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Semester 2010B Time Distribution

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Gemini North: Time Availability and Distribution

A minimum of 85% of the time will be available for science use on Gemini North in 2010B. This amounts to 156 nights and includes 12 nights for GNIRS science verification (SV) and 1.5 nights for demonstration science with the upgraded GMOS-N. The remaining time will be used for observatory maintenance tasks, and the planned commissioning of GNIRS and the new CCDs for GMOS-N; any unused engineering time will be returned to science. Note that historically around 5% of each semester's science time is used to complete highly ranked programs from the previous two semesters to which the ITAC granted rollover status. The number of hours allocated to each partner in 2010B is given in the following table.

Partner Estimated Hours Available
US 608
UK 263
Canada 143
Australia 59
Argentina 22
Brazil 60
Univ. of Hawaii (host)
157
Gemini Staff
117
Total
1429 (=143n)

Gemini South: Time Availability and Distribution Revised May 6 2010

A minimum of 81% of the time will be available for science use on Gemini South in 2010B. This amounts to 149 nights, and includes 18 nights of NICI campaign science. The remaining time will be used for observatory maintenance tasks (including mirror coating), and Flamingos-2 and MCAO commissioning activities. Any unused engineering time will be returned to science. Note that historically around 5% of each semester's science time is used to complete highly ranked programs from the previous two semesters to which the ITAC granted rollover status. The number of hours allocated to each partner in 2010B is given in the following table.

Partner Estimated Hours Available
US 563
UK 240
Canada 129
Australia 65
Argentina 24
Brazil 63
Chile (host) 117
Gemini Staff
111
Total
1312 (=131n)

Time Adjustments

To maintain overall balance amongst the partnership, the values shown above for both Gemini North and South have been adjusted from the nominal partner shares as a result of actual time charged through 2009B. The time allocations also include a purchase by Brazil of 35 hours of UK time at each telescope. The values shown in the tables above were recommended by the Operations Working Group in February 2010. The number of nights is approximated by int(hours/10). The values shown for Gemini South were revised on May 6 2010 due to a reduction in the estimated engineering requirements for 10B.



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