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Issue 118
Messenger Issue 118

The Messenger Issue 118

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Table of Content No. 118 | 2004
Telescopes and Instrumentation
Silva, D. R., Peron, M.
VLT Science Products Produced by Pipelines: A Status Report
More...
ADS BibCode: 2004Msngr.118....2S
Authors:
Silva, D. R.; Peron, M.
Abstract:
Using the Data Flow System, ESO is producing calibrated science data products for all VLT and VLTI instruments. For many users, these products can be used directly for scientific analysis without further processing. In the end, the scientific usefulness of these products depends strongly on the needs of the individual investigators.

Page 2-7 (PDF)
Modigliani, A., Mulas, G. et al.
The FLAMES-UVES Pipeline
More...
ADS BibCode: 2004Msngr.118....8M
Authors:
Modigliani, A.; Mulas, G.; Porceddu, I.; Wolff, B.; Damiani, F.; Banse, B. K.
Abstract:
In this paper we describe features associated with the data reduction of UVES when operated in Fibre Mode, the required calibrations, the data processing steps and the quality checks performed by the pipeline. We also summarise some results.

Page 8-10 (PDF)
Patat, F.
Observing During Bright Time: Tips and Tricks
More...
ADS BibCode: 2004Msngr.118...11P
Authors:
Patat, F.
Abstract:
In this paper we present and discuss the effects of scattered moonlight on optical observations, the current status of the moonlit night sky modelling and the implications this has on the Service Mode observations and the maximisation of scientific outcome.

Page 11-14 (PDF)
Alves, J., Lombardi, M.
The Sky Distribution of VLT Observations
More...
ADS BibCode: 2004Msngr.118...15A
Authors:
Alves, J.; Lombardi, M.
Abstract:
The sky is not all the same. Observers have favorite regions where most telescope time is spent while others are apparently ignored. To quantify this predilection we constructed an all-sky distribution of VLT pointings and found the existence of a well defined unpopular region, a ~20' band above and below the Galactic plane, where the VLT rarely spends any time.

Page 15-15 (PDF)
Wilson, T., de Brueck, T. et al.
A Progress Report on ALMA
More...
ADS BibCode: 2004Msngr.118...16W
Authors:
Wilson, T.; de Brueck, T.; Zwaan, M.
Abstract:
The last article about ALMA in the Messenger was by the Director General, in the June 2003 issue. In the present article we give an update of activities since that time. An important event was the Community Day meeting in Garching on 24 September, which is summarized on page 68 of this issue.

Page 16-17 (PDF)
Tan, G. H., Jackson, B. D. et al.
The European Receivers for ALMA
More...
ADS BibCode: 2004Msngr.118...18T
Authors:
Tan, G. H.; Jackson, B. D.; Lazareff, B.; Adema, J.; Baryshev, A. M.; Hesper, R.; Klapwijk, T. M.; Kroug, M.; Mahieu, S.; Maier, D.; Schuster, K.; Wielinga, K.; Zijlstra, T.
Abstract:
To a large extent the scientific capabilities of the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) will depend on the receivers mounted on each of the 64 antennas. In the last year, substantial progress has been made in the design of these receivers and currently a transition towards production is underway. Two out of the four initial baseline frequency bands funded under the bi-lateral project between Europe and North America are a European responsibility. This European contribution will be for the shortest wavelength ALMA Bands designated 7 and 9, covering the frequency ranges 275 GHz to 373 GHz and 602 GHz to 720 GHz.

Page 18-23 (PDF)
Reports from Observers
Lidman, C.
Observing Distant Type IA Supernovae with the ESO VLT
More...
ADS BibCode: 2004Msngr.118...24L
Authors:
Lidman, C.
Abstract:
The discovery of the accelerating universe through observations of distant Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) was one of the most exciting scientific discoveries of the past decade. The acceleration is apparently driven by a mysterious 'dark' energy which overcomes the gravitational pull of matter. One of the best ways of constraining the nature of the dark energy is to build a larger, better-observed sample of distant SNe Ia over a wide range of redshifts. The Supernova Cosmology Project (SCP) has been using ESO and other telescopes to do just that and, in this article, we give an overview of the data we have collected thus far and we present some preliminary results.

Page 24-30 (PDF)
Della Valle, M., Malesani, D. et al.
Supernovae shed light on gamma-ray bursts
More...
ADS BibCode: 2004Msngr.118...31D
Authors:
Della Valle, M.; Malesani, D.; Chincarini, G.; Stella, L.; Tagliaferri, G.; Antonelli, L. A.; Campana, S.; Covino, S.; Fiore, F.; Gehrels, N.; Hurley, K.; Pellizza, L.J.; Zerbi, F. M.; Angelini, L.; Burderi, L.; Burrows, D.; Capalbi, M.; Caraveo, P.; Costa, E.; Cusumano, G.; Filliatre, P.; Fugazza, D.; Gilmozzi, R.; Giommi, P.; Goldoni, P.; Israel, G. L.; Mason, E.; Mason, K.; Melandr, A.; Mereghetti, S.; Mirabel, I. Felix; Molinari, E.; Moretti, A.; Nousek, J.; O'Brien, P.; Osborne, J.; Perna, R.; Perri, M.; Piro, L.; Puchnarewicz, E.; Vietri, M.; The MISTICI Collaboration
Abstract:
We have believed for decades that supernovae were the most magnificent and energetic phenomena occurring in the Universe after the Big Bang. Today we know that this is only a part of the story. Astronomers have discovered that comparable amounts of energy (or even more) are released, in a few seconds, by gamma-ray bursts. Recently it was determined that these two classes of events have a deep connection. In this article we report the observations of supernovae associated with gamma-ray bursts carried out at ESO by our group. We also briefly review the status of the supernova/gamma-ray burst connection and highlight the open questions.

Page 31-34 (PDF)
Vreeswijk, P., Moller, P. et al.
GRB Afterglows: illuminating the star-forming universe
More...
ADS BibCode: 2004Msngr.118...35V
Authors:
Vreeswijk, P.; Moller, P.; Ledoux, C.; Ellison, C.; Masetti, N.; Fynbo, J.; Jakobsson, P.; Hjorth, J.
Abstract:
Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB) afterglows are distant powerhouses that can be extremely bright. Therefore, they can be used as a tool to study intervening matter along the line of sight, in exactly the same way that quasars have been used for decades, with two important differences: First, GRB afterglows fade away, thereby in time opening up their lines of sight for deep searches for the counterparts of the absorption systems. Secondly, a subclass of GRBs is related to the deaths of massive stars, and hence their afterglows provide sightlines directly into the very cores of star-forming regions, illuminating the line of sight all the way down to their immediate surroundings.

Page 35-39 (PDF)
Bergeron, J., Petitjean, P. et al.
The large programme 'Cosmic Evolution of the IGM'
More...
ADS BibCode: 2004Msngr.118...40B
Authors:
Bergeron, J.; Petitjean, P.; Aracil, B.; Pichon, C.; Scannapieco, E.; Srianand, R.; Boisse, P.; Carswell, R. F.; Chand, H.; Cristiani, S.; Ferrara, A.; Haehnelt, M.; Hughes, A.; Kim, T.-S.; Ledoux, C.; Richter, P.; Viel, M.
Abstract:
Metal enrichment, clustering properties and main heating process of the intergalactic medium can be probed by analyzing the numerous Lyman 'forest' lines in the spectra of distant quasars and their associated, absorption metal lines. Constraints can then be placed on the scenarii of structure formation, the origin of metals and how they have been expelled in the intergalactic medium, and the spectral shape of the metagalactic UV flux.

Page 40-44 (PDF)
Vanzella, E., Cristiani, S. et al.
VLT/FORS2 Spectroscopy in the GOODS-South Field
More...
ADS BibCode: 2004Msngr.118...45V
Authors:
Vanzella, E.; Cristiani, S.; Dickinson, M.; Kuntschner, H.; Moustakas, L. A.; Nonino, M.; Rosati, P.; Stern, D.; Cesarsky, C.; Ettori, S.; Ferguson, H. C.; Fosbury, R. A. E.; Giavalisco, M.; Haase, J.; Renzini, A.; Rettura, A.; Serra, P.; The Goods Team
Abstract:
The FORS2 instrument at the ESO VLT has been used to obtain spectra of a large sample of faint galaxies in the Chandra Deep Field South in the framework of the Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey (GOODS). A total of 303 objects with magnitude z850 ² 25.5 has been observed, providing 234 redshift determinations. The reduced spectra and the derived redshifts are released to the community (http://www.eso.org/science/goods/). They constitute an essential contribution to reach the scientific goals of GOODS, providing the time coordinate needed to delineate the evolution of galaxy masses, morphologies, and star formation, calibrating the photometric redshifts that can be derived from the imaging data at 0.36-8 mm and enabling detailed studies of the physical diagnostics for galaxies in the GOODS field.

Page 45-50 (PDF)
Cimatti, A., Daddi, E. et al.
Unveiling Old Massive Spheroidal Galaxies in the Young Universe
More...
ADS BibCode: 2004Msngr.118...51C
Authors:
Cimatti, A.; Daddi, E.; Renzini, A.; Cassata, P.; Vanzella, E.; Pozzetti, L.; Cristiani, S.; Fontana, A.; Rodighiero, G.; Mignoli, M.; Zamorani, G.
Abstract:
Very deep VLT spectroscopy has unveiled the existence of old and massive spheroidal galaxies when the Universe was still young, thus showing that massive galaxies formed earlier and faster than has been expected from current theories of galaxy formation.

Page 51-54 (PDF)
Cayrel, R., Spite, M.
The First Stars: What We Know and Do Not Know
More...
ADS BibCode: 2004Msngr.118...55C
Authors:
Cayrel, R.; Spite, M.
Abstract:
The H and K survey of Beers, Preston & Shectman has been the mine of extremely metal-poor stars during the last decade of the XXth century. The VLT-UVES combination has allowed us to study the chemical composition of the brightest members of this population, fossil component of events which have occured either during the formation of the galaxy, or earlier in smaller systems having eventually merged into our beautiful milky way. We report here what has been derived from a VLT large programme devoted to these objects, as well as on other questions relevant to the first stars.

Page 55-60 (PDF)
Nordström, B., Mayor, M. et al.
A Livelier Picture of the Solar Neighbourhood
More...
ADS BibCode: 2004Msngr.118...61N
Authors:
Nordström, B.; Mayor, M.; Andersen, J.; Holmberg, J.; Jørgensen, B. R.; Pont, F.; Olsen, E. H.; Udry, S.; Mowlavi, N.
Abstract:
The formation and evolution of galaxies is one of the great outstanding problems of modern astrophysics. A new radial-velocity survey of over 14,000 nearby, long-lived stars now documents the history of the Solar Neighbourhood in unprecedented detail - and severely challenges models for the evolution of galactic disks.

Page 61-65 (PDF)
Other Astronomical News
Randich, S., Pasquini, L.
Report on the ESO-Arectri Workshop 'Chemical Abundances and Mixing in Stars in the Milky Way and its Satellites'
More...
ADS BibCode: 2004Msngr.118...66R
Authors:
Randich, S.; Pasquini, L.
Abstract:
Between 13 and 17 September 2004, an ESO-Arcetri workshop took place in Castiglione della Pescaia, a middle age village in the south of Toscana, on the beautiful coast of Maremma. Thanks to the advent of 8 m class telescopes and efficient high resolution spectrographs, detailed chemical composition can now be obtained for stars of different masses and evolutionary stages, both in our Galaxy and in its neighborhood satellites, and the VLT with FLAMES and UVES is providing a wealth of high quality data. Chemical abundance ratios and patterns represent key fossil records that can reveal the complex chemical history of the stellar aggregate out of which stars formed; if correctly interpreted, measured abundances will allow us to derive the star formation history and evolution of the host galaxies. As a crucial step, however, we must first ensure that the abundances presently observed in the stellar atmospheres are the pristine ones. We must therefore first understand stellar mixing, a phenomenon present in most stars which may affect not only the surface abundances of the fragile elements, such as lithium and beryllium, but also the most commonly studied heavier elements.

Page 66-67 (PDF)
Wilson, T. L., van Dishoeck, E. F.
ALMA Community Day
More...
ADS BibCode: 2004Msngr.118...67W
Authors:
Wilson, T. L.; van Dishoeck, E. F.
Abstract:
ALMA Community Day

Page 67-67 (PDF)
Dennefeld, M.
The NEON School Enters a New Era
More...
ADS BibCode: 2004Msngr.118...68D
Authors:
Dennefeld, M.
Abstract:
THE NEON SCHOOL, a school on astronomical observations organised by a collaboration of observatories (Asiago, Calar Alto, ESO, La Palma and OHP) is well known by PhD students in astronomy all over Europe. It runs tutorial observations directly at the telescope for students in small groups, under the supervision of an experienced astronomer. This way, the participants can execute a real scientific program with all the steps needed in professional life: preparation of the program with selection of targets and feasibility estimates; set-up of the instrument and calibrations; running of the observations, in general both imaging/photometry and spectroscopy; data reductions; and, finally, the presentation of the results at the end of the school.

Page 68-68 (PDF)
Boffin, H., West, R.
The “Venus Transit Experience”
More...
ADS BibCode: 2004Msngr.118...69B
Authors:
Boffin, H.; West, R.
Abstract:
On November 5-7, 2004, an unusual conference took place at the French Ministry of Research in Paris. Entitled the “Venus Transit Experience”, this meeting was organised by the VT-2004 International Steering Committee (ISC) and the local arrangements were ably taken care of by the staff of the IMCCE and the Observatoire de Paris, with Jean-Eudes Arlot and William Thuillot at the helm. It brought together more than 150 persons connected to the VT-2004 programme. The aim was to sum up the vast experience gained through this unique public education programme and, in particular, to perform an evaluation of its many components. On the first day, more than 50 students from the Paris areas who participated actively in this programme were also present.

Page 69-70 (PDF)
Alloin, D., Lidman, C.
Report on the 2004 IAOC Conference 'The Cool Universe: Exploring Cosmic Dawn'
More...
ADS BibCode: 2004Msngr.118...69A
Authors:
Alloin, D.; Lidman, C.
Abstract:
In preparation for ALMA, the International Astronomical Observatories in Chile (IAOC) organised a conference on the topic of the cool universe. The conference was hosted by the Universidad Tecnica Federico Santa Maria (UTFSM) in the beautiful Chilean port city of Valparaiso from 4 to 8 October 2004 and was jointly supported by ESO, CTIO, LCO, Gemini, NRAO and NAOJ.

Page 69-69 (PDF)
ESO
Personnel Movements
More...
ADS BibCode: 2004Msngr.118...70.
Authors:
ESO

Page 70-71 (PDF)
Madsen, C., D'Odorico, S.
ESO Presentation in Copenhagen
More...
ADS BibCode: 2004Msngr.118...71M
Authors:
Madsen, C.; D'Odorico, S.
Abstract:
On November 8, ESO continued its series of presentations in memberstates with an event in Copenhagen. So far events have been organised in Belgium, Finland, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The purpose of these presentations is to raise the awareness of ESO amongst decision-makers, academia and the media. Over time, the scope and specific focus of the national events have varied, considering the particular circumstances and the wishes of the national hosts, and accordingly, the presentation in Denmark was primarily oriented towards industry. The meeting was initiated by the Royal Danish Consulate General in Munich in conjunction with the Confederation of Danish Industries and the Ministry for Science, Technology and Innovation. Leading up to the meeting, several articles about ESO had appeared in the Danish press and the 2nd TV Channel featured a report on the ESO projects also in connection with the event.

Page 71-71 (PDF)

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