Collaborative Research: A New Optical Instrument to Provide Follow-Up Observations for Large Synoptic Survey Telescope Observations

1. 天文学家目前正在智利北部建造大型综合巡天望远镜（LSST）。当它于2019年投入使用时，将提供大量的天文数据。这将大大增加对许多有趣目标的光谱研究的需求。航天器的观测将提供大量的额外目标。为了满足这些需求，研究人员将在南半球为SOAR望远镜建造一种新型光谱仪。这种仪器将使用许多微小的镜子来引导来自天空小块区域的光线进入摄谱仪或成像通道。该项目的智力价值在于它能够提供对LSST发现的快速后续观测。它还将使研究非常拥挤的天空区域成为可能，比如我们银河系的中央凸起。这个项目通过提高我们可以获得的关于银河系和其他通过LSST发现的科学的质量和类型来服务于国家利益。该项目的更广泛影响包括研究生参与该项目的所有阶段。这将为仪器开发这一重要领域的STEM教育做出巨大贡献。调查人员亦会透过新闻稿及互联网向公众解释他们的研究结果。当LSST于2019年投入使用时，4米级望远镜将面临巨大的压力，既要进行即时的后续观测，又要对LSST的发现进行长期监测。此外，还需要在球状星团、银河系凸起和麦哲伦星云等拥挤的领域进行光谱观测。为了满足这些需求，研究人员将为位于南半球的SOAR 4.1米望远镜建造一种新型光谱仪。SOAR自适应模块光学光谱仪（SAMOS）将采用数字微镜装置作为狭缝选择机制。每个随机寻址镜都可以倾斜以将光重新定向到主摄谱仪通道或平行成像通道。该项目的智力优势在于，作为一种自适应光学仪器，SAMOS将能够对非常丰富的领域的观测需求做出反应——例如，对HST或JWST的后续调查所需要的观测需求——以及对LSST目标的研究。提议者强调的一个更广泛的影响是，使用SAMOS进行远程观测的机会将使预算有限的机构的教职员工和学生能够使用该仪器。此外，所有三所参与机构的研究生将参与项目的所有阶段，研究成果将通过新闻稿和互联网向公众公布。

1. Astronomers are currently building the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) in northern Chile. It will provide a flood of astronomical data when it goes into operation in 2019. This will greatly increase demand for spectroscopic studies of many interesting targets. Spacecraft observations will contribute tremendous numbers of additional targets. To meet these demands, the Investigators will construct a novel spectrograph for the SOAR telescope in the southern hemisphere. This instrument will use many tiny mirrors to steer light from small patches of the sky into either the spectrograph or an imaging channel. The Intellectual Merit of the project comes from its ability to provide rapid follow-up observations of LSST discoveries. It will also enable studies in very crowded regions of the sky, such as the central bulge of our own Milky Way Galaxy. This project serves the national interest by advancing the quality and type of science we can acquire about the Milky Way galaxy and other discoveries made with the LSST. The Broader Impacts of the project include the involvement of graduate students in all phases of the project. This will contribute strongly to STEM education in the important area of instrument development. The Investigators will also explain their research results to the public through press releases and the internet.2. When the LSST comes into operation in 2019, there will be enormous pressure on 4-meter-class telescopes to carry out immediate follow-up observations as well as long-term monitoring of LSST discoveries. In addition, there will be a need for spectroscopic observations in crowded fields such as globular clusters, the Galactic Bulge, and the Magellanic Clouds. To help meet these demands, the Investigators will construct a novel spectrograph for the SOAR 4.1-meter telescope in the southern hemisphere. The SOAR Adaptive Module Optical Spectrograph (SAMOS) will employ a digital micromirror device as a slit-selection mechanism. Each randomly addressable mirror can be tilted to redirect light either to the primary spectrograph channel or to a parallel imaging channel. The Intellectual Merit of the project is that, as an adaptive-optics instrument, SAMOS will be able to respond to demand for observations in very rich fields - such as are needed, for example, for HST or JWST follow-up investigations - as well as for studying LSST targtes. A Broader Impact highlighted by the proposers is that opportunities for remote observations with SAMOS will make the instrument available to faculty, staff, and students at institutions with limited budgets. In addition, graduate students at all three participating institutions will be involved in all phases of the project, and research results will be made available to the general public through press releases and the internet.