Research project SC/05 (Research action SC)
The basic aims of this project are to promulgate within the
Belgian astronomical community the use of large telescopes and
to facilitate the reduction and analysis of astrophysical data.
An essential source of observational date and reduction software
(e.g. MIDAS) lies with E.S.O., the European Southern
Observatory; other major observatories are accessible as well
and have developed similar software techniques applicable
through a world-wide defined
standard data format. It is of utmost importance for Belgian
astrophysicists that the most recent developments in the field
be made available to them.
The MIDAS package was developed at the European Southern
Observatory (ESTO) and is made available by ESO free of charge.
It is the result of 30-40 man-years of work, containing 70
Mbytes of code and documentation that allows a flexible and
interactive treatment of images in general, and astrophysical
data in particular. Such extensive packages have become a basic
need in astronomy due to the tremendous increase of data
production by satellites and modern detectors coupled to large
telescopes which are computer controlled (via MIDAS, IRAF, IDL,
STSDAS, ...). Without easy access to these, an efficient
participation to competitive observational astronomy is
impossible to achieve.
Our orientation toward MIDAS is natural, considering that an
important fraction of our data is obtained at ESO. La Silla (see
our involvement in ESO Key Programs). MIDAS pays special
attention to specific ESO instrumentation and has been chosen
to be implemented on all La Silla telescopes for on-line control
and reduction purposes, so that every potential observer has to
acquaint himself with at least the basics MIDAS. Moreover,
several Belgian astronomers already have gathered experience
with MIDAS while using the infrastructure of the ESO
headquarters in Garching (Germany).
Amongst other advantages, thorough knowledge of MIDAS (or
subsequent packages) will simply be prerequisite to the
efficient use of ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), in which
Belgium has invested an appreciable amount of money.
The scientific objectives of the institutes involved cover
diversified fields of interest: extragalactic astrophysics
(galaxies, quasars, gravitation lenses) and galactic
astrophysics (star forming regions, stars), but similar problems
appear during data reduction. A coordination of efforts and
intensive exchange of experience therefore is bound to
significant enhancement of the time available for analysis of
the reduced observations.
The duties of the collaborators to be engaged in the frame of
this project will include (non exhaustive):
a. installation of successive MIDAS versions (other packages as
required testing and debugging in cooperation with ESO, training
of new users, implementation of new software, interaction in the
set-up and development of specialised applications devoted to
specific scientific projects together with the researchers;
b. the use and further development of those tools in a
coordinated and optimized way, and the acquaintance with modern
observing facilities.
