Wide Field Infrared Camera for UKIRT

Latest Status

The Team are now back in Scotland and hard at work following a recent trip to Hilo to become acquanted with the UKIRT team and gain clarifcation on Interface issues.

Click here to take you to the latest WFCAM designs and some pictures from their trip.

WFCAM Conceptual Design Review

The conceptual WFCAM design was successfully presented in detail to an external CoDR panel and other attendees over one and a half days on August 31 & September 1 1999. The external panel consisted of Ray Sharples (chair-Durham), Ron Probst (NOAO), Ian Parry (Cambridge) and Andy Adamson (JAC). Other attendees from JAC, ATC and SUBARU were also present. Final remarks from the panel report were as follows,

"At this conceptual review point, the project appears to support exciting science opportunities, in a manner appropriate for a 4-m class telescope in the era of 8-m competition. The concept is a novel but sound approach given the design constraints (no new top end, tip-tilt secondary of conservative size). It appears technically feasible, with a sound technical and management approach to final design and execution. Some costs have large error bars, as expected at this point in the project cycle. Being schedule-driven and cost-constrained, a generous contingency is prudent. Bringing in an 8-m partner in a manner that supports the ultimate science goals is an excellent idea."

Latest Status from Director's Review

The latest Director's Review of the Project took place in February 2001. It described WFCAM as follows:

The Importance of WFCAM

Primary:

• Most powerful wide-field IR imager in the world
• 300 x survey speed of UFTI
• First deep near-IR survey of large areas of sky
• Access to universe beyond z=1
• High-z clusters
• Oscured quasars and AGN
• Brown dwarf studies
• Low-mass limits to star formation Large IR catalogues and atlases will give UK astronomers advantage in 8m access

Secondary:

• New optical design concept
• Forward cassegrain
• Large cold M3 + 2 correctors
• VISTA synergy detector
• Technology observing and data reduction strategies
• Catalogue and atlas production

Milestones

Recent Accomplishments

• SUBARU funded detectors on order
• Internal Requirements Review successfully completed
• Prototype array PCB designed, procured and assembled
• Provisional Mechanical Layout completed
• Test cryostat re-furbished and set up for array characterisation tests
• Initial optical tolerance and flexure analysis completed

Near Term Goals

Previous Review:

• Select detector controller unit (November 2000)
• Characterise 2048 x 2048 array (December 2000)
• Ensure SUBARU funded detectors are ordered (September 2000)
• CDR’s complete by mid 2001
• Revised and robust project plan in place (September 2000)

This Review:

• Selection of detector controller (April 01)
• Characterise 2k X 2k array (May 01)
• PDR (May 01)CDR (Oct/Nov 01)
• Place order for long lead time optics (May / June 01)
• Hexapod order place (June 01 )