Ebook: Wide-Field Spectroscopy: Proceedings of the 2nd Conference of the Working Group of IAU Commission 9 on “Wide-Field Imaging” held in Athens, Greece, May 20–25, 1996

E. KONTIZAS Astronomical Institute National Observatory of Athens P. O. Box 20048 Athens GR-1181O GREECE The international conference on "Wide-Field Spectroscopy" and its sub­ ject matter were agreed during the general assembly of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in August 1994 by the Working Group of Com­ mision 9 "Wi de-Field Imaging". This meeting gave an opportunity to world experts on this subject to gather in Athens, in order to discuss the cur­ rent exploitation and the impending opportunities that exist in the area of multi-object spectroscopy, with particular emphasis on: 1. Astronomical instruments, data acquisition, processing and analysis techniques. 2. Astrophysical problems best tackled through wide-field, multi-object spectroscopy. The new fibre optic technology offers an important tool for the advancement of basic research and the development of industrial applications. Astronom­ ical spectroscopy is a field of astronomy which has contributed much to the advancement of fundamental physics. The spectra of hot stars have been used to determine the well-known Balmer formula for the wavelength of hydrogen lines, in the late 19th century. Since then, spectroscopy has made enormous progress in stellar atmosphere studies, in kinematics, and in the detection of high redshifts in the Universe. The traditional techniques of obtaining wide-field spectroscopic data are based on slitless spectroscopy (objective prism). Several observations, world wide, make use ofthese tech­ niques in order to obtain information on the spectral properties of objects in large areas of the sky.

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The field of astronomical spectroscopy has contributed much to the advancement of fundamental physics. Due to its multi-wavelength nature, it provides a wealth of information for studies of celestial bodies, especially when many objects (sometimes hundreds) spread over a wide angle are observed simultaneously under the same atmospheric conditions.
In this book we gather together from major observatories throughout the world information on all new techniques of wide-field, multi-object spectroscopy including instrumentation, data processing for storage in large databases and automated spectral analysis. Additionally, several key projects of astrophysical importance are described by experts in the relevant fields. The main results from current observations and the astrophysical highlights expected from the new technologies are presented.

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The field of astronomical spectroscopy has contributed much to the advancement of fundamental physics. Due to its multi-wavelength nature, it provides a wealth of information for studies of celestial bodies, especially when many objects (sometimes hundreds) spread over a wide angle are observed simultaneously under the same atmospheric conditions.
In this book we gather together from major observatories throughout the world information on all new techniques of wide-field, multi-object spectroscopy including instrumentation, data processing for storage in large databases and automated spectral analysis. Additionally, several key projects of astrophysical importance are described by experts in the relevant fields. The main results from current observations and the astrophysical highlights expected from the new technologies are presented.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xxv
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
Multi-Object Spectroscopy with Optical Fibres....Pages 3-16
Objective-Prisms on Schmidt Telescopes: Past Activity and Future Prospects....Pages 17-23
Flair on the UK Schmidt Telescope....Pages 25-31
2DF: The Two-Degree Field Facility on the AAT....Pages 33-40
The Spectroscopic Survey of the SDSS....Pages 41-48
Spectroscopy with FORS....Pages 49-54
The VLT-VIRMOS Deep Redshift Survey....Pages 55-62
A Concept Design of the Positioner of the Optical Fibres of the LAMOST....Pages 63-66
The Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fibre Spectroscopy Telescope ( LAMOST) Project....Pages 67-72
The Gemini Multi-Object Spectrographs....Pages 73-79
Multi-Object Spectroscopy and Radio Surveys....Pages 81-86
The Spectroscopic Plate Archives in the Wide-Field Plate Database....Pages 87-93
Exploring Terabyte Archives in Astronomy....Pages 95-101
Automated Objective Prism Spectral Classification Using Neural Networks....Pages 103-108
Automatic Classification of Digitized Objective Prism Spectra....Pages 109-113
The New Multifunctional Spectrograph at the Bosque Alegre Station....Pages 115-116
Multi-Object Spectrograph TAUMOK....Pages 117-118
A Simple Automatic Method of Determining the Positions of Spectra on Objective-Prism Images....Pages 119-120
DS3: Drift Scanning Survey Spectrograph....Pages 121-122
A System for the Analysis of Objective-Prism Data....Pages 123-124
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
Wide-Field Spectroscopy with 3.5 Degree Objectiv Prism and 50/70 cm Rozhen Schmidt Telescope....Pages 125-126
Objective Prism Spectra Database of the 70-cm Meniscus Telescope....Pages 127-129
Front Matter....Pages 131-131
Wide Field Spectroscopy & the Structure of the Galaxy....Pages 133-143
Some Objectives of the Wide Field Spectroscopy in the Nearest Galaxies....Pages 145-151
The Impact of Multiobject Spectroscopy on the Study of Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxies Orbiting the MW....Pages 153-159
Planetary Nebulae in Extragalactic Systems....Pages 161-167
Stellar Systems in the Magellanic Clouds....Pages 169-175
B-Stars Towards the Galactic Center....Pages 177-180
Distribution of Carbon Stars in the LMC....Pages 181-184
Deep Spectral Survey of Carbon Stars in the Near-Infrared....Pages 185-188
Spectroscopic Parallaxes in Determining the Correction of Relative to Absolute Parallax....Pages 189-193
Lithium in the Old Open Cluster M 67: Constraints for the Cause of the Boesgaard Li Gap....Pages 195-199
Measuring Radial Velocities of Orion Association Members Using the UK Schmidt Flair....Pages 201-204
Spectral Metallicity in M33....Pages 205-206
Slitless and Multi-Slit Spectroscopy of Typical Objects in Nearby Galaxies....Pages 207-208
Deep Survey for Carbon Stars in the Yellow-Red Spectral Region....Pages 209-210
A Sulphur Abundance Gradient in NGC 300....Pages 211-214
Wide-Area Interference Spectroscopy of the Ionized Gas Surrounding the OCL-352 (IC-1805) Stellar Association....Pages 215-216
A Kinematical and Chemical Probe of the Galaxy....Pages 217-218
Front Matter....Pages 219-220
Multiwavelength Spectroscopy of the Late-Type Star IRAS 18530 + 0817....Pages 131-131
Velocity and Line Profile Variations in Massive Stars, WR-Stars and Their Origin....Pages 221-222
Front Matter....Pages 223-224
Wide Field Spectroscopy and the Universe....Pages 225-225
The ESO Slice Project (ESP) Redshift Survey....Pages 227-240
The Luminosity Function and Mean Density of Galaxies from the ESO Slice Project (ESP) Redshift Survey....Pages 241-246
A Deep 20 cm Radio Mosaic of the ESO Slice Project Galaxy Redshift Survey....Pages 247-251
The Z ~ 0 Universe....Pages 253-257
The Canada France Redshift Survey....Pages 259-265
Multifiber Spectroscopy Applied to Small Groups of Galaxies....Pages 267-275
Complete Spectroscopic Surveys of Nearby Galaxy Clusters....Pages 277-280
Towards an Objectively Defined Catalog of Galaxy Clusters from the Digitized POSS-II....Pages 281-284
A Galaxy Cluster at 0.82 in the NEP ROSAT Survey....Pages 285-286
The Velocity Dispersions Distribution of Galaxy Clusters....Pages 287-288
The Cluster Velocity Field in Dark Matter Models....Pages 289-292
A Survey in the Direction of the Great Attractor....Pages 293-297
The UKST FLAIR-DENIS Survey....Pages 299-301
Study of the Shapley Concentration....Pages 303-304
Comparing the Predicted Abell/ACO Cluster and the MkIII Galaxy Density & Velocity Fields....Pages 305-309
The Muenster Redshift Project (MRSP)....Pages 311-314
The Second Byurakan Survey: Galaxies....Pages 315-320
Front Matter....Pages 321-324
Surveys of Starburst Galaxies....Pages 225-225
Diagnostics of Dust Obscured Galactic Nuclei with ISO Spectroscopy....Pages 325-339
A Redshift Survey of Obscured Galaxies....Pages 341-344
The QSO Evolution Derived from the HBQS and Other Complete QSO Surveys....Pages 345-346
Optical Surveys of Quasars....Pages 347-355
The Hamburg Objective-Prism Surveys for Bright Quasars....Pages 357-371
The Space Density of Z > 4 Quasars from the Second Palomar Sky Survey....Pages 373-379
Front Matter....Pages 381-382
Panel Discussion....Pages 383-383
Conference Summary....Pages 385-394
Back Matter....Pages 395-401
....Pages 403-405