Call for Keck Observatory Proposals

Call for Keck Proposals

Announcement from Directory Bolte

Due to a power outage that has prevented computer access to the San Diego Campus, the Keck proposal submission deadline has been extended for everyone until Monday, September 12th at 5:00 PM.

August 12, 2011

Updated September 9, 2011

CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR UC KECK TELESCOPE TIME

First Semester 2012: 12A (February 2012 through July 2012)

Proposal submission extended to Monday, September 12, 2011

Please see http://www.ucolick.org/keckobs/keckinstructions.html for instructions on using the on-line process. The application process will end promptly at 5:00 P.M. on Monday, September 12, 2011.

Proposals for 2012B will be due March 9, 2012.

Keck is continuing the login-password system to allow you to retrieve and modify your coversheets. Returning observers should use the same account information as last semester. New observers may request an account from the login page.

We expect 57 nights on Keck I and 56 nights on Keck II to be available to UC in 2012A. The schedule for 2012A is planned to be published on December 1, 2012.

Please see the Instruments Available web page for detailed notes on the current instruments: http://www2.keck.hawaii.edu/observing/instavail.html.

Special notes for this semester follow:

SUBARU exchange: Subaru and Keck will exchange up to five nights of Subaru time for DEIMOS, ESI, NIRSPEC, and NIRC2 time on Keck-II (maximum of four Keck II nights, maximum of two laser guide star nights) or LRIS and OSIRIS time on Keck-I (maximum of two Keck I nights). Subaru instruments available for the exchange in 2012A include Suprime-Cam, FOCAS, HDS, MOIRCS, IRCS (NGSAO with 188 elements) and COMICS. HOWEVER - IMPORTANT NOTES: As of early August 2011 Suprime-Cam, FOCAS, and the Cass auto-guider for MOIRCS and COMICS are not available. MOIRCS and COMICS are available for imaging with open-loop telescope tracking. While it is hoped that all instrument capability will be restored for 2012A, we caution observers this may not be the case. The Subaru telescope may be unavailable for one to two months at the beginning of semester 2012A because of the commissioning of Hyper Suprime-Cam.

Gemini exchange: Gemini and Keck will not exchange time during semester 2012A. There will be a one semester hiatus with tentative plans to reinstitute the exchange in 2012B.

LGS-AO: NIRC2, OSIRIS, or NIRSPAO with laser guide star adaptive optics will be available. As in past semesters, we anticipate that up to 24 nights of LGS-AO science will be supported for UC in 2012A on Keck II and Keck I telescopes combined. OSIRIS will be available only in shared-risk mode on Keck I during June and July.

KECK I LASER AND OSIRIS: The Keck I laser commissioning is continuing during semester 2011B. Plans are to move OSIRIS from Keck II to Keck I during January of 2012 and recommission it on Keck I through May. OSIRIS is expected to be available for shared-risk science on Keck I during June and July 2012.

ESI: Because of limited requests for ESI during recent semesters, ESI may be restricted to campaign mode (possibly two or three blocks of nights) during semester 2012A. Observers should be prepared for their allocations to possibly be a month earlier or later than the requested dates.

MOSFIRE: MOSFIRE will not offered for science during 2012A. Keck Observatory is anticipating delivery in spring of 2012 with commissioning to follow.

NIRSPEC/NIRSPAO: There will be a service mission for NIRSPEC during February and early March. NIRSPEC will be available after 8 March 2012 in both its standard, seeing limited mode and the AO mode (NIRSPAO). NIRSPAO may be scheduled for two or more observing blocks during semester 2012A, depending upon science demand.On all NIRSPAO nights, NIRC2 is also available for use. Please note that for NIRSPAO-LGS, backup programs are required. Backup programs may use NIRC2 or NIRSPAO in NGS mode. NIRSPEC without AO is not available when NIRSPEC is in
the AO configuration. NIRSPAO capability has been extended to include the filters residing in Filter Wheel 1, including the KL and M-Wide filters.

INTERFEROMETER: Semester 2012A will be the last semester the Interferometer will be available. Up to seven nights will be available to the entire Keck community for interferometer science. These nights will be scheduled in campaign mode, with up to three campaign periods available. Please note the Nulling and V2-KL modes cannot be mixed with the other modes in a given observing run. All operational modes will be offered for this semester as follows:

• V2: 5, 10, 42 and 330 channel K-band; 4-channel H-band
• V2-SPR: 330 channel K-band
• Nuller: N-band nulling
• V2-DFPR: dual-field phase referencing (shared risk)
• V2-L: L-band visibility mode (shared risk)
• V2-KL: simultaneous K and L visibility (shared risk)
• V2-HL: simultaneous H and L visibility (shared risk)
• Astrometry (shared risk w/WMKO team collaboration only as mode is not yet demonstrated)

Those proposing to use the interferometer should take special care to select the appropriate mode(s) for the instrument choice on the Keck Proposal Coversheet form. Observers proposing for the shared-risk modes are required to have a non-shared risk mode backup science program. All science observations with the Keck Interferometer are taken in service observing mode and scheduled in campaign mode.

Please read this paragraph: The principal consideration in evaluating proposals will be the scientific merit of the proposed project. Projects which take maximum advantage of the unique capability of the Keck Telescopes will be given high weight. A brief description should be given of backup programs that will be carried out if conditions are not suitable for the primary program. Linked to this page are GUIDELINES FOR PREPARING UC KECK PROPOSALS that specify what should be contained in the proposal. Please read and follow these Guidelines. The page limits will be strictly enforced, and TAC members are not obligated to read beyond the stated limit.

The coversheet form is available through the Keck Observer Login webpage. Please attach your scientific justification.

Sincerely,

Michael Bolte, Director
UC Observatories