4MOST Phase A Continuation, 2013-14

Lead Research Organisation: University of Cambridge
Department Name: Institute of Astronomy

Abstract

Continuation of the UK part of the design study for 4MOST. 4MOST (4m Multi-Object Spectroscopy Telescope) is an approved ESO facility which will provide tens of millions of spectra of stars and galaxies starting in 2020. This research involves progressing further the planning of the instrumentation, the data reduction software and the scientific operation.

Planned Impact

Specifically this will benefit most of the UK astronomical community and more generally it will also benefit the wider European and international astronomical communities. The large 4MOST spectroscopic surveys (20-30 million spectra obtained over most of the southern skies) will be applicable to a very broad range of science programs including the key areas of Galactic Archaeology, dark energy, dark matter, the structure and formation of the Milky Way, AGN and galaxy evolution. The 4MOST data will allow UK academics to obtain exploitation grants and produce numerous publications.

UK industry will benefit via contracts for the construction of parts of 4MOST. For example, E2V have an excellent chance of winning a multi-million pound order for the CCDs.

UK astronomical instrument building groups will benefit from working on phase B of 4MOST.

Publications

10 25 50
publication icon
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.
Exploitation Route Our findings will be used to take the project forwards 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 2013
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