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NOAO Nighttime Infrared Program Plan (1Sep94)
(from Director's Office, NOAO Newsletter No. 39, 1 September 1994)

As a follow-up to the NOAO 2000 Workshop held in March, comprehensive
planning for the development, upgrading and deployment of infrared
instrumentation for the nighttime telescopes has been initiated. The long-
term goal is to provide substantial imaging and spectroscopic capabilities
for both CTIO and KPNO, based on the anticipated production of large-format
InSb arrays developed through the ALADDIN program. The steps to that goal
include upgrades of existing instruments and development of new spectrographs
for both sites. The NOAO 2000 plan places central emphasis on support of the
Gemini program. New instrumentation will be designed to be compatible with
Gemini protocols. IR instrumentation deployed at CTIO can thereby be shared
with Gemini South to expand its first-light capabilities. The instrumentation
resources in Tucson will be allocated in an integrated manner to produce
major new instrumentation for both sites, while upgrades will be implemented
by a combination of Tucson and site-dedicated personnel.

                          Current Instrumentation

At the present time, instruments deployed at CTIO comprise the following:

    IR Spectrometer (256 X 256 InSb)
    New IR Imager (256 X 256 HgCdTe)

Instruments deployed at KPNO:

    CRSP (256 X 256 InSb)
    IRIM (256 X 256 HgCdTe)
    COB (256 X 256 InSb)
    SQIID (4 X 256 X 256 PtSi)

                    Future Instrumentation and Upgrades

1) The CTIO f/14 tip/tilt system. The hardware for the f/14 project will be
completed before the end of 1995, although full implementation of tip/tilt
may not be complete until 1996.

2) New IRIM at CTIO, upgraded to 512 X 512 InSb. The upgrade of IRIM
(currently with the NICMOS HgCdTe array) to 512 X 512 InSb will produce a
camera with a plate scale of ~ 0.15"/pixel appropriate to exploit the
anticipated image quality at f/14 tip/tilt. Commissioning of the upgraded
camera is planned for the second half of 1995.

3) An upgraded SQIID. SQIID will be upgraded to either 512 X 512 InSb or
1024 X 1024 InSb depending on the yield of arrays. It will be tested on the
telescope at KPNO before shipment to CTIO, probably toward the end of 1996.
The imaging capability formerly provided by SQIID at KPNO will be replaced by
GRASP, as described below.

4) A new Medium Resolution Infrared Spectrometer (IRS). The design of a new
IRS to be deployed at CTIO will be similar to that submitted in the NOAO
proposal for the IR spectrograph for Gemini. The construction of this
instrument will probably be phased to follow that of GRASP.

5) An upgraded COB. COB will be upgraded to either 512 X 512 InSb or 1024 X
1024 InSb, depending on array availability, sometime in 1995.

6) Phoenix. The 1 to 5 um high-resolution spectrometer, will be completed in
1995. The allocation of resources to the timely fabrication of this
instrument will be the first implementation of the new management plan for
NOAO nighttime instrumentation resources.

7) GRASP. GRASP is an extension of the SQIID concept, with four separate
channels for the J, H, K, and L bands. Each channel will be operated either
in imaging mode - as is presently done with SQIID - or as a low-resolution
spectrometer, with the entire atmospheric window observed in each channel.
GRASP will offer simultaneous, complete spectral coverage from 1.1 to 4.1 um
or simultaneous J,H,K,L imaging. Implementation of GRASP will require four
arrays of at least 512 X 1024 format. The development of GRASP is planned to
phase in as the construction of Phoenix is completed.

                         ALADDIN Array Deployment

COB will be the first instrument to have an Aladdin array installed and will
also serve as the prototype for large array control. Current plans call for
the next installation to be fitting the CTIO IR imager with a 512 X 512 InSb
array. Phoenix will be implemented with a 512 X 1024 InSb array, then SQIID
will be upgraded with either 512 X 512 or 1024 X 1024 InSb depending on the
array yield. Finally, GRASP will be deployed with either 512 X 512, 512 X
1024 or 1024 X 1024 arrays depending on the yield. Upgrades to the L band for
broad-band imaging in both SQIID or GRASP may be deferred until later.

                                   Input

This long-term plan represents the best effort of the CTIO and KPNO staffs to
define a vital forward look for infrared instrumentation, centrally developed
and deployed to achieve a relatively balanced complement at the two sites.
Close interaction with the Gemini Project will ensure compatibility, and the
ability to share new instrumentation with Gemini South. The next step is to
match this vision with your expectations. Does this plan support your
scientific objectives for the use of NOAO telescopes? Does it place you, as
an NOAO user, in a competitive position relative to those with regular access
to a different suite of national or independent telescopes? We will discuss
these plans through the formal channel of the Users Committees, and we also
welcome your comments at any time.

Richard Green, Jay Elias, Richard Elston, Ian Gatley

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