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Critical science with the largest telescopes: science drivers for a 100m ground-based optical-IR telescope

Hawarden, Timothy G. ; Dravins, Dainis LU orcid ; Gilmore, Gerard F. ; Gilmozzi, Roberto ; Hainaut, Olivier ; Kuijken, K. ; Leibindgut, Bruno ; Merrifield, Michael ; Queloz, Didier and Wyse, Rosie (2003) 4840. p.299-308
Abstract
Extremely large filled-aperture ground-based optical-IR telescopes, or ELTs, ranging from 20 to 100m in diameter, are now being proposed. The all-important choice of the aperture must clearly be driven by the potential science offered. We here highlight science goals from the Leiden Workshop in May 2001 suggesting that for certain critical observations the largest possible aperture - assumed to be 100m (theproposed European OverWhelmingly Large telescope (OWL) - is strongly tobe desired. Examples from a long list include: COSMOLOGY: Identifying the first sources of ionisation in the universe, out to z >=14 Identifying and studying the first generation of dusty galaxies More speculatively, observing the formation of the laws of physics,... (More)
Extremely large filled-aperture ground-based optical-IR telescopes, or ELTs, ranging from 20 to 100m in diameter, are now being proposed. The all-important choice of the aperture must clearly be driven by the potential science offered. We here highlight science goals from the Leiden Workshop in May 2001 suggesting that for certain critical observations the largest possible aperture - assumed to be 100m (theproposed European OverWhelmingly Large telescope (OWL) - is strongly tobe desired. Examples from a long list include: COSMOLOGY: Identifying the first sources of ionisation in the universe, out to z >=14 Identifying and studying the first generation of dusty galaxies More speculatively, observing the formation of the laws of physics, via the evolution of the fundamental physical contants in the very early Universe, by high-resolution spectroscopy of very distant quasars. NEARER GALAXIES: Determining detailed star-formation histories of galaxies out to the Virtgo Cluster, and hence for all major galaxy types (not just those available close to the Local Group of galaxies). THE SOLAR SYSTEM: A 100-m telescope would do the work of a flotilla of fly-by space probes for investigations ranging from the evolution ofplanetary sutfaces and atmospheres to detailed surface spectroscopy of Kuiper Belt Objects. (Such studies could easily occupy it full-time.) EARTHLIKE PLANETS OF NEARBY STARS: A prospect so exciting as perhaps to justify the 100-m telescope on its own, is that of the direct detectionof earthlike planets of solar-type stars by imaging, out to at least 25 parsecs (80 light years) from the sun, followed by spectroscopic and photometric searches for the signature of life on the surfaces of nearer examples. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
host publication
Future Giant Telescopes (Proceedings of the SPIE)
editor
Angel, J.R.P and Gilmozzi, R
volume
4840
pages
299 - 308
publisher
SPIE
external identifiers
  • scopus:0038325578
ISBN
0-8194-4619-X
DOI
10.1117/12.458051
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
1611caa6-f7dd-4b14-ae5d-59d3331c5d12 (old id 528126)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 11:46:39
date last changed
2024-01-13 02:10:29
@inproceedings{1611caa6-f7dd-4b14-ae5d-59d3331c5d12,
  abstract     = {{Extremely large filled-aperture ground-based optical-IR telescopes, or ELTs, ranging from 20 to 100m in diameter, are now being proposed. The all-important choice of the aperture must clearly be driven by the potential science offered. We here highlight science goals from the Leiden Workshop in May 2001 suggesting that for certain critical observations the largest possible aperture - assumed to be 100m (theproposed European OverWhelmingly Large telescope (OWL) - is strongly tobe desired. Examples from a long list include: COSMOLOGY: Identifying the first sources of ionisation in the universe, out to z >=14 Identifying and studying the first generation of dusty galaxies More speculatively, observing the formation of the laws of physics, via the evolution of the fundamental physical contants in the very early Universe, by high-resolution spectroscopy of very distant quasars. NEARER GALAXIES: Determining detailed star-formation histories of galaxies out to the Virtgo Cluster, and hence for all major galaxy types (not just those available close to the Local Group of galaxies). THE SOLAR SYSTEM: A 100-m telescope would do the work of a flotilla of fly-by space probes for investigations ranging from the evolution ofplanetary sutfaces and atmospheres to detailed surface spectroscopy of Kuiper Belt Objects. (Such studies could easily occupy it full-time.) EARTHLIKE PLANETS OF NEARBY STARS: A prospect so exciting as perhaps to justify the 100-m telescope on its own, is that of the direct detectionof earthlike planets of solar-type stars by imaging, out to at least 25 parsecs (80 light years) from the sun, followed by spectroscopic and photometric searches for the signature of life on the surfaces of nearer examples.}},
  author       = {{Hawarden, Timothy G. and Dravins, Dainis and Gilmore, Gerard F. and Gilmozzi, Roberto and Hainaut, Olivier and Kuijken, K. and Leibindgut, Bruno and Merrifield, Michael and Queloz, Didier and Wyse, Rosie}},
  booktitle    = {{Future Giant Telescopes (Proceedings of the SPIE)}},
  editor       = {{Angel, J.R.P and Gilmozzi, R}},
  isbn         = {{0-8194-4619-X}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{299--308}},
  publisher    = {{SPIE}},
  title        = {{Critical science with the largest telescopes: science drivers for a 100m ground-based optical-IR telescope}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/12.458051}},
  doi          = {{10.1117/12.458051}},
  volume       = {{4840}},
  year         = {{2003}},
}