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DevCon: 02 Aug 2018

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Kyle Westfall edited this page Aug 2, 2018 · 9 revisions

Agenda:

  • Priorities for the WMKO FOBOS funds
  • StarBugs feasibility study
  • DESI blue channel coating study to push blue sensitivity and spectral range
  • Possibility of a FOBOS workshop associated with Keck Science Meeting (20-21 Sept)

Funding Priorities

  • We requested money for:
    1. Spectrograph design
    2. Focal-plane design
    3. Science team development
  • Reviewers requested that we devote most of our time to items 2 and 3.

(Star)Bugs Feasibility

Idea is to have AAO do a short (~2 week) feasibility study of using StarBugs with Keck/FOBOS and TMT/WFOS. Will Saunders is very engaged and has already made quite some progress on a FOBOS design, mostly with regard to the design of a "Compensating Lateral ADC." Case is very compelling in terms of image quality.

  • We'd like to understand where Will has placed L1/L2 in the CLADC design, particularly relative to the primary mirror and the pupil. How much does moving these two lenses away from the pupil hurt the image quality.
  • Can other instruments take advantage of the ADC? DEIMOS or ESI? Which is more optimal in terms of direct integration? LADC or CLADC?
  • We'd like to understand the space constraints in terms of Will's CLADC design. From his diagrams, it looks like there's >2 meters between L2 and L3, but there's not that much room on the Nasmyth deck. Nick will be in contact with him about this, with input on the space constraints from Marc and KG.
  • Next we need more input on the starbugs side, in terms of space constraints and a concept for interfacing with the telescope and spectrograph(s).

DESI Modifications

  • Based on conversations with Pat Jelinsky, KG and David previously reported one particular lens limits throughput in blue. However, it would not be easy to change this lens. Would be useful to know more details about this. KG will ask.
  • Easier modifications to improve blue throughput would be to optimize the coatings and VPH to provide better throughput. Pat suggests this wouldn't be hard, something like ~1 week of work. KG to be in contact with Pat about this, and start to create a work package that we can think through.
  • Also possible to slightly redesign do allow for room for a dichroic needed for adding a 4th NIR arm. Pat suggested this would also be something like ~1 week of work. KG to investigate this.
  • Useful to get the details of what these work-packages would entail, but need to be mindful of Keck SSC request that we spend most of the budget on the focal plane and building science teams.

Community Engagement

  • Keck Science Meeting (20-21 Sept)

    • Workshop the day before? Marc has done these before.
    • However, given development stage and previous workshops, likely better to devote effort toward building a core science team that are all in and invested in discussing the details of FOBOS development.
    • We should think ahead toward a 1-day workshop ahead of the 2019 KSM.

  • Kevin and Kyle starting to make plans for individual/small group meetings:

    • UCI/UCR: Kevin recently talked with Michael Cooper at UCI, who is interested and suggested we meet at UC Riverside to engage people there. Currently planning for last week of August. Kevin will contact Michael about this.
    • UCSB: Possibly connect with Joe Hennawi and Crystal Martin near the KSM, driving up from LA.
    • UCSD: Kevin will be there in early Sept for other reasons. We can plan to meet with Alison Coil and Shelley Wright.
    • IfA and Keck Observatory: Mike Liu expressed interest to Kevin in having a FOBOS discussion at the IfA. Kyle and Kevin have a Keck run on Nov 7-8, and could plan to spend an extra day or two visiting. Marc suggested at talk at Keck would be well received, particularly if we gear the talk slightly toward the technical/observatory implications.
    • Berkeley/LBL: Particularly easy trip for us here at UCSC/UCO. Want be sure to engage with Jessica Lu, Mariska Kriek, Chung-Pei Ma, and, of course, the LBNL folks.
    • Marc suggested we also contact UC Davis, like Marusa Bradac (Chris Fassnacht?)
    • At UCLA, Rich suggests being in contact with Alice Shapley (concerned about capabilities, particularly blue throughput) and Matt Malkan.

  • Some concern that we're not getting enough input from CalTech. Evan Kirby is on the general list and Chuck knows much about FOBOS via involvement in WFOS, but it would be good to see if we can get deeper engagement from them and others. Shri Kulkarni would likely be interested in transient follow-up capabilities, given fixed format IFU likely at the center of the focal plane and long wavelength coverage. Would be good to put together a quick baseline capabilities for FOBOS along these lines. Marc notes another time-domain/ToO instrument was approved by the SSC: BIRES, which is a bent-Cassegrain position, long-slit, single-object, R~4-5k spectrograph that may replace ESI. Used in combination with NIRES on Keck II to get long wavelength coverage. Not really seen as a competition with FOBOS, but will have similar capabilities for this science. Useful to keep in mind.

  • KG is often traveling to SoCal (in October particularly) and Hawaii in January. It will be great to have multiple meetings! KG and Kyle will be in contact about travel schedule and messaging.

Regular Telecon Times?

Will announce another telecon during this time (3pm PDT) likely in two weeks, 16 Aug.

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