The text below contains detailed information about what is required in specific fields of the SOAR proposal form, semester 2007A. The application form is provided for downloading in three different formats. By clicking in any of the links below you will download the version most suitable to you.

application_2007a.sxw

application_2007a.rtf

application_2007a.doc

WARNING: The above forms were updated on 22/09/2006 at 19:00 h Brasila Time. If you downloaded them before that date, you need to move to the newest version. We ask apologies for the inconvenience but some inconsistencies and link problems were detected in the older versions.

After duly completed, sent the form via e-mail to soar@lna.br with copy to aardila@lna.br with subject "SOAR proposal". Whatever the format (.doc, sxw or .rtf) the file size CANNOT BE LARGER THAN 3 MB. Files exceeding this value are rejected by the LNA e-mail server. Note that the only formats accepted are any of three provided above.The deadline for the reception of the form is October 15, 2006, at 24:00 hrs Brasilia time. Applications received after this time WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. No exceptions to this rule will be allowed.
 
 

1. Be sure that you have included all your figures and tables within the .doc or .sxd macro provided. Note that they cannot occupy more than one page (one page for figures, one for tables). The list of objects can take additional pages if necessary.

2. If you plan to submit more than one proposal, send them in separate e-mails. In order to avoid confusion, identify each proposal in the e-mail subject as "SOAR proposal 1", "SOAR proposal 2" ... etc.



3. Useful information about the current state of the instruments can be found on the SOAR homepage. Useful hints about observing strategies, necessary in order to produce a successful application, can be found at the LNA homepage.

• Author Information. Fill in the table providing details about the identification, affiliation and contact information of PI and co-authors (CO-I 1, CO-I 2, etc). If more than four co-authors participate in the proposal, add as many lines as necessary to complete the table. Identify with a cross (x) the investigators that are graduate students.

• Number of hours requested. Enter the total number of hours requested for this run. In this estimate, include the overheads and CCD readout times as described in the useful hints page. If you plan to carry out remote observing, note that the minimum number of hours that can be requested is 10 hours (corresponding to one standard night) or multiple blocks of this value.

• Minimum number of hours requested. Enter the minimum number of hours that you accept in order to meet the scientific goals of your proposal. Projects judged to deserve less than the minimum time, whatever the reason, will be ELIMINATED. Therefore, it is of your interest to keep this minimum time as small as possible. It is essential that the PI explicitly justify in the Technical Case the choice of this minimum number of hours as well as the sources that will have priority for observation. In the case of remote observations, keep in mind that the minimum number of hours that can be allocated is 10 hours.

• Range of optimal dates. Enter the range of months for optimal scheduling of this run.

• Abstract. Give a general abstract of the scientific justification appropriate for a non-specialist. Limit yourself to approximately 100 words. Abstracts of accepted proposals will be made publicly available.

• SOAR instruments section.

  Select the instrument and its configuration according to your scientific needs. Only one instrument can be selected for each proposal. If you have questions about the instruments performance and configuration, we advise to consult the web pages for SOI and OSIRIS. Exposure Time Calculators (ETC) for SOI and OSIRIS are available by clicking at the links below:
  ETC for SOI
  ETC for OSIRIS (Imaging)
  ETC for OSIRIS (Spectroscopy)

• Filters. List here any filters (including order separation filters) that you may need for this run. Use a comma separated list, i.e, B, V, R, Halpha, [SII]. If you are using non-standard SOAR filters (i.e., CTIO filters), please include the Filter Number available on the CTIO filter page

• Slit & Grating/grism. As OSIRIS long-slit spectroscopy with the F/3 camera is not being offered, the long-slit mode is carried out with the F/7 camera. In this configuration, the slit width is 0.42" ans the slit length 72", providing a spectral resolution of R~3000. In cross-dispersed mode, the F/3 camera is used with a fixed slit width (1") and length (27"). If long-slit is selected, provide the order sorting filters (bands) in which you plan to observe. The options are J, H, K, or LPK (low-pass K). The spectroscopic parameters of these filters can be found here.

• Remote Observing requested? If yes, justify the need of that mode of observations. Time available for remote observing in 2007A is, at most, 30% of the total observing time. Be aware that in this mode, time lost due to bad weather or instrument failure cannot be reallocated in the future. If your program demands real time decisions for its success or a non-standard observing design, remote observing can be appropriate. On the other hand, if you program require stringent observing constraints (image quality < 0.5", for instance) remote observing may be a bad idea because such conditions do not occur quite often.

• Special instrument requirements. Describe briefly any special or non-standard usage of instrumentation.

• Previous Use of SOAR and status of data, including publications. How effectively have you used SOAR in the past? List allocations of telescope time on SOAR to the Principal Investigator during the past 1 year, together with the current status of the data (cite publications where appropriate). Remember that if you have programs already observed on SOAR, you need to send to us the feedback form, duly completed, available here. The CP/SOAR will not consider proposals from PIs that did not send the Feedback of data taken during the Early-Science program.

• Scientific Case. Give the scientific justification for the proposed observations, including the overall significance to astronomy. LIMIT TEXT TO 1 PAGE. Figures and tables can take an additional page each if necessary. The scientific case for observing time should establish two things. 1) It should outline the scientific problem(s) or question(s) toward whose solution the observations are requested, and place these questions in the larger scientific context. 2) It should show how the measurements requested will be used to illuminate these questions or problems.

• Technical Justification. Describe the observations to be made during the observing run. Justify (a) the need of SOAR and why it is important or even essential for the proposed observations; (b) the number of hours, the instrument and S/N requested; c) The spatial, spectral, and temporal range and resolution required Include the list of objects, coordinates (and epoch of the coordinates!!), and magnitudes (or surface brightness, if appropriate). It is also necessary to specify the minimum sky conditions (cloud cover, image quality and water vapor) under which your program can be executed. Projects that do not demand large constraints maximize their chances of being observed. Note that proposals with the lack of adequate technical justification can be rejected. Exposure time calculators (ETC) are available for OSIRIS and SOI.

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