The following announcements are notable for the 2022A semester.
Dual Anonymous Review Process adopted by Canada in 2022A
-
Starting in semester 2022A, all Gemini proposals requesting time from Canada must be anonymized. This applies to programs requesting time only from Canada, and to joint programs requesting time from multiple participants which include Canada. This applies to programs requesting Canadian time whether it is the PI or a co-I that has the Canadian affiliation. Other participants are moving to implement a dual-anonymous review process (DARP) in semester 2022B or 2023A, and so it is in the best interest of all investigators to learn how to write an anonymous science case. Guidance is available at the Canadian DARP page: https://nrc.canada.ca/en/research-development/products-services/technical-advisory-services/guidelines-writing-anonymous-proposals-under-dual-anonymous-review-process-darp
Classical and Priority Visitor mode
- Classical and Priority Visitor mode is offered for semester 2022A at Gemini North, but not accepted at Gemini South. This may change as the pandemic evolves. If circumstances preclude having people on site, then awarded Classical time will revert to eavesdropping, and Priority Visitor will revert to queue. The "Bring One, Get One" Student Observer Support Program remains unavailable.
GNIRS:
- Gemini North GNIRS is expected to be unavailable during the month of March, for the installation of new integral field units. PIs with GNIRS targets 4 < RA hours < 7 should prepare backup targets.
IGRINS:
- IGRINS will be available for science (subject to demand) as a visiting instrument at Gemini South in 2022A. New for semester 2022A: PIs must include the additional overheads for science target acquisition and detector readout in their requested time. The Gemini Phase I Tool will automatically add time for telluric star calibrations to the requested science time. See the IGRINS at Gemini page (https://sites.google.com/site/igrinsatgemini/proposing-and-observing) for more information.
- The KASI IGRINS team were awarded a compensatory time of ~47 hours for this semster from Gemini, and a good fraction of this time will be allocated for the IGRINS proposal from the community.
Subaru Exchange Time:
- Subaru telescope downtime: Semester 2022A will be shortened so that the mirror coating and other engineering work can be done in the July to September 2022 period. The exact dates are not determined as of this Call.
- Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) will not be available between February and early April, while the top-end exchanger is worked on.
Observable Targets
- Targets are generally limited to
- NORTH : 4 < RA hours < 1 and -37° < dec < +90°
- SOUTH : 5 < RA hours < 2 and -90° < dec < +28°
- There are additional constraints as described in the target accessibility and instrument restrictions page.
Available Hours
- GN : 87.8 hours (for this standard program call)
- GS : 85.5 hours (for this standard program call)
Instruments
- Check out the availability and restrictions of the instruments for 2022A semester in the following Gemini page : Link
Phase I Tool:
- Please make sure you use Phase I tool (PIT) for 2022A (check this link for any update).
Proposers must use Gemini Phase-I Tool PIT. The PIT is a downloadable application that is used to provide "front-page" information including the title, abstract, and contact info for the investigators. Instrument configuration details, target coordinates, and observing constraints are also included in PIT. "Essay" sections are included in a single PDF attachment, which can be prepared using an MS Word or LaTeX template. Detailed help pages and video tutorials are available on the Gemini web site.
Please consider these suggestions and guidelines when preparing your proposal:
- Please use the template that can be found at the PIT software distribution site (Latex and Word templates are available) to prepare the Essay section (please use non-US version of template, GemPhase1.docx or GemPhase1.tex; for the reference, check the previous call for proposal pages).
- The scientific justification page has one-page limit for the text. Two additional pages can be used for references and figures. For page limits of other part of the essay, please refer to the description in the templates.
- Be sure to include example Integration Time Calculator (ITC) output -- please see the instructions in the template.
- When PI is a graduate student, please clarify who is his/her thesis advisor in the scheduling request section within the PIT.
For more details, please refer to Gemini’s page at https://www.gemini.edu/observing.
Observing Mode:
- Target of Opportunity (ToO) mode will follow the general rules applied for the Gemini full partners (click here for more information). However, given the risk of ToO observation not being triggered in time, we will advise the Korean TAC to limit the allocation of the ToO program no bigger than ~30% of each band.
- We encourage PIs to utilize Band 3 observations to greatly increase the chances of the program's getting data by relaxing observing conditions. In particular, for those who have submitted the Band 3 Letter of Intent, we encourage the PIs to submit a proposal to pursue it if appropriate.
Proposal Routes:
Regular proposal is available as it has been in the previous semester as follow:
- Joint Proposal : Korean Gemini users can submit Joint Proposal by collaborating with the PIs of other Gemini international partners. (Joint Proposal)
- Subaru-Gemini exchange Proposal : Korean Gemini users can apply for observing time of the Subaru Telescope through the Time Exchange program. (Exchange Time)
- Subaru HSC queue filler program : Gemini community can also propose Hyper Supreme Cam queue "filler" program. Filler programs are executed in poor observing conditions (typically seeing >1.5 arcseconds, and/or poor transparency), up to 35 hours can be requested by a filler proposal. Execution is not guaranteed: observations are made only when there is no other program in the HSC queue. In recent semesters, typically of order 15% of HSC time has gone to filler programs. Applications may be submitted once per semester, check the following page for the next deadline (Subaru CfP page). Proposals must be sent through the Subaru submission system (NOT Gemini), and are considered only by the Subaru TAC. Note that only a short text summary of the program is required, not a full detailed Science Justification. The HSC queue filler program takes no time exchange cost. (HSC filler programs)
- Poor weather program is available, and can be submitted at the time of regular Call for Proposal or any time during semester. Poor weather programs will be placed in Band 4, and neither the PI nor partner country will be charged for any time used. (Poor weather programs)
- Director’s Discretionary Time (DDT) is also available. It’s, in fact, been available for any astronomer worldwide. (DDT)
- Fast Turnaround (FT) program is available since Feb. 2019. FT runs by monthly-based submission and assessment. The total FT time per partner may not exceed 10% of the total partner’s time for a given semester. The time available for FT program in 2022A is 10.4 hours for Gemini-N and 10.1 hours for Gemini-S. (FT)
- Large and Long program (LLP) is not available as of now. There will be a discussion in the near future how to coordinate LLP for the Korean user community. (LLP)