST instrument concept overview 084871948125 (12, 2012) 4MOST - 4-metre multi-object spectroscopic telescope 10552613 (07, 2014) Combining Dark Energy Survey Science Verification Data with Near Infrared D... 310450551 (05, 2014) Integrating Mass Scale Spectroscopic Processing |
| Start Year | 2011 |
| Description | The 4MOST project |
| Organisation | Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU Munich) |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | 4MOST is a large European collaboration to build a major instrument (called 4MOST) for the European Southern Observatory (ESO). Our team in Cambridge contributed to the design study for this instrument. Specifically we were responsible for the wide-field corrector, the acquisition and guiding systems, the wavefront sensors, the overall VISTA telescope model and some of the science planning. The design study successfully led to ESO approving the project to move forward to full construction with a total capital cost of about 16 million euros. Our team played a key role in making this happen. 4MOST will start operating on the VISTA telescope in Chile in 2020. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our partners did the design study work on the rest of the instrument sub-systems (e.g. the fibre positioner, the spectrographs and the optical fibre feeds) and the rest of the science planning. |
| Impact | Saviauk, A (July, 2014) The fiber positioner for 4MOST: exploration of an alternative R-? design, SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9151: Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation 9151 , 110820298 (08, 2014) From space to specs: requirements for 4MOST 110820096 (07, 2014) The 4MOST instrument concept overview 084871948125 (12, 2012) 4MOST - 4-metre multi-object spectroscopic telescope 10552613 (07, 2014) Combining Dark Energy Survey Science Verification Data with Near Infrared D... 310450551 (05, 2014) Integrating Mass Scale Spectroscopic Processing |
| Start Year | 2011 |
| Description | The 4MOST project |
| Organisation | Lund University |
| Department | Lund Observatory |
| Country | Sweden |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | 4MOST is a large European collaboration to build a major instrument (called 4MOST) for the European Southern Observatory (ESO). Our team in Cambridge contributed to the design study for this instrument. Specifically we were responsible for the wide-field corrector, the acquisition and guiding systems, the wavefront sensors, the overall VISTA telescope model and some of the science planning. The design study successfully led to ESO approving the project to move forward to full construction with a total capital cost of about 16 million euros. Our team played a key role in making this happen. 4MOST will start operating on the VISTA telescope in Chile in 2020. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our partners did the design study work on the rest of the instrument sub-systems (e.g. the fibre positioner, the spectrographs and the optical fibre feeds) and the rest of the science planning. |
| Impact | Saviauk, A (July, 2014) The fiber positioner for 4MOST: exploration of an alternative R-? design, SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9151: Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation 9151 , 110820298 (08, 2014) From space to specs: requirements for 4MOST 110820096 (07, 2014) The 4MOST instrument concept overview 084871948125 (12, 2012) 4MOST - 4-metre multi-object spectroscopic telescope 10552613 (07, 2014) Combining Dark Energy Survey Science Verification Data with Near Infrared D... 310450551 (05, 2014) Integrating Mass Scale Spectroscopic Processing |
| Start Year | 2011 |
| Description | The 4MOST project |
| Organisation | Max Planck Society |
| Department | Max Planck Institute For Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | 4MOST is a large European collaboration to build a major instrument (called 4MOST) for the European Southern Observatory (ESO). Our team in Cambridge contributed to the design study for this instrument. Specifically we were responsible for the wide-field corrector, the acquisition and guiding systems, the wavefront sensors, the overall VISTA telescope model and some of the science planning. The design study successfully led to ESO approving the project to move forward to full construction with a total capital cost of about 16 million euros. Our team played a key role in making this happen. 4MOST will start operating on the VISTA telescope in Chile in 2020. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our partners did the design study work on the rest of the instrument sub-systems (e.g. the fibre positioner, the spectrographs and the optical fibre feeds) and the rest of the science planning. |
| Impact | Saviauk, A (July, 2014) The fiber positioner for 4MOST: exploration of an alternative R-? design, SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9151: Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation 9151 , 110820298 (08, 2014) From space to specs: requirements for 4MOST 110820096 (07, 2014) The 4MOST instrument concept overview 084871948125 (12, 2012) 4MOST - 4-metre multi-object spectroscopic telescope 10552613 (07, 2014) Combining Dark Energy Survey Science Verification Data with Near Infrared D... 310450551 (05, 2014) Integrating Mass Scale Spectroscopic Processing |
| Start Year | 2011 |
| Description | The 4MOST project |
| Organisation | Observatory of Paris |
| Country | France |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | 4MOST is a large European collaboration to build a major instrument (called 4MOST) for the European Southern Observatory (ESO). Our team in Cambridge contributed to the design study for this instrument. Specifically we were responsible for the wide-field corrector, the acquisition and guiding systems, the wavefront sensors, the overall VISTA telescope model and some of the science planning. The design study successfully led to ESO approving the project to move forward to full construction with a total capital cost of about 16 million euros. Our team played a key role in making this happen. 4MOST will start operating on the VISTA telescope in Chile in 2020. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our partners did the design study work on the rest of the instrument sub-systems (e.g. the fibre positioner, the spectrographs and the optical fibre feeds) and the rest of the science planning. |
| Impact | Saviauk, A (July, 2014) The fiber positioner for 4MOST: exploration of an alternative R-? design, SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9151: Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation 9151 , 110820298 (08, 2014) From space to specs: requirements for 4MOST 110820096 (07, 2014) The 4MOST instrument concept overview 084871948125 (12, 2012) 4MOST - 4-metre multi-object spectroscopic telescope 10552613 (07, 2014) Combining Dark Energy Survey Science Verification Data with Near Infrared D... 310450551 (05, 2014) Integrating Mass Scale Spectroscopic Processing |
| Start Year | 2011 |
| Description | The 4MOST project |
| Organisation | Rutherford Appleton Laboratory |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | 4MOST is a large European collaboration to build a major instrument (called 4MOST) for the European Southern Observatory (ESO). Our team in Cambridge contributed to the design study for this instrument. Specifically we were responsible for the wide-field corrector, the acquisition and guiding systems, the wavefront sensors, the overall VISTA telescope model and some of the science planning. The design study successfully led to ESO approving the project to move forward to full construction with a total capital cost of about 16 million euros. Our team played a key role in making this happen. 4MOST will start operating on the VISTA telescope in Chile in 2020. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our partners did the design study work on the rest of the instrument sub-systems (e.g. the fibre positioner, the spectrographs and the optical fibre feeds) and the rest of the science planning. |
| Impact | Saviauk, A (July, 2014) The fiber positioner for 4MOST: exploration of an alternative R-? design, SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9151: Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation 9151 , 110820298 (08, 2014) From space to specs: requirements for 4MOST 110820096 (07, 2014) The 4MOST instrument concept overview 084871948125 (12, 2012) 4MOST - 4-metre multi-object spectroscopic telescope 10552613 (07, 2014) Combining Dark Energy Survey Science Verification Data with Near Infrared D... 310450551 (05, 2014) Integrating Mass Scale Spectroscopic Processing |
| Start Year | 2011 |
| Description | The 4MOST project |
| Organisation | University of Groningen |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | 4MOST is a large European collaboration to build a major instrument (called 4MOST) for the European Southern Observatory (ESO). Our team in Cambridge contributed to the design study for this instrument. Specifically we were responsible for the wide-field corrector, the acquisition and guiding systems, the wavefront sensors, the overall VISTA telescope model and some of the science planning. The design study successfully led to ESO approving the project to move forward to full construction with a total capital cost of about 16 million euros. Our team played a key role in making this happen. 4MOST will start operating on the VISTA telescope in Chile in 2020. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our partners did the design study work on the rest of the instrument sub-systems (e.g. the fibre positioner, the spectrographs and the optical fibre feeds) and the rest of the science planning. |
| Impact | Saviauk, A (July, 2014) The fiber positioner for 4MOST: exploration of an alternative R-? design, SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9151: Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation 9151 , 110820298 (08, 2014) From space to specs: requirements for 4MOST 110820096 (07, 2014) The 4MOST instrument concept overview 084871948125 (12, 2012) 4MOST - 4-metre multi-object spectroscopic telescope 10552613 (07, 2014) Combining Dark Energy Survey Science Verification Data with Near Infrared D... 310450551 (05, 2014) Integrating Mass Scale Spectroscopic Processing |
| Start Year | 2011 |
| Description | The 4MOST project |
| Organisation | Uppsala University |
| Country | Sweden |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | 4MOST is a large European collaboration to build a major instrument (called 4MOST) for the European Southern Observatory (ESO). Our team in Cambridge contributed to the design study for this instrument. Specifically we were responsible for the wide-field corrector, the acquisition and guiding systems, the wavefront sensors, the overall VISTA telescope model and some of the science planning. The design study successfully led to ESO approving the project to move forward to full construction with a total capital cost of about 16 million euros. Our team played a key role in making this happen. 4MOST will start operating on the VISTA telescope in Chile in 2020. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our partners did the design study work on the rest of the instrument sub-systems (e.g. the fibre positioner, the spectrographs and the optical fibre feeds) and the rest of the science planning. |
| Impact | Saviauk, A (July, 2014) The fiber positioner for 4MOST: exploration of an alternative R-? design, SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9151: Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation 9151 , 110820298 (08, 2014) From space to specs: requirements for 4MOST 110820096 (07, 2014) The 4MOST instrument concept overview 084871948125 (12, 2012) 4MOST - 4-metre multi-object spectroscopic telescope 10552613 (07, 2014) Combining Dark Energy Survey Science Verification Data with Near Infrared D... 310450551 (05, 2014) Integrating Mass Scale Spectroscopic Processing |
| Start Year | 2011 |