Team Members
This project includes contributions from more than thirty people. Our project philosophy is to have one representative assume first-authorship for writing a given paper and making the greatest over-all contribution. We then list the other contributors alphabetically by last name. Here we briefly list the contributions of each person for transparency and clarity.
Eleanor Bacchus: New student specializing in observing and data reduction/analysis.
Christoph Baranec: Designed, built and fielded the PALM-3000 wave front sensor.
Charles Beichman: Architect of the sample of stars for the survey, contributor to all aspects of the science case and participant in observations, as well as Caltech PI for observing time.
Douglas Brenner: Designed and built all of the control and operations software for the corongraph and IFU, contributed to the construction and design of the cube extraction software and the S4 speckle algorithm.
Rick Burruss: AO-system instrument lead, participated in observations and optimization of AO operations and performance.
Eric Cady: CAL optical implementation, optimization and operations, primary architect of the electric-field mode of CAL operations. Participated in all observations.
Statia Cook: Expert in ice and gas giant planets.
Justin R. Crepp: Participated in observations and survey design, and contributed stellar and sub-stellar benchmark objects for follow-up spectroscopy.
Trevor David: Contributed to the determination of ages and atmospheric parameters for sample stars.
Richard Dekany: Principal architect and PI of the PALM-3000 AO system.
Rob Fergus: Architect and author of the S4 speckle suppression software and spectral extraction technique.
David Hale: Wrote the command and automation software for PALM-3000 as well as interfaces with instruments such as Project 1640.
Lynne Hillenbrand: Contributor to the survey science design, age-determination for sample stars, analysis of data.
Sasha Hinkley: Built the IFU, designed many subcomponents and commissioned the system. Participated in observations.
David W. Hogg: Contributed to the S4 algorithm. Initiated and directed the cross-disciplinary collaboration with Computer Vision expert Fergus.
David King: Designed the cryogenic optics of the IFU and advised on construction and implementation.
E. Robert Ligon: CAL optical system implementation.
Thomas Lockhart: Built all software that operates the CAL system, participated in observations, system integrations and automation. Occasionally provided beer.
Ricky Nilsson: Designed and wrote software for precision image alignment within a cube to correct atmospheric and instrument-induced dispersion. Participated in observations.
Rebecca Oppenheimer: Instrument and survey principal investigator (PI), contributed to all aspects of the project from conception through design, construction, testing and deployment. Participated in all observations and data analysis.
Ian R. Parry: Primary architect of the IFU and an alternate cube extraction pipeline. Assisted with system sensitivity optimization as well as design of the survey.
Laurent Pueyo: Wrote the KLIP algorithm as well as a spectrum estimator and operated the speckle suppression pipeline for the project. Participated in all observations.
Emily Rice: Wrote code to derive log(g) and Teff using advanced techniques and a grid of models and observed spectra of substellar objects.
Lewis C. Roberts, Jr: Participated in survey design and astrometric calibration with binary stars with well-determined orbits.
Jennifer E. Roberts: Primary implementer of upgrades to the PALM-3000 system and system operations and optimization.
Michael Shao: Contributed to CAL design and implementation, participated in observations.
Anand Sivaramakrishnan: Designed, tested, and fabricated coronagraphic masks. Devised and tested astrometry technique.
Rémi Soummer: Designed coronagraph optics and co-designer of the KLIP algorithm.
Tuan Truong: Senior PALM-3000 software engineer, developed the PALM-3000 software architecture and design, and wrote the real time control component, system communication protocol, and database interface.
Gautam Vasisht: PI of the CAL system including design, implementation and optimization. Participated in all observations as well as survey design, and translation of science goals to instrument performance. JPL PI for observing time.
Aaron Veicht: Assisted with S4 spectral extraction and tests of spectral fidelity.
Fred Vescelus: Program manager for the CAL system including integration between CAL, AO and IFS/coronagraph components.
J. Kent Wallace: Provided initial CAL design and systems engineering during integration.
Chengxing Zhai: Implemented CAL algorithms. Participated in observations.
Neil Zimmerman: Designed, wrote and implemented the cube extraction pipeline. Tested and proved the astrometric and spectroscopic precision and accuracy of the instrument.
The entire team expresses sincere gratitude and appreciation for the hard work of the Palomar mountain crew, especially by Bruce Baker, Mike Doyle, Carolyn Heffner, John Henning, Greg van Idsinga, Steve Kunsman, Dan McKenna, Jean Mueller, Kajsa Peffer, Kevin Rykowski, and Pam Thompson. This project would be impossible without the flexibility, responsiveness and dedication of such an effective and motivated staff.