Gemini Observatory in the Era of Multi-Messenger Astronomy: High Image Quality and Rapid Response to Cosmic Events

多信使天文学时代的双子座天文台：高图像质量和对宇宙事件的快速响应

• 批准号: 1839225
• 负责人: Charles Mattias Mountain
• 金额: $ 2597.41万
• 依托单位: Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Cooperative Agreement
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2018-10-01 至 2025-09-30
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1839225&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Gemini; Observatory; Era; Multi; Messenger

The Gemini Observatory operates two large telescopes, one in Hawai'i and one in Chile. These two telescopes provide astronomers in the U.S., Canada, Argentina, Brazil, and Chile with access to the whole sky. Using modern instruments on each telescope, astronomers are able to study everything from asteroids, comets and nearby planets, to huge super-bright stars and distant galaxies. Plans are now under way at Gemini to prepare each telescope for a new decade of discovery. Astrophysics in the 2020s will be revolutionized by "Multi-Messenger Astronomy", an exciting new field that uses gravitational waves and high-energy particles, as well as ordinary everyday light, to study some of the most exotic objects and explosive events in the Universe. Facilities like NSF's Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), the NSF/University of Wisconsin IceCube South Pole Neutrino Observatory, and NSF's latest telescope, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), will detect these "messengers", changing the way we study the Universe. In support of these remarkable new observatories, Gemini will develop new computer software and new optics hardware so that astronomers can study each new discovery quickly and in high detail. In addition to making remarkable discoveries and doing amazing science, Gemini is also a leader in education, public information and outreach activities. Gemini staff bring science to the communities in both Hawai'i and Chile through unique programs such as Journey through the Universe, AstroDay, and Viaje al Universo. With this new award they will extend their reach by developing a Planetarium show that will help the public better understand Multi-Messenger Astronomy. Gemini will also run workshops for educators and communicators so that they too can explain the exciting new discoveries that will surely be made by LIGO, IceCube, LSST and Gemini over the coming decade. Gemini has proposed a challenging though very exciting program of cutting-edge development activities that are in line with NSF's strategic goals and those of its international partners in the Gemini Observatory. The enhancement of existing Adaptive Optics (AO) capabilities at Gemini-S and particularly Gemini-N on Maunakea, one of the best sites in the world for high-resolution imaging, will ensure that the observatory remains competitive in the 2020s, in the run-up to the commissioning of 30-to-40 meter class telescopes at the end of the coming decade. Wide-field AO-corrected infrared imaging at Gemini will complement a similar capability on the James Webb Space Telescope, which will hopefully be executing its prime mission in the 2020s. At the same time, in collaboration with other national facilities, Gemini staff will develop and mature software aimed specifically at preparing Gemini for time domain and multi-messenger astronomy in a decade when LIGO and LSST will drive many of the most exciting science discoveries. The proposal's goal of ensuring that Gemini is the best positioned public 8-meter class facility for follow-up activities is clearly consistent with the wishes of the observing communities at home and abroad.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

双子座天文台拥有两台大型望远镜，一台位于夏威夷，一台位于智利。 这两台望远镜为美国、加拿大、阿根廷、巴西和智利的天文学家提供了观察整个天空的机会。使用每台望远镜上的现代仪器，天文学家能够研究从小行星、彗星和附近行星，到巨大的超亮恒星和遥远星系的一切。 双子座目前正在制定计划，让每台望远镜为新十年的发现做好准备。 2020 年代的天体物理学将因“多信使天文学”而发生革命性的变化，这是一个令人兴奋的新领域，利用引力波和高能粒子以及普通的日常光来研究宇宙中一些最奇特的物体和爆炸事件。 NSF 的激光干涉引力波天文台 (LIGO)、NSF/威斯康星大学 IceCube 南极中微子天文台以及 NSF 的最新望远镜大型综合巡天望远镜 (LSST) 等设施将探测到这些“信使”，从而改变我们的方式研究宇宙。为了支持这些非凡的新天文台，双子座将开发新的计算机软件和新的光学硬件，以便天文学家能够快速、详细地研究每一个新发现。除了做出非凡的发现和进行令人惊叹的科学之外，双子座还是教育、公共信息和外展活动的领导者。 Gemini 员工通过宇宙之旅、AstroDay 和 Viaje al Universo 等独特项目，将科学带入夏威夷和智利的社区。凭借这一新奖项，他们将通过开发天文馆节目来扩大影响力，帮助公众更好地了解多信使天文学。 Gemini 还将为教育工作者和传播者举办研讨会，以便他们也能解释 LIGO、IceCube、LSST 和 Gemini 在未来十年肯定会做出的令人兴奋的新发现。双子座提出了一项具有挑战性但非常令人兴奋的尖端开发活动计划，该计划符合 NSF 的战略目标及其双子座天文台国际合作伙伴的战略目标。 Gemini-S 现有自适应光学 (AO) 能力的增强，特别是莫纳克亚山（世界上最好的高分辨率成像地点之一）的 Gemini-N 的能力，将确保该天文台在 2020 年代保持竞争力，在运行中- 直至未来十年末 30 至 40 米级望远镜的调试。 双子座的广域 AO 校正红外成像将补充詹姆斯·韦伯太空望远镜的类似功能，该望远镜有望在 2020 年代执行其主要任务。与此同时，Gemini 工作人员将与其他国家机构合作，开发和成熟软件，专门帮助 Gemini 在 LIGO 和 LSST 将推动许多最令人兴奋的科学发现的十年内为时域和多信使天文学做好准备。该提案旨在确保Gemini成为后续活动的最佳位置的公共8米级设施的目标显然符合国内外观测界的愿望。该奖项体现了NSF的法定使命，被认为值得支持通过使用基金会的智力优点和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估。