https://gsawg.wiki.ast.cam.ac.uk/index.php?title=Full_first_announcement&feed=atom&action=historyFull first announcement - Revision history2024-03-28T15:23:49ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.35.14https://gsawg.wiki.ast.cam.ac.uk/index.php?title=Full_first_announcement&diff=1105&oldid=prevLukasz: Created page with "Dear Colleagues, The transient sky has never been more exciting. Numerous current and near-future large-scale surveys (PanStarrs, PTF, SkyMapper, Gaia, SWIFT, OGLE, LOFAR, LSST)..."2012-05-29T13:05:35Z<p>Created page with "Dear Colleagues, The transient sky has never been more exciting. Numerous current and near-future large-scale surveys (PanStarrs, PTF, SkyMapper, Gaia, SWIFT, OGLE, LOFAR, LSST)..."</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>Dear Colleagues,<br />
<br />
The transient sky has never been more exciting. Numerous current and<br />
near-future large-scale surveys (PanStarrs, PTF, SkyMapper, Gaia,<br />
SWIFT, OGLE, LOFAR, LSST) are promising vast numbers of new, transient<br />
objects corresponding to a wide range of astrophysical phenomena, from<br />
solar system objects, through new types of stellar variability and<br />
signatures of exoplanets, to Supernovae and orphan Gamma Ray Bursts.<br />
However without prompt and appropriate follow-up observations, much of<br />
the scientific potential of these new discoveries will be lost. It<br />
becomes crucial for transient astronomy that the new phenomena are<br />
rapidly observed with small and medium size telescopes and the data<br />
are analysed quickly to share the knowledge.<br />
<br />
The Gaia Photometric Science Alerts team, is responsible for<br />
generating alerts on transient and anomalous events detected in the<br />
data stream of the Gaia satellite - cornerstone ESA mission scheduled<br />
for launch in August 2013. The alerts will become public immediately,<br />
and to assure the complex data processing pipeline produces reliable<br />
and robust alerts, they need to be thoroughly tested. Therefore, the<br />
first alerts will need to be verified with an extensive programme of<br />
dedicated follow-up observations.<br />
<br />
Thorough and robust classification requires a dedicated network of<br />
telescopes and a well-organised team. Now, with the Gaia launch so<br />
close, we are approaching a crucial point in time. We need to organise<br />
our teams, choose instruments and telescopes, construct observing<br />
proposals, and prepare the community for the influx of Gaia alerts.<br />
<br />
During the first two Gaia Science Alerts workshops we have addressed<br />
the requirements for the ground-based verification of alerts and their<br />
follow-up. We have established the foundations of the collaborative<br />
network of telescopes and scientists willing to get involved in the<br />
transients follow-up and Gaia alerts verification.<br />
<br />
In the third workshop this summer we will present and discuss the<br />
early-stage tests performed by our partners based on alerts generated<br />
by the Catalina Real-Time Transient Survey (CRTS) and other surveys.<br />
We will also continue building and extending the network with new<br />
partners.<br />
<br />
One of the main issues related with the follow-up of transients is<br />
their robust and rapid classification at the survey level and then<br />
evolving classification with the additional follow-up data. We will<br />
concentrate on this subject during the third workshop and present<br />
current techniques and methods of transient classification presented<br />
by experts in the field and astronomers applying the techniques to<br />
their data.<br />
<br />
<br />
Workshop will take place on 6-7 September 2012 in the old university<br />
of Bologna in Italy.<br />
Further details and registration is available here:<br />
http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/ioa/wikis/gsawgwiki/index.php/Workshop2012:main<br />
<br />
Best regards and hope to see you in Bologna!<br />
<br />
<br />
Lukasz Wyrzykowski on behalf of<br />
the Workshop Organizing Committee<br />
-----------------------------------------------------<br />
Gaia Science Alerts Workshop 2012<br />
<br />
6-7 September 2012, Bologna, Italy<br />
<br />
http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/ioa/research/gsawg<br />
<br />
email: gsaw2012@gmail.com</div>Lukasz