DATE: Thu, 20 Aug 2009 10:32:35 +1000
SUBJECT: GMTIFS Information Day


   Giant Magellan Telescope Integral-Field Spectrograph (GMTIFS)
                        Information Day

               Monday 31 August 2009, 09:30-16:00

          (Note: RSVP by COB Friday 21 August)

        Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, ANU
                     Duffield Lecture Room
                Mt. Stromlo Observatory, Canberra

ANU is leading a team proposing a Conceptual Design Study for the
Giant Magellan Telescope Integral-Field Spectrograph (GMTIFS).
Interested members of the astronomical and industrial communities are
invited to participate in this Information Day. Our goals are to
exchange scientific and technical information about the instrument and
to discuss opportunities for involvement in the Conceptual Design
Study during 2010+.

Early-career researchers are particularly encouraged to participate in
the definition of this major future Australian facility. A limited
budget is available for particularly keen PhD students to help with
travel expenses.

GMTIFS will be used behind the Laser Tomography Adaptive Optics (LTAO)
system on the 25m-diameter Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT). It will
include a near-infrared integral-field spectrograph (similar to NIFS
on Gemini North) and a near-infrared high-resolution camera (similar
to GSAOI on Gemini South). The integral-field spectrograph will have a
range of spatial scales from the diffraction limit (16.5 milli-arcsec
at a wavelength of 1.65 microns) to a coarse scale of ~ 0.1
arcsec/spaxel. It will have a spectral resolving power of R ~ 5000 in
order to operate between strong airglow emission lines. The
near-infrared high-resolution camera will operate at the diffraction
limit with a pixel size of 5 mas and a field of at least 20x20 arcsec.

The key science driver for the coarse spectroscopic scale is the study
of the formation and evolution of galaxies in the early Universe. Key
science drivers for diffraction-limited spectroscopy include the
evolution of super-massive black holes in galactic nuclei, studies of
forming stars, and studies of solar system objects. Key science
drivers for diffraction-limited imaging include studies of resolved
stellar populations and structures in nearby galaxies, studies of
dense star clusters, and the detection and study of brown dwarfs and
planets around nearby stars.

The day will be divided into three sessions; a morning session on
science goals, an early afternoon session on technical goals, and a
final informal discussion session.

The program is attached.

Please RSVP for catering purposes to Director.RSAA@anu.edu.au or phone
+61 2 6125 0266. Further information can be obtained by emailing
Peter.McGregor@mso.anu.edu.au.

Please RSVP by COB Friday 21 August