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Gemini Observatory. Managing Under a Six-Nation Partnership. soon to be Five. “Two telescopes, one observatory”. Gemini South Cerro Pachon, Chile. Gemini North Mauna Kea, Hawaii.
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Gemini Observatory Managing Under a Six-Nation Partnership soon to be Five
“Two telescopes, one observatory” Gemini South Cerro Pachon, Chile Gemini North Mauna Kea, Hawaii Gemini Observatory, constructed 1999-2000, consists of twin 8.1-m infrared-optimized telescopes with exquisite optics located on two of the best sites for observing the universe. Together these telescopes access the entire sky.
The Partnership • Partner countries and their current shares are listed in the table below. • The UK have announced their decision to withdraw at the end of 2012. • As a result, and with changes in Australian and Brazilian involvement, revenues will decline and shares will transition as: ($ are O&M/Instr, in M) -24% • The increased share for the U.S. amounts to about +50 nights/yr for the general astronomical community on the two telescopes combined.
Gemini Management NSF serves as the executive agency for the international partnership
Management Roles & Responsibilities • Partners • Funding Agencies • Signatories to the Agreement • Appoint members to the Board • Determine new partners • Board • Supervisory and regulatory body established in the Gemini International Agreement • Composed of Agency officials and science community representatives • Sets budget, approves key personnel and major contracts, etc. • Determines action in event of default or withdrawal • Chile and Hawaii vote on scientific issues relevant to their tenant telescope
Management Roles & Responsibilities (cont) • NSF • “Executive Agency” - on behalf of partner agencies • Board member: Ulvestad Program Officer: Schmidt (Foltz) • Arranges for Managing Organization (currently AURA) • Handles all fiscal matters • Provides technical and managerial oversight in consultation with Board • Conducts and coordinates reviews • Provides Secretariat to the Board (Pentecost) • AURA, Inc. • Chosen as current Managing Organization by NSF, with approval of the Gemini Board. • Operates Gemini under separate Cooperative Agreement. • Negotiates with host countries, employs legal counsel, enters into contracts, manages the project, assumes fiduciary responsibility • Advised by AURA Observatory Council – Gemini (AOCG)
Management Roles & Responsibilities (cont) • Gemini International Observatory • Advised by Gemini Science Committee • Operations Working Group, AO Working Group • Convenes International Telescope Allocation Committee (ITAC) • National Gemini Offices (NGOs) • National portals to Gemini • Provide information to national users; process proposals; convene national TAC; etc. • Funded by partners • The U.S. NGO is the NOAO Gemini Science Center (Tucson) • Advised by National Science Advisory Committee
Highlights – The First Directly-Imaged Planet around a Sun-like Star Gemini AO image of 1RXS J160929.1-210524 and its ~8 Jupiter-mass companion (in red circle). Picture is a composite of J-, H, and K-band near-IR images. Obtained with the ALTAIR laser/natural guide star system and Near-Infrared Imager (NIRI) on the Gemini North telescope. Note 1 arcsec scale at bottom left.
Highlights – MCAO Constellation GeMS 50-watt laser (above) is projected as a 5-spot constellation covering 1 sq. arcmin by GeMS to illuminate the sodium layer ~90 km above Cerro Pachon, Jan. 22, 2011.
The Queue is the Default Operations Mode • Successful execution of the Gemini queue requires: • Detailed planning on a variety of timescales (months to minutes). • Observers adept in the use of all mounted (up to 5!) instruments. • All potential instruments ready and calibrated. • Real-time data QA/QC by Gemini staff. • The queue provides increased flexibility and observing efficiency, albeit at a cost.
Delivering on Commitments – Observing Efficiency Primary sources of lost time are weather, fault, shutdown, engineering, commissioning.
Challenges - I • Management and governance complexity • International partnership demands a more active role than traditional for NSF • Local politics and economies, variation in Chilean peso exchange rate • Transition to reduced budget post-UK withdrawal • New AURA proposal for management of Gemini Observatory 2012-2015 was submitted Jan. 31, and will be reviewed with site visit Mar. 21-24. • Essential aspect of transition is ~24% budget reduction, including ~32 FTEs • Elements of proposed transition: • Maintain high-quality instrumentation, queue operations, remote observing • Improve interface to user community • Reduce engineering, limit instrument complement, implement software queue, reduce travel, migrate queue observing to non-scientific staff.
Challenges - II • Responding to Astro2010 • Support from national communities • Proposal process • Instrumentation • Instrumentation • First science observations with GNIRS • Commissioning of GeMS MCAO system • Pre-ship testing of GPI • Problems with Flamingos 2 • Renewing efforts to obtain high-resolution optical spectrograph • Relationship to NOAO & other partner facilities. Concepts being considered by international “Tiger Team” of Gemini Board members, being led by AST Director J. Ulvestad
Delivering on Commitments – Program Completion Completion rates have increased since 2004 (grey vs. other colors), but large proposal development effort causes continued proposer frustration, particularly for Band 3 programs.
