This message is to inform you of the current status and of plans for the review of the post-2008 APO science proposals. As was mentioned earlier, we received seven proposals. The external science reviews have been completed, and an ARC-internal review panel has been formed and has met three times by telephone. It plans to continue to meet at least weekly. The internal panel consists of Rich Kron, Suzanne Hawley, Jim Gunn, Steve Kent, David Weinberg, Rene Walterbos, Bruce Gillespie and myself. Based on the comments from the external science reviewers and on other largely programmatic and technical criteria, the internal panel has begun to evaluate the proposals. We will attempt to synthesize a program (or choice of programs) using one or more of the elements from the proposal pool. We expect to have completed this step by mid-October, and will then forward our recommendation(s) to the ARC Board of Governors. In the spirit of keeping the ARC/SDSS-II community informed, we list below the titles, PI names, and abstracts of the seven proposals being considered. Members of the ARC or SDSS communities who are interested in specific projects are invited to contact the PI. Note that in some cases the person listed may not be the science PI of the actual project if it is eventually carried out but is, in any case, the appropriate contact person at this time. Post-2008 proposals (title, PI, abstract): ****************************************************************** Title: A Low-Redshift Supernova Survey Using the ARC 2.5m Telescope PI: A. Becker (Univ. of Washington) Abstract: We propose to devote the ARC 2.5m telescope and its imager to a new supernova survey during the first ten months of operations after the end of SDSS II (Sept. 2008 through June 2009). In combination with and building upon the success of the SDSS II Supernova Survey, the ARC Supernova Survey (ARCSS) will discover and measure densely sampled, well-calibrated, multi-band optical light curves for ~250 low-redshift type Ia supernovae, quadrupling the SDSS II sample in the range 0.05<z<0.15. This sample will be an order of magnitude larger than currently available low-redshift SN samples of comparable data quality. With less stringent quality cuts, the ARCSS sample will total ~500 light curves. The ARCSS survey efficiency will be well above 90%, resulting in an unbiased sample. The survey will also probe other supernova types, and its large volume will enable study of peculiar and relatively rare supernovae, including peculiar SNe Ia and Ib/c. To achieve such a high SN discovery rate, ARCSS will scan at three times sidereal rate. We will carry out tests to ensure that we can operate in this mode and obtain precision photometry using the associated binned readout; if that proves infeasible, scanning at sidereal rate will produce a sample five times larger than the comparable, current low-redshift sample. Spectroscopic follow-up observations to determine supernova types, obtain precise redshifts, and measure detailed spectroscopic features at several epochs per supernova will be provided by a number of telescopes around the world. The proposed ARCSS sample will result in significantly improved anchoring of the Hubble diagram and understanding of supernova luminosity variations and K- corrections; combining this information with ongoing and future high-redshift surveys will lead to stronger and more robust constraints on the nature of the dark energy. ****************************************************************** Title: A Post 2008 Proposal for the ARC/SDSS 2.5m - A Massive Spectroscopic Survey of the Galaxy Contact author: Jill Knapp (Princeton) Abstract: The overall scientific goals of this project, which is an extension of SEGUE, are detailed studies of Galactic kinematics, dynamics, and metallicity distributions; searches for the rarest objects, especially the lowest-metallicity objects; and support of Gaia science. Operating full time except for the week or so around full Moon, the SDSS spectrographs on the 2.5 m can produce of order 300,000 spectra per year of stars to magnitude 19-20. SDSS-I and II plus six years of observing could measure radial velocities, stellar parameters (g, Teff) and abundances (both metallicity and alpha/Fe) for more than 2 million stars, about 2% of those at declination > 0 whose parallaxes and proper motions will be measured by Gaia and complementing the Gaia and RAVE radial velocities which will be measured only for stars brighter than about 16.5 (Gaia) and 12 (RAVE). The SDSS spectrographic system is still state-of-the-art and a complete observing, data reduction and data analysis system is in place, so this project could begin immediately at the end of SDSS-II. The proposed plan is to obtain some 900 square degrees of imaging of the anticenter direction in Fall 2008, and to acquire spectra thereafter, using SEGUE target selection and aiming for a filled-area survey within which the stars are randomly sampled. [Full text available via anonymous ftp at astro.princeton.edu gk/SSS (whitepaper.ps, whitepaper.pdf)] ****************************************************************** Title: Mapping the Cosmic Web of Baryons with HST/COS and the ARC 2.5m Imagers and Spectrographs PI: John Stocke (Univ. of Colorado Boulder) Abstract: To map the large-scale baryonic structure of the low-z universe in both gas and galaxies, we propose to use the Sloan 2.5m telescope to observe large-scale structure in galaxy fields around ~20 AGN from our Hubble (COS and STIS) surveys of IGM absorbers. We will observe two strips covering a 2.5 degree field per AGN, with 6-8 hrs per AGN: two photometric scans of 1 hr each and two 1-hr spectroscopic plug-plates, to produce 700-1000 galaxies (r'~19) or 3.5m DIS long-slit spectra, targeting galaxies whose photometric redshifts match known Lyman alpha absorbers. We may also observe wider fields around a few targets with lower-redshift absorbers. We propose to provide $250 K from Hubble/COS funds for ground-based observing, supplemented by support from other HST Guest Observers, from observing proposals to NSF, and from an STScI Legacy proposal for studies of QSO Absorption Lines. ****************************************************************** Title: Synoptic Spectroscopy of Young Stars: A Proposal for the Apache Point Observatory 2.5 meter Telescope After 2008 PI: John Bally (Univ. of Colordao Builder) Abstract: The 640 fiber multi-object spectrometer on the 2.5 meter will be used to measure basic stellar properties, spectroscopic variability, and to characterize the birth environments of young stars lying within a few kpc of the Sun with ages less than a few hundred million years, the period during which planet formation is completed. Spectral typing will be used to generate HR diagrams for nearby clusters and associations, estimate stellar masses, ages, and radial velocities. Repeated observations will be used to determine the time-scales for variations in accretion and mass ejection rates, identify companions, and transiting circumstellar material in edge-on disks. We will search for signatures of environmental effects on the formation and early evolution of planetary systems, including dynamical processes and radiation fields. The proposed survey will be a crucial step in the characterization of the local young star population of the Galaxy, a key step towards a comprehensive understanding of the formation of stars, clusters, associations, and their planetary systems throughout the Universe. It will be a vital resource for interpreting other large synoptic surveys that only provide photometric data and provide data for target selection for future space missions such as JWST. This program will primarily use the 2.5 meter spectrographs, supported by the 2.5m wide-field imaging capability, for spectral typing and synoptic monitoring of young stars. We consider three funding scenarios: High level of funding would enable the observation of about 106 young stars and development of new spectrographs for R > 104 spectroscopy. Operations with moderate funding enable us to monitor about 105 stars using the existing hardware. We also consider what could be achieved in a `cheap operations=E2=80=99 mode using only a few custom plug plates to extensively monitor a representative sample of about 104 young star systems. While other surveys of young stars concentrate on photometric variations, our program will focus on spectral properties and variability. ****************************************************************** Title: The Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE) with the ARC H-band Echelle Spectrograph (ARCHES) PI: Steven R. Majewski (Univ. of Virginia) Abstract: We propose to use the ARC 2.5-m telescope to conduct the APO Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE) survey, a large scale, R =E2=88=BC 20000 spectroscopic probe of low latitude Milky Way stars that will provide, by orders of magnitude, the largest database of chemical abundances, spectroscopic parallaxes and kinematics for Galactic bulge and disk stars. The survey will be conducted with a dedicated, multi-fiber, cryogenic spectrograph operating in the near- infrared H-band, ARCHES (ARC H-band Echelle Spectrograph), to be built at the University of Virginia. This survey would use approximately half of the time on 150 bright-time nights each year during a three-year period to observe of order 10^5 targets to S/N =E2=88=BC100. Approximately half of the targets will be = in the Galactic bulge/bar and half will span the Galactic disk. Giant stars, which are found in all Galactic stellar populations, are intrinsically bright in the H-band, while the Galaxy is substantially more transparent at 1.5=CE=BC than at visible wavelengths. These = factors, combined with the fact that 2MASS already provides ideal source selection, enable a survey that spans the full radial extent of the Galactic disk and bulge (H < ~13.5) without the need for a new photometric imaging program. The APOGEE spectroscopic database will provide the first three-dimensional view of the chemical abundance and kinematical distributions of stars in the inner Galaxy and outer disk, providing the strongest constraints yet on the formation and evolution of the Milky Way. The scientific objectives of this survey will be to (1) provide extensive chemodynamical data on the inner Galaxy (thin/thick disk, bar/bulge, low latitude halo substructure) sufficient to constrain formation/evolution models, (2) place constraints on the first stars from unbiased metallicity distribution functions of these stellar populations, (3) constrain and understand physical processes of star formation, feedback, mixing in the formation of the Galaxy, (4) survey the dynamics of the bulge and disk, and place constraints on the nature and influence of the Galactic bar and spiral arms, (5) attempt to isolate what portion of the disk and bulge come from accretion versus formation in situ. ****************************************************************** Title: Refining the Distance Scale to 1% with the ARC 2.5-m Telescope PI: David Schlegel (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Abstract: We propose to use the SDSS facility post-2008 to conduct the largest spectroscopic survey to date of cosmological large-scale structure. The survey is designed to use the baryon acoustic oscillation phenomenon to make significant improvements in our measurements of the cosmic distance scale and hence the acceleration of the expansion rate of the Universe. The primary goal is a survey of Luminous Red Galaxies (LRGs) out to z ~ 0.7 over 10,000 square degrees, aimed at the measurement of the baryon acoustic peak in the large-scale galaxy correlations. A secondary survey of z > ~2.5 quasars (using a small fraction of the fibers) will allow us to measure the acoustic oscillations at z =3D 2.5 in the Lyman forest. This data set will yield absolute distance measurements of 1.1% at z =3D 0.35, 1.1% at z =3D 0.6, and 1.4% at z =3D 2.5. More generally, this = APO-LSS survey will be up to 9 times more effective at measuring large-scale structure than the full SDSS-II. This survey requires full use of grey and dark time of the 2.5-m telescope for 4 years. Improvements will be made to the spectrographs primarily by replacing the fibers, gratings, and CCDs. If deemed feasible, an automated fiber actuator system would replace the plug- plate system, significantly improving flexibility and running costs of the instrument. Our baseline plan involves running the imaging camera through fall 2008, and only the spectrographs beyond then. Our budget assumes that 1/3 of the time (bright time) will be covered by another program. The Photometric Telescope will not be used. ****************************************************************** Title: An All Sky Extrasolar Planet Survey (ASEPS) with the APO 2.5m Telescope PI: Jian Ge (Univ. of Florida) Abstract: The extrasolar planet discoveries in the last decade have revolutionized and reinvigorated planetary science. More than 190 planets with ~5 Earth masses to ~10 Jupiter masses are now known to orbit nearby sun-like stars. These extrasolar giant planets reveal an astonishing and unexpected diversity of masses, semi-major axes and eccentricities. The observed planet demographics have challenged the planet formation paradigm that giant planets form and reside only in circular orbits at large distances from their parent stars, as is the case in our solar system. Despite the wide range of planet masses and orbital parameters, planet formation does not appear to be random. Definite classes of planets are emerging, hinting at the mechanisms that sculpt the final distribution of planets in a given planetary system. The discovery of many more planets are required to better understand planet formation, planet migration and evolution, the range of physical characteristics of extrasolar planets, and the relationship between planet formation and host star properties and environments. By increasing the planet sample from ~200 to ~10,000 and extending the host star mass range from 0.4-1.5 solar masses (the main mass range for current surveys) to 0.08-5 solar masses, the All Sky Extrasolar Planet Survey (ASEPS) will fuel the next generation of extrasolar planet science. We propose to use the Sloan 2.5-m wide field telescope and new generation multiple object high throughput Doppler instruments to undertake a large-scale visible and near-IR band Doppler survey of ~250,000 relatively bright stars (generally V < 13 for the visible and J < 11 for the near IR) for extrasolar planets between 2008-2013. If this program is successful, we envision continuing the survey until 2020 to survey an additional ~250,000 stars and obtain information on long-period planets and possibly detect hundreds of solar analogs. Following the spirit of the original SDSS goal of increasing the number of known quasar and galaxy redshifts by over one order of magnitude, ASEPS aims to increase the number of extrasolar planets by nearly two orders of magnitude (~10,000 planets in the 12-year survey). The dramatic increase in the number of known planets will allow astronomers to study correlations and physical relationships much more effectively than at present. Additionally, the large number of planet discoveries will enable to detection of rare planets that may have eluded previous planet searches. Thus, ASEPS will be the =E2=80=9Cnext generation Sloan Survey=E2=80=9D both in terms of the tools used and the scientific legacy. The full ASEPS program would detect ~10,000 planets, spanning a wide range of planet properties. The ASEPS visible-wavelength survey has the sensitivity to detect giant planets at Jupiter-like distances (5 AU) from parent stars with V < 11. The near-infrared survey will focus on M stars and may lead to discoveries of super Earth mass planets (~10 Earth masses) in the habitable zones (temperatures consistent with liquid water) around the low mass stars (~0.3 solar mass). Some of the short-period planet candidates uncovered by the survey will be observed with other telescopes in order to increase planet detection efficiency while longer-period planet candidates (several years) and the remaining short-period planet candidates will be monitored with ASEPS itself. This survey will also provide complementary work for future space planetary mission programs such as Kepler, Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) and Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) by understanding planetary system characteristics and frequency among stars with an unprecedented mass range, providing an observational target list for determining planet size and mass through planet transit detection, and discovering a number of transiting planets around bright stars for space observations of planet atmospheric compositions. APO APO APO APO APO Apache Point Observatory 3.5m APO APO APO APO APO This is message 983 in the apo35-general archive. You can find APO the archive on http://www.astro.princeton.edu/APO/apo35-general/INDEX.html APO To join/leave the list, send mail to apo35-request@astro.princeton.edu APO To post a message, mail it to apo35-general@astro.princeton.edu APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO