29 Jun 2004 Dale, Finn, Lee, Laurance [ Call first; 'conference'; call second; 'conference'; use '9' ] ----------------------------------------------------------------- Field Update -------------- -We have formally switched from targeting the ELAIS N2 field to the ELAIS N1 field (ie switched from the 163600+410500 field to the 161100+550000 field). The reasons behind this switch are threefold: i) the higher declination allows observations at lower airmass for more of the year; ii) the IR background is a bit lower/cleaner; and iii) the UKIDSS deep NIR survey will be carried out in N1. Wyoming Update -------------- -Travis Laurance working on data reductions from first two WIRO runs -M. Pierce at Wyoming has unofficially learned that we will receive NSF $$ to fund a new wide-field NIR camera on WIRO (Dale is co-I). FOV=26', pixel scale=0.76". However, First Light could easily occur 2-3 years from today. UMASS Update -------------- -June 2004 run: 2nd half of June 1 for 16h 11m field Potential Items for Discussion ------------------------------ -Which camera/instrument/telescope should we use for the z~0.6 epoch? I don't think we should wait until the WIRO NIR camera is built. -Can Janice still get Steward time after graduating? -NOAO proposal? A "survey" proposal is perhaps a good option: up to 5 years. Next deadline likely Mar 2005. A Survey Program is a significant observational program which: * addresses novel, well-focused scientific goals; * enables scientific programs requiring large, statistically complete, and homogeneous data; * provides a basis for planning more detailed follow-up studies; * enables extensive archival research; and * represents a significant enhancement over existing surveys. Caveat: Flamingos is not well-designed for narrowband work. NEWFIRM on NOAO 4m: 30' with 0.3-0.5" pixels. First Light late '05 or early '06. This will have narrowband (~1%) capability. -optical survey strategy To obtain deep integrations we are stacking several dithered five minute frames. The dithering is to improve image reconstruction and to foster improved flat-field construction. The dither is ~30" to ensure PSFs from bright stars do not overlap in flat-field construction. The overlap between adjacent frames is currently 5', but this will be decreased when we get the the wide-field corrector lens in place later this summer/fall. --------------------------------------------------- Telecon notes/Follow-up to telecon --------------------------------------------------- The June 2004 run at MMT included 2.5-3 pointings at 0.81 by McCarthy. Janice has ~one year remaining for the PhD and is planning on staying on another year in Tucson after that. The PISCES camera on the Steward 90" (2.3 m) yields 8.5' FOV (circular). Because J band does not go down to my proposed z=0.62 (1.063um) wavelengths, maybe I should purchase my own broadband filter for continuum subtraction purposes. Rose suggested that test the merits of narrowband vs broadband continuum subtraction in the near-infrared. We could, for example, first experiment with her HeI (1.086um) and PaGamma (0.99um) narrowband filters. J is ~20%; Marcia Rieke may have a 10% NIR filter. We should go ahead and purchase the 1" square narrowband filter for the PISCES camera at lambda=1.063um (z=0.62). We should also buy either another 1% filter for continuum subtraction, or pursue a WySCH-tailored broadband filter at this wavelength, or both! Do we know of any red-sensitive CCDs/instruments/telescopes with which we could carry out the 0.62 epoch? The VLT FORS2 camera (5'x5')? IRTF? Anthony Gonzalez @ Florida is doing high-z cluster H-alpha work with narrowband filters. Rose will communicate with him b/c we're not sure that FLAMINGOS is optimal for narrowband work. Janice will likely spearhead a proposal to use PISCES on Steward 90" for the fall (November) Steward proposal cycle (for spring observations)