Instrumentation Research Summary
The next generation of optical and infrared spectrographs will provide
true 3-D (2 spatial + 1 spectral) data that we will use to
simultaneously map the chemical, kinematic, and ionization structure of
a wide range of astrophysical phenomena. I have collaborated with a
Gemini instrument group to design a Multi-Conjugate Adaptive
Optics (MCAO) imager and spectrograph which will be a
second-generation Gemini instrument capable of performing 0.05''
resolution imaging over an unprecedented 80'' field of view.
Positionable integral field units will perform IR spectroscopy on up to
30 targets simultaneously. Applications range from assessing the
physical conditions in highly redenned star-forming clusters in the
Milky Way to measuring the kinematics of galaxy nuclei and
high-redshift galaxies.
I also worked as instrument scientist on the design (
Kobulnicky et al. 2003 ,
Burgh et al. 2003 ,
Nordsieck et al. 2003)
of the
Prime Focus Imaging Spectrograph
on the Southern African Large Telescope .
Here at Wyoming, I helped design a new prime focus corrector
to allow wide-field optical imaging at Wyoming Infrared Observatory 2.3 m
telescope.
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