University of Illinois scientists in Astronomy, Physics and at NCSA are collaborating with scientists at Fermilab, the University of Chicago, LBNL and NOAO/CTIO (with recent additions: a large UK group, two Barcelona groups, and the University of Michigan) to develop a camera for the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory Blanco 4m telescope. This Blanco Wide Field Imager will be used to carry out a Dark Energy Survey, where the optical, multiband photometry will be used to determine the nature of the dark energy through several independent means. The camera building project has received Stage 1 approval at Fermilab (June 2004), and it has received guarantees of processing, storage and partial labor support for the data management effort from the University of Illinois. The Blanco Instrumentation Review Panel recommended that the project go forward at NOAO, trading the camera, data management and archive for the 510 nights of Blanco 4m time.
Scientists at U Illinois are leading the DES data management project (Mohr) and the construction of the data acquisition electronics and software (Thaler) for the project. We plan to take leading roles in the galaxy cluster survey and galaxy angular power spectrum components of the DES science. Camera construction is led by Fermilab. Significant institutional seed funds have been made available by all the DES partners, and the first foundry run of the long lead time CCD detectors has already been delivered (96 devices).
In summer 2007 DESDM was funded by NSF and DECam was recommended for Critical Decision 1 within the DOE framework. Together with previously secured funding from our international collaborators and institutional contritbutions, this means that DES is funded and can move forward to tackle the scientific challenge of cosmic accelerations!
More information is available at the DES homepage.
