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Semester 2016A Time Distribution

Overview

The time available on each of Gemini North and South is distributed according to the Observatory partners' shares . To maintain overall balance amongst the partnership, the time available to each partner is adjusted each semester as a result of actual time charged in prior semesters. The time made available is approved at the Operations Working Group meeting prior to the Call. Historically, around 5% of each semester's science time is used to complete highly ranked programs from the previous two semesters to which the ITAC granted rollover status. This time is included in the time distributions given below.

The science time available at each telescope includes a 5% Director's Discretionary Time allocation, available to all astronomers through the Director's Discretionary Time proposal process. The estimated time available for each partner and host institution in 2016A is shown in the Tables below. The number of nights is approximated by int(hours/10).

Gemini North: Time Availability and Distribution

The planned time available for science use at Gemini North is 94% of the total time available in 2016A, which amounts to a minimum of ~171 nights. A total of 10.5 nights has been reserved for engineering; this includes engineering time in the queue, instrument performance monitoring, engineering time to accommodate visiting instrumentation, and instrument commissioning. All unused engineering time will be returned to science. The science time includes time used for queue and classical observations, large and long programs for participating partners, fast turnaround programs for participating partners, weather loss, and time lost to faults. A total of ~16 nights of the science time have been reserved for Director's Discretionary Time, time for the Korea and Australia limited-term partnerships, and system verification of new instrument modes.

Partner Estimated Hours Available
US 1031*
Canada 266*
Brazil 75**
Argentina 30*
Univ. of Hawaii (host) 160**

* - The total time available for the United States, Canada, and Argentina include time allocated through the Large and Long Program and Fast Turnaround observing modes. Up to 20% of the time available may be allocated to LLPs, and up to 10% of the time available may be allocated to FT programs.
** - The total time available for Brazil and the Univ. of Hawaii includes time allocated through the Fast Turnaround observing mode. Up to 10% of the time available may be allocated to FT Programs.

Gemini South: Time Availability and Distribution

The planned time available for science use at Gemini South is 93% of the total time available in 2016A, which amounts to a minimum of ~169 nights. A total of 12 nights of the total available time have been reserved for engineering; this includes engineering time in the queue, GPI engineering, instrument performance monitoring, and engineering time to accommodate visiting instrumentation. All unused engineering time will be returned to science. A total of ~28.5 nights of the science time has been reserved for Director's Discretionary Time, time for the Korea and Australia limited-term partnerships, the GPI Campaign, and GPI guaranteed time.

Partner Estimated Hours Available
US 922*
Canada 235*
Brazil 64**
Argentina 25*
Chile (host) 171**

* - The total time available for the United States, Canada, and Argentina include time allocated through the Large and Long Program and Fast Turnaround Observing Modes. Up to 20% of the time available may be allocated to LLPs, and up to 10% of the time available may be allocated to FT programs.
** - The total time available for Brazil and Chile includes time allocated through the Fast Turnaround observing mode. Up to 10% of the time available may be allocated to FT Programs.


Gemini Observatory Participants