UNews - Cardiff

U of L researchers see Herschel mission shut down

trevor.kenney — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:51:25 +0000

Just a few days shy of its four-year anniversary, the Herschel Space Observatory has exhausted its supply of liquid helium coolant, and officially 'closed its eyes' on the universe, April 29.

Researchers around the world, and at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, now have a massive data collection, years of future research projects, and remarkable images that show unique star births sand star formations, galaxies and a host of other dramatic developments in the origins of the universe.

The pioneering space imaging mission logged more than 35,000 observations and generated more than 25,000 hours worth of science data from about 600 observing programmes. A further 2,000 hours of calibration observations will also contribute to the rich dataset.

Herschel (which operated more than 1.5 million km away from earth in deep space) included a scientific instrument co-developed by U of L researcher Dr. David Naylor (physics and astronomy) and his team, who led Canada's contribution to the Herschel project on behalf of the Canadian Space Agency.

The instrument, called the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver ("SPIRE"), is one of three devices attached to the Herschel telescope system. SPIRE measures infrared light and picks up heat and chemical signals that are not visible by optical telescopes -- turning that data into images and information researchers will use to learn more about the life and death of stars and galaxies.

Image samples are available here.

Now that the school-bus sized telescope will cease its active duty, astronomers from 14 countries, including Canada, will devote their full attention to analyzing the prolific telescope's legacy of data.

The five-year, post-operation phase will see the data obtained during the mission used to develop improved calibration algorithms to allow the most information to be extracted. Eventually the data will be reprocessed and placed in an archive.

In addition to dramatically enhancing the level of information about the origins of the universe, the U of L contributions to the Herschel mission saw the creation of numerous and unique student experiences at all levels, and a high-tech spin-off company - Blue Sky Spectroscopy - founded by Naylor in 2003, and now privately owned and operated. Blue Sky is one of the three international Data Processing and Science Analysis Software centres for the SPIRE instrument. Data will continue to be downloaded from the spacecraft and stored on the Blue Sky servers. Its highly qualified staff, all with postgraduate degrees, specialize in custom hardware and software spectroscopic solutions. Customers include NASA, ESA, and CSA, and many leading research institutes such as Harvard, Berkeley, Chicago, Max Planck and Cardiff, NIST, Centre d'Etudes Atomique, Paris, Institute National d'Optique, Canada to name a few.

Additional information about future projects ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers are planning that arise from the Herschel mission can be found at this website.

As well, Naylor and colleague Roy Golsteyn (biological sciences) are collaborating on a way to use the highly-sensitive imaging systems developed for deep space to detect rogue cancer cells.

Spencer returning as Canada Research Chair

trevor.kenney — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 15:30:41 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's first graduate in the Earth, Space and Physical Science PhD program is coming back to the U of L through the Canada Research Chairs program.

Astrophysicist Dr. Locke Spencer, who has been working at Cardiff ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in Wales, is receiving $500,000 in funding over the next five years as a Tier II Canada Research Chair in Experimental Astrophysics.

The funding will support the development of instruments that will provide new insights and improved understanding of our universe. The focus of Spencer's research program will include the development of instrumentation unique within Canada, as well as the creation of new observation and data processing techniques that will be used for future large-scale international projects.

"I am very excited to continue research in this field and to start a new chapter of it at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge," says Spencer, a former Calgarian who attended the U of L for his masters and doctoral studies.

"My U of L graduate training has opened many doors for me and I am truly humbled at the prospect of embarking through this one. Through conducting research in Cardiff I have extended my skills and network to include a variety of leading international projects and collaborations. This CRC funding/position provides the opportunity to bring this experience to Canada and continue to build on the strong international reputation which we have."

During his initial time at the U of L, Spencer worked closely with graduate supervisor Dr. David Naylor in the development and eventual deployment of Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE), an instrument on the Herschel space telescope. SPIRE picked up heat signals that are not visible by optical telescopes, and will help to answer the age-old question astronomers have been asking for centuries: "What's out there?"

Spencer continued his involvement with the Herschel/SPIRE project while extending his research towards other projects including working with the Planck space telescope as a post-doctoral researcher at Cardiff.

Naylor says space astronomy projects typically have a cradle to grave lifespan of around two decades from concept studies, through engineering models to flight instrumentation, and the operation and post operation phases.

He adds Canada has rightly earned international recognition for its contributions to several space astronomy missions.

"With a number of far infrared space astronomy missions under development it is essential that Canada builds research capacity to exploit these emerging opportunities if it is to remain at the forefront of the field," says Naylor. "The U of L has recognized the long term nature of these opportunities and has made a strategic investment in the astronomical instrumentation group. Having spent the last years working with scientists on the Planck space project, Dr. Spencer brings a depth of expertise and a network of collaborators which will allow the U of L to further build upon its reputation."

Spencer's studies will advance the understanding of the evolution of the Universe through next-generation far-infrared space-based astrophysical instrumentation and will position Canada as a significant contributor to international research projects.

U of L Vice-President (Research) Dan Weeks says Spencer's research will build capacity in an area of research strength at the U of L.

"Through the efforts of researchers like Dr. Naylor and Dr. Spencer, the U of L has become an international leader in building instrumentation that provides our world with the tools to better understand our universe," says Weeks. "An example of this leadership is the fact that the U of L hosted the first and only SPIRE consortium meeting to be held in Canada last year."

The Canada Research Chairs program stands at the centre of a national strategy to make Canada one of the world's top countries in research and development.

In 2000, the Government of Canada created a permanent program to establish 2000 research professorships – Canada Research Chairs – in eligible degree-granting institutions across the country. The Canada Research Chairs program invests $300 million per year to attract and retain some of the world's most accomplished and promising minds.

"Our government is committed to attracting and retaining the world's best and brightest researchers, supporting innovation, creating jobs, and strengthening our economy," says Canada's Minister of State Gary Goodyear. "By investing in programs such as the Canada Research Chairs, we are fostering cutting-edge research and the generation of new innovations for the marketplace, for the benefit of Canadians."

The U of L is a comprehensive academic and research university as mandated by the Government of Alberta. Last year the U of L was named by Research Infosource as Canada's Research ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of the Year – Undergraduate Category.

Herschel Mission Operating Phase Wrapping Up

trevor.kenney — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:54:37 +0000

A pioneering space imaging mission that sent a scientific instrument co-developed by a U of L researcher on a 1.5 million kilometre trip to deep space aboard the Herschel Space Observatory might be nearing its conclusion, but that doesn't mean the end of the project for the research team.

Dr. David Naylor (Physics and Astronomy) and his team of researchers lead Canada's contribution to the Herschel project on behalf of the Canadian Space Agency.

The instrument, called the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver ("SPIRE"), is one of three devices attached to the Herschel telescope system.

http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/satellites/herschel/default.asp

The helium-filled 'gas tank' cooling Herschel's equipment is expected to run dry over the next few weeks – an expected process.

As the coolant diminishes, equipment will stop working, but data transmission will continue until the bus-sized telescope parks itself in a permanent orbit around the sun.

What follows is a five-year post operation phase, where the data obtained during the mission are used to develop improved calibration algorithms to allow the most information to be extracted from the images. Eventually the data will be reprocessed and placed in an archive that will have legacy value.

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Herschel_to_finish_observing_soon

The mission, launched on May 14, 2009 from the Ariane Spaceport in French Guyana, almost immediately began to shed new light on stars and galaxies by measuring a level of light called far-infrared.

Infrared light is invisible to the human eye, but travels well across the universe. Star forming regions emit light at these wavelengths and Herschel can detect it, capturing a wealth of detail such as heat signatures and chemical composition that help astronomers clearly see, for the first time, stars and whole galaxies that have previously remained hidden or only poorly understood.

"SPIRE picks up heat and chemical signals that are not visible by optical telescopes, and turns that data into the amazing images and information we and other scientists are using to learn more about the life and death of stars and galaxies," Naylor said.

In addition to literally 'clearing up' the images people have been using for two centuries to look into space, Naylor said the Herschel mission is confirming the existence of molecules on earth that originated in space.

"With SPIRE we can look at the big picture, or the very tiny picture, and gain a whole new insight into how stars live and die. The reason the imagery is so clear is that the space observatory sits more than 1.5 million km from earth, far from our atmosphere which absorbs virtually all radiation at which far-infrared wavelengths. Since the universe emits most of its energy at these wavelengths, Herschel provides us with our first comprehensive view of the universe."

The data and crisp images come from a device about as big as a large microwave oven that took more than 15 years and $100 million to develop – and has to function at a chilly -270C.

Also gratifying are the unique research collaborations that Naylor sees happening in the future. "Approximately one-third of the time available to researchers is guaranteed to those involved in key projects, and our time is included in that. We see the data here in Lethbridge before anyone else does. Scientists will be seeking our help in analyzing their data and the U of L group will be an important Canadian and international resource."

With an estimated output of up to 7,000 hours per year of data, there should be enough information to keep researchers busy for years – and some of that data flows through Blue Sky Spectroscopy, a Lethbridge-based, high tech spinoff company founded by Naylor in 2003, and now privately owned and operated.

Blue Sky is one of the three international Data Processing and Science Analysis Software centres for the SPIRE instrument. Data are downloaded daily from the spacecraft and stored on the Blue Sky servers.

Its highly qualified staff, all with postgraduate degrees, specialize in custom hardware and software spectroscopic solutions. Customers include NASA, ESA, and CSA, and many leading research institutes such as Harvard, Berkeley, Chicago, Max Planck and Cardiff, NIST, Centre d'Etudes Atomique, Paris, Institute National d'Optique, Canada to name a few.

What's next?

According to Naylor, more research that refines his current SPIRE device to make it suitable for yet another space mission currently under review by the Japanese, European and Canadian Space Agencies.

The project – SPICA, which stands for Space Infrared Telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics – is a next-generation version of the SPIRE device, and would perform a similar function on a space telescope planned to launch in 2022.

Learn more about the SPICA project, here: http://research.uleth.ca/spica/index.php

Naylor said Herschel has been an overwhelming success, but its sensitivity is limited by its 'warm' telescope. "At a temperature of -80K (-193C) this may sound cold, but it limits the achievable sensitivity. By cooling a telescope to -6K (-267C) would increase the sensitivity by an astonishing factor of 100, allowing it to explore a volume of space 1000x greater than Herschel".

Building on the success of Herschel, the Japanese Space Agency JAXA is developing such a cooled telescope. ESA has joined forces with JAXA; in return for ESA providing the telescope and a ground station, European scientists will build one of the flight instruments.

Based on the Herschel experience, an imaging FTS similar to the ones Naylor's group has been building for over two decades has been selected and Naylor has been invited to join the international team that will build the instrument known as SAFARI.

The instrument is similar to one that the U of L team has recently commissioned on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope, the world's largest submillimetre telescope located atop Mauna Kea, Hawaii.

http://www.jach.hawaii.edu/JCMT/

The space-based project, SPICA – which stands for Space Infrared Telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics – is a next-generation version of the SPIRE device, and would perform a similar function on a space telescope planned to launch in 2022.

In Alberta, a recent and significant collaboration has also been launched with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary, where the U of L and the U of C and Athabasca ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ have formed the Institute for Space Imaging Science (ISIS) to work together on projects that take space research further than Herschel technology, whether on the ground or in the atmosphere.

"By nature, physics researchers don't get too excited, but to see these images and know that we're looking at them in a whole new way, and further that we'll be able to share this information with the public so they can learn about the origins of the universe, is truly exciting," Naylor said.

He estimates that more than 200 papers have already been produced using data from the Herschel mission, and approximately half of those have Canadian co-authors.

The geographical distribution of SPIRE science within Canada is broad with authors affiliated with the following universities/institutions: UBC, Calgary, CFHT, HIA/UVic, Laval, Lethbridge, McMaster, Toronto, Waterloo. As well, a large group of researchers, including more than 30 post docs, undergrad and grad students have conducted research using SPIRE data.

An example of the type of imaging and discoveries made possible by the Herschel Space Observatory can be found here:

Comet 'Demolition Derby' Creates New Information About Solar System Origin

Compelling new images from the Herschel Space Telescope – parked more than 1.5 million kilometres from earth and facing into deep space -- are showing researchers what the formation of our solar system must have looked like at its early stages: a violent, comet-laden disk of debris where thousands of 1 km wide chunks of ice collide and spin around a young star.

http://oshi.esa.int/#list=/images.html?q=pillars;detail=image.html?id=89

The images are made possible in part by technology created by ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers, and designed and built by an international consortium of space agencies, universities and research institutes.

http://www.uleth.ca/notice/display.html?b=300&s=17611

Spencer forges new frontier

trevor.kenney — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:51:41 +0000

Space exploration has always been about firsts. It's only fitting then that the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's first graduate from the Earth, Space and Physical Science PhD program worked on a groundbreaking instrument that promises the first images from the deepest parts of space.

Locke Spencer (MSc '05, PhD '09), working with graduate supervisor Dr. David Naylor, played a key role in the development and eventual deployment of SPIRE, an instrument on the Herschel space telescope. Now, Spencer will be able to continue his work on Herschel/SPIRE, having accepted a position as a post-doctoral researcher at Cardiff ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in Wales.

"I had such a great experience doing research-based work at the U of L," says Spencer, a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta undergrad who came to Lethbridge as a master's student and remained to complete his PhD. "Staying here and completing my PhD allowed me to continue with my project until it was launched into space. I now am working with actual flight data from the Herschel telescope in space, some 1.5 million km away from Earth."

Being able to work with Naylor was a huge factor in luring Spencer to the U of L to pursue his master's degree. Once he got on campus, he quickly learned the finer points of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ experience.

"The U of L is small enough to still be personal," says Spencer, who was born in Cardston, Alta., but lived in Vauxhall, Edmonton, Bow Island, Stirling, Lethbridge and Calgary all before graduating from high school. "I am known by name by the registrar's office, the dean, the president and so on. This is very rare at larger institutions; there really is a close-knit community on campus.

"At the same time, through the international relationships the U of L has developed, I've been able to do field work at some of the most prestigious labs in the world."

His involvement with the SPIRE project was far from peripheral and it was that opportunity, to fully participate in a project with a world-renowned researcher of Naylor's calibre, that most benefited Spencer.

"Professor Naylor is the lead investigator for Canada on this project," Spencer says. "Our work was essentially buying access to the Herschel telescope for astronomers across Canada.
"I was able to provide an explanation for an unanticipated instrumental effect which was discovered very late in SPIRE's development. My work provided critical input to the instrument data processing routines within the project, and future instrument development for projects just on the horizon."

At Cardiff, Spencer will continue working with Herschel/SPIRE, as well as the European Space Agency Planck satellite. In the long term, he looks at coming back to school, as a professor.

"I would like to continue researching astrophysics and instrumentation and if possible, our family would love to be based in western Canada and even Alberta," Spencer says.

That's an application the U of L would do well to receive.

Herschel Space Observatory research to keep Naylor busy for years

trevor.kenney — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:56:42 +0000

When you talk to Dr. David Naylor (Institute for Space Imaging Science, Department of Physics and Astronomy), it is easy to get excited about his research, space exploration and the thought of imaging the unknown stars and galaxies that SPIRE, an instrumental concept he has been working on for 30 years will help to discover as it sits, 1.5 million km from Earth, bolted securely to the recently-launched Herschel Space Telescope.

The European Space Agency (ESA) Herschel mission, launched successfully from French Guiana on May 14, 2009 seeks to observe stars and galaxies at long-wavelengths (far-infrared).

Dr. David Naylor.

These wavelengths are able to penetrate interstellar dust, but are difficult to observe from Earth because the far infrared signals can't penetrate the Earth's atmosphere.

As the lead Canadian researcher for the Canadian Space Agency's contribution to the Herschel project – an international project involving eight nations -- Naylor has played a key role in the big science of space imagery by designing a device that has to function at a chilly -270C, collects infrared data from the far end of the light spectrum, and turns it into valuable information about the creation of stars and galaxies.
Naylor's instrument, called the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver ("SPIRE"), is one of three devices attached to the Herschel telescope system. SPIRE picks up heat signals that are not visible by optical telescopes, and will help to answer the age-old question astronomers have been asking for centuries: "What's out there?"

However, even with all his curiosity about what, in fact, might be 'out there,' it's hard to believe that Naylor can maintain that level of excitement for a project that that has faced financial and administrative hurdles, taken more than 15 years, many long days, about 100 students (in Lethbridge/Canada) and other researchers across the world to help develop.

And then there's the cost: approximately $100M to fit all that research into a box about as big as a toaster oven.

He's excited because it works. Finally.

"The mission control operators started the telescope up in stages," Naylor said. "Our instrument was the first brought on-line for performance verification. That means more than 250 tests to put it through its paces. And it is working flawlessly. The last time we had our hands on it was more than two years ago when SPIRE was sent from the UK for final testing and installation at ESA, so that was good news. To process the data to make it operate there are almost 2 billion lines of code involved, so to see a successful operation from this first test was a huge relief."

The next step, which also passed without a hitch, was to pop open the hatch -- officially called a 'cryocover', or the equivalent of a camera lens cap -- and reveal the giant 3.5m telescope mirror to the outer reaches of space.

But does Herschel do what it is supposed to do? The answer, of course, is yes – and much quicker and with more accuracy than any telescope launched to date. "Initial images reveal a level of detail never before seen from the ground or from space through the Hubble telescope, which sits only 400km from Earth," Naylor said.

"This isn't even the telescope operating at full capacity. These are initial 'test' images – like driving a racecar very slowly around the track… you know it works and is quite impressive, but wait until the driver opens the throttle!

"I am particularly proud of the first image that was released by the European Space Agency of a galaxy called the Whirlpool Galaxy. Prof. Christine Wilson, a research colleague from McMaster ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, is leading this study of nearby galaxies. Wilson is one of five scientists who have access to the guaranteed observing time awarded to Canada in recognition of its contributions to the mission, contributions that are led from the U of L."

On July 10, the European Space Agency released even more images which clearly show the additional clarity the Observatory brings to knowledge about galaxies and star formations (See the "First Light" images, at this website: http://www.uleth.ca/notice/display.html?b=13&s=12367)

Also, gratifying -- and possibly a bit overwhelming -- are the unique research collaborations that Naylor sees happening in the future, as data from the Herschel mission starts to flow.

"Approximately one-third of the time available to researchers is guaranteed to those involved in key projects, and our time is included in that. We see the data here in Lethbridge before anyone else does," Naylor said.

"This means we will be in the best position to extract the most information from the astronomical data. Scientists will be seeking our help in analyzing their data and the U of L group will be an important Canadian and international resource."

With an estimated output of up to 7,000 hours per year of data, there should be enough information to keep researchers collaborating on current – and future -- projects busy for years.

To that end, Naylor is involved in several projects with physics and astronomy researchers across the country with diverse organizations such as the Canadian Space Agency, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies and a host of partner universities.

Worldwide, his research partners include Rutherford Appleton Labs in Oxford (UK) and other research institutions in Europe.

In Alberta, a recent and significant collaboration has been launched with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary, where the U of L and the U of C have formed the Institute for Space Imaging Science (ISIS) to work together on projects that take space research further than Herschel technology, whether on the ground or in the atmosphere.

As well, Blue Sky Spectroscopy, a local high tech spin off company founded by Naylor in 2003, and now privately owned and operated, is rapidly developing a name for itself.

Its highly qualified staff, all with postgraduate degrees, specialize in custom hardware and software spectroscopic solutions. Customers include NASA, ESA, and CSA, and many leading research institutes such as Harvard, Berkeley, Chicago, Max Planck and Cardiff to name a few.

Moreover, Blue Sky is one of the three international Data Processing and Science Analysis Software centres for the SPIRE instrument. Data are downloaded daily from the spacecraft and stored on the Blue Sky's servers. While their research might be "blue sky," down to Earth the company has an active astronomy education and outreach program within the local community.

What's next?

According to Naylor, more research that refines his current SPIRE device to make it suitable for yet another space mission which is currently under review by the Japanese,European and Canadian Space Agencies.

"Because the SPIRE device is so versatile – and is now proven to work – we expect it will be in demand for future space astronomy missions such as SPICA – the SPace Infrared telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics."

Put on the coffee; it seems that more sleepless nights in the lab are on the horizon.

UNews - Cardiff

U of L researchers see Herschel mission shut down

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