Following the prioritisation of the ESO science programme for the 2020s (Report in PDF) and the envisaged importance of highly-multiplexed spectroscopy for numerous scientific applications in the future, the ESO Director for Science, Rob Ivison, has established a Working Group to investigate the scientific case, synergistic opportunities and practical requirements for a dedicated ground-based wide field spectroscopic survey telescope in the 2020s. The Working Group is soliciting input from the community.
ESO Working Group on the Future of Multi-Object Spectroscopy
Published: 20 Jan 2016
The Working Group (WG) will focus primarily on the scientific opportunities rather than detailed technical solutions. Its charge is to consider:
- The scientific case for highly-multiplexed ground-based spectroscopy in the era of LSST, E-ELT and space missions such as JWST, Euclid, PLATO and WFIRST-AFTA
- Examples of survey projects and specific synergies with the above facilities and how these affect the design parameters of the survey telescope
- The likely scientific outcomes from the current suite of 4 to 8 metre spectroscopic survey facilities (4MOST/WEAVE, MOONS, DESI/Subaru PFS) and how these propel the case for a more ambitious or complementary facility
- The unique scientific opportunities enabled by a wide-field integral field capability (УЕ la MUSE)
- The mode of operations, data processing and other requirements that relate to disseminating the processed data to the ESO community.
The Working Group membership is:
Richard Ellis (ESO, Chair) Email
Malcolm Bremer (Bristol, UK) Email
Jarle Brinchmann (Leiden, NL) Email
Luigi Guzzo (Milan, IT) Email
Johan Richard (Lyons, F) Email
Hans-Walter Rix (Heidelberg, D) Email
Eline Tolstoy (Groningen, NL) Email
Darach Watson (Copenhagen, DK) Email
Noting its charge and scientific focus, the WG is keen to receive input from any member of the ESO community. Please contact Richard Ellis at ESO or any member of the WG if you have any questions or opinions you would like to offer. It is envisaged that the WG will produce a report mid-way through 2016.
This announcement is also available in PDF.