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Semester 2015A Call for Proposals

Gemini Observatory invites its community to propose scientific investigations for the 2015A semester, 1 February 2015 - 31 July 2015.

The submission deadline varies with partner and ranges from THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, to WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1. Multi-partner joint proposals should be submitted by the deadline of the partner country to which the Principal Investigator is affiliated. Proposals for exchange time on Gemini from the Japanese community should be submitted by September 30, 2014 at 23:59 HST (Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time). An overview of the Gemini proposal submission process is available.

The Call is open to all partners and host institutions : Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, the US, Chile, the University of Hawaii and Korea (under its Limited-term Partnership MoU). US time is open to all astronomers including those at non-US institutions, although in that case the proposal must explain why U.S. national facilities are needed. The distribution of time across the partners is available in the time distribution table.

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What's New in 2015A!

The following capabilities and announcements are new for the 2015A semester. Please see the relevant instrument pages and section of the call for proposals for details.
  • Priority Visitor Observing Mode Expanded: Priority Visitor Observing Mode has been extended to additional programs.
  • Opportunity Extended: Bring one, get one! In 2015A, Gemini Observatory will continue to subsidize, with up to US$2000, the travel expenses of individual under- and graduate students visiting Gemini North or South, when accompanying a senior observer.
  • The DSSI Speckle camera visitor instrument will be available in 2015A.
  • Pending final approval from the Gemini Board, the Fast-Turnaround Program will begin in 2015A.


Summary of 2015A Gemini Capabilities

Gemini North

Target are generally limited to 4 < RA hours < 1 and -37 < dec degrees < +90. In some cases there are additional constraints as described below and in the target and instrument accessibility page.
Facility instruments offered in 2015A, in queue or classical mode, are:
Visitor instruments offered in 2015A (subject to demand), in queue mode only, are:
  • DSSI Speckle camera: a dual-channel visual-wavelength camera giving simultaneous diffraction limited images in two filters over a 2.8 - 5.6 arcsecond field of view. Up to 100 hours, subject to demand, are available during July 2015, limiting RAs to 13.5h to 2.5h.

Gemini South

Target are generally limited to 5 < RA hours < 2 and -90 < dec degrees < +28. In some cases there are additional constraints as described below and in the target and instrument accessibility page.
Facility instruments offered in 2015A, in queue or classical mode, are:


Important Dates for 2015A

The deadline for Phase I submission varies with partner and ranges from THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, to WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1. Poor weather and Director's Discretionary Time proposals are accepted at any time via the Phase I Tool. For successful proposals, both queue and classical, the Phase II submission deadline is 16 JANUARY, 2015. More information is available in the 2015A schedule.


Phase I Tool for 2015A

Proposals for time on Gemini, and for time on Subaru via the Gemini-Subaru exchange program, must use the Gemini Phase I Tool (PIT). Latex and Word templates are available to create a pdf attachment which includes the science and technical cases. The requested time for the visitor instruments should include all required calibrations (unlike the facility instruments where the time required for a specified set of baseline calibrations should not be included). Investigators are requested to include the output from the integration time calculators in the proposal. See the PIT page for installation information and the help pages for the PIT for assistance.


Time Available in 2015A

The time available for each partner and host institution in 2015A is shown on the time distribution page. The science time available at each telescope includes a 5% Director's Discretionary Time allocation, available to astronomers worldwide through the Director's Discretionary Time proposal process. At Gemini North, ~176 nights are expected to be available for science. At Gemini South, ~160 nights are expected to be available for science.


Exchange Time

The exchange of time between the Gemini and Subaru communities will continue in 2015A with a desired minimum of 5 classical nights. However, the exact number of nights exchanged is set by the lower demand of one of the two communities. In 2014B, 3 nights were exchanged.
 

No Gemini-Keck exchange time is offered in Semester 2015A.


Priority Visitor Observing Mode

In Priority Visitor Observing, a visiting observer is placed at the summit for a block exceeding their program's time allocation, and elects when to carry out their program within that block. This may be when conditions are within their requirement, better than their requirement or even fail to meet their requirement. If time remains on the program after the summit time is complete, the program carries on in the regular queue with priority given by the TAC-assigned science ranking band. PV observing mode is offered as a possibility for queue programs in 2015A. Investigators wishing to have their program considered for PV observing should indicate their desire to participate in the Technical Design portion of their 2015A queue proposal.


Large and Long Programs

Large and long Programs (LLPs) are Principal Investigator-defined and -driven programs that are expected to require either significantly more time than a partner typically approves for a single program, or extends over two to six semesters, or both. LLP proposals are accepted annually for observations beginning in the B semester. The next announcement for LLP proposals will be made in early December for observations beginning with the 2015B semester. Further information on LPs and the LP proposal process can be found on the Large And Long Program page.

Information on previously accepted LLPs and their science programs is available here.


Fast-Turnaround Program

The Fast-Turnaround Program will provide monthly opportunities to submit proposals, with successful programs scheduled starting one month after each proposal deadline. Pending final approval from the Gemini Board, the first deadline for proposals will be January 31, 2015 for observations beginning in March 2015. A separate announcement with full details will be released in December.


Bring One, Get One: Student Travel Assistance Program

The Gemini Observatory, at the request of its Users' Committee, would like to strongly encourage the visit of students to observing runs (attending Queue, Classical, or Priority Visiting Observing). In semester 2015A, the Gemini Observatory will subsidize with up to US$2000 the travel expenses of individual under- and graduate students visiting Gemini North or South, when accompanying a senior observer. The "Bring One, Get One" Student Observer Support Program" page has full details on this program.


Remote Eavesdropping

Remote Eavesdropping will be available in 2015A for all programs, except for GSAOI programs. Investigators will be invited to sign up for eavesdropping via the PI email announcing they have been granted time.


Additional Information

Please see the page of supporting information for additional general information. Prospective users should also refer to the target and instrument accessibility page, and the instrument pages for detailed and up to date information on instrumentation.


Questions and Answers

All questions concerning proposals, or any other subject, should be made using the Gemini HelpDesk. This web-based system will send the request to your National Gemini Office staff in the first instance who will then escalate it to Gemini staff if necessary.

Comments and suggestions on the format and content of this page and supporting pages are welcome, and should be sent to Steve Margheim.



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