The GTC instrument plan Romano L. M. Corradi GRANTECAN
The GTC instrument plan
Romano L. M. Corradi
GRANTECAN
GTC status
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GTC science time use by stake holderCanariCam GT
OSIRIS GT
ITP
ES-FL
Florida
ES-MX
Mexico
ESO time
Spain
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Science time use by instrument
CanariCam
OSIRIS
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221 refereed articles published (1 Feb 2016)
- 89 from Spain (41 from IAC, 18 from IAA)
- 10 from Mexico and 9 from Florida
- 204 OSIRIS data / 16 Canaricam data
Science productivity
http://gtc-phase2.gtc.iac.es/science/publications/publications.php
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Paper/Telescope versus age
VLT Gemini Keck SUBARU LBT GTC
age
2015 scientific highlights
Santander-García et al 2015, Nature, 519, 63 Lee et al, 2015, Nature, 528, 108
The double-degenerate, super-Chandrasekhar
nucleus of the planetary nebula Henize 2-428Relativistic baryonic jets from an ultraluminous
supersoft X-ray source
GTC status
Still, a significant amount of work is needed in terms of telescope
development, in order to fully exploit the GTC capabilities, and in
particular to provide the best image quality under any observing
conditions (e.g. closed-loop active optics)
Progress toward this goal has been and is strongly limited by the
available financial/human resources, but it is essential if we want to
exploit the fact that the GTC is the largest telescope in the world
GTC instrument capability
Available focii:
2 Nasmyth
1 Cassegrain
4 folded Cassegrain
[Coudé]
[prime]
In use
In preparation
Not planned
2015 technical highlights
• NIR camera CIRCE successfully commissioned in summer 2015 is now offered to community starting on 2015B
• Dome opening limitations solved (Oct-Nov 2015 stand-down)
Wavelength (micron)
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Reso
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OSIRIS
OSIRIS
CanariCam
CanariCamCIRCE
GTC instrumentation on December 2015
CIRCE
Developed by the University of Florida (USA) PI S. Eikenberry (UF)
Visitor Instrument (temporary instrument, not paid by the GTC budgets
and relaxed on the use of GTC standards; but supported and maintained
by the Instrument Team)
Wavelength range: 0.9 - 2.5 µm
2Kx2K HgCdTe (Rockwell)
Field of View: 3.4’ x 3.4’ with 0.1 arcsec/pixel
Observing Modes:
Broad band imaging and polarimetry
Narrowband imaging, low resolution spectroscopy and spectropolarimetry
(March 2016)
Status: offered to community starting from semester 2015B
CIRCE
During Integration tests
Future instrumentation plan
The GTC instrumentation plan till 2019 has been approved by the GTCgoverning boards.
Agreement signed with Canarian Government to fund the instrument plan 2014-2019. This includes all actions necessary to prepare the telescope focii(rotators, A&G and calibration units, helium supply) and to design, produce andinstall all instruments: HORS, CIRCE, EMIR, MEGARA, FRIDA, and theGTCAO with a Laser guide star (agreement with IAC).
The GRANTECAN mission/challenge is to comply with all these commitments indue time.
Wavelength (micron)
1 2 3 10 20 300.3
100
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imaging
100000
30000
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U B V R I J H K L M N Q
Reso
luti
on
OSIRIS
OSIRIS
CanariCam
CanariCamCIRCE
GTC instrumentation on December 2015
Wavelength (micron)
1 2 3 10 20 300.3
100
300
imaging
100000
30000
10000
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U B V R I J H K L M N Q
Reso
luti
on
OSIRIS
OSIRIS
MEGARA
HORS
GTC at the end of 2019
MIRADAS
CIRCE
EMIR
EMIR
CanariCam
CanariCam
Competitiveness
The ultimate goal is a good balance between general purpose instruments (OSIRIS
+ EMIR) and instruments designed to provide specific capabilities that raise the
scientific competitiveness of the GTC.
Distinguished features are:
MOS (EMIR, Megara, Miradas) and/or
IFU (Megara, Miradas, Frida) multiplexing capabilities,
with intermediate spectral resolution (Megara, Miradas, Frida).
The combination of these features and the large GTC collecting areas makes them
unique instruments, and/or with much higher sensitivity than other similar
instruments.
Beyond 2020
We will open a formal open discussion for the GTC Strategic
Plan from 2020-on very soon.
The community contribution is essential.
Early/mid-career astrophysicists should have a pivotal role here.