Annex 3: Selected astronomical facilities
with UK involvement[201]
ESO optical/infrared facilities
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) operates
optical/infrared telescopes at the Paranal and La Silla observatories
in Chile, on behalf of its 15 member countries. The UK joined
the partnership in 2002. The cost of the UK's ESO subscription
in 2010/11 was £29.2 million (this includes around £10
million of residual contribution to entry costs which are being
paid until 2011/12).
The current flagship ESO facility is the Very Large
Telescope at the Paranal Observatory in northern Chile, comprising
four 8.2 metre Unit Telescopes. ESO are now in the advanced design
stages of the 40 metre European Extremely Large Telescope, which
will be the largest optical/infrared telescope in the world.
Gemini
The Gemini Observatory consists of two 8.1 metre
telescopes, the Gemini South telescope on Cerro Pachon in Chile,
and the Gemini North telescope on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. The Gemini
telescopes were built and are operated by a consortium consisting
of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Chile, Brazil, Argentina,
and Australia. The UK will be withdrawing from the Gemini partnership
in 2012. Current costs to the UK of involvement in Gemini stand
at around £5-6 million per annum.[202]
Isaac Newton Group
The Isaac Newton Group of telescopes is comprised
of 3 telescopes: the 4.2 metre William Herschel Telescope (WHT),
the 2.5 metre Isaac Newton Telescope (INT) and 1.0 metre Jacobus
Kapteyn Telescope (JKT) based on the Canary Island of La Palma.
The telescopes are jointly owned and operated by the UK, Netherlands,
and Spain. The UK share of telescope time on ING telescopes has
been declining in recent years in line with the reduction in the
UK contribution, and the UK no longer uses the JKT. Current operational
costs for the ING site are around £3 million, £1 million
of which is paid by the STFC.[203]
The STFC announced in 2009 that STFC funding would end in 2012.
The Joint Astronomy Centre
The Joint Astronomy Centre (JAC) in Hawaii is an
establishment of the STFC and operates the James Clerk Maxwell
Telescope (JCMT) and the UK Infrared Telescope (UKIRT). The STFC
provides funds to the JAC for the operation and management of
the UKIRT and for the UK share of the JCMT amounting to £3
million per annum.[204]
UK Infrared Telescope
The UK Infrared Telescope (UKIRT) is a 3.8 metre
telescope by the Joint Astronomy Centre. 15% of time on UKIRT
is made available to the University of Hawaii in return for the
lease of the Mauna Kea site. The STFC announced a "managed
withdrawal" of funding for the UKIRT in 2009, however the
STFC submission to this inquiry indicated Support for the UKIRT
had been extended to 2013.[205]
James Clerk Maxwell Telescope
The James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) is the world's
largest single-dish submillimetre telescope. It is a partnership
between the UK as owners (55%), Canada (25%) and the Netherlands
(20%). The University of Hawaii has access to 10% of nights as
a site tax. The STFC announced in 2009 its funding would continue
until 2012 (when the current international partnership agreement
expires), however the STFC submission to this inquiry confirmed
a limited extension to support for the JCMT.[206]
Liverpool Telescope
The Liverpool telescope is a fully robotic instrument
owed by the Astrophysics Research Institute of Liverpool John
Mores University (LJMU). It was constructed on La Palma using
funds made available from the European Union and LJMU. The STFC
currently provides operational costs for the telescope in return
for 40% of the available time. Current operational costs of the
telescope are £650,000 per year, of which the STFC contributes
£500,000.[207]
The STFC announced a "managed withdrawal" of funding
for the Liverpool telescope in 2009.
Square Kilometre Array
The Square Kilometre Array is a radio telescope which
will consist of three separate types of receptor (a sparse low-frequency
aperture array, a dense mid-frequency aperture arrays, and high-frequency
dishes) sharing the same infrastructure. It is planned for construction
between 2016 and 2023. An international consortium representing
more than 15 countries plan to build the SKA and choice will be
made around 2011/12 between proposed sites in South Africa and
Australia. The UK currently holds a leading role in the European
programme of R&D development towards the SKA. The funding
proposal for the SKA within the UK is to continue the current
R&D programme at around £3 million per year, followed
by a ramped uplift to around £10 million per year when the
first phase of construction begins in around 2014/15 and continuing
at that level to 2019. There would be an additional £2 million
per year running costs from 2017, rising to around £3 million
a year in 2019.
201 Some details in this annex are extracted from:
STFC, Ground-Based Facilities Review Final Report, 2009,
Appendix 1. Back
202
Q 105 Back
203
Ev 41, para 23 [Royal Astronomical Society] Back
204
Q 106 Back
205
Ev 52, para 12 [Science and Technology Facilities Council] Back
206
As above Back
207
Ev 94, para 11 [Liverpool John Moores University] Back
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