OPTICON

NA2 - VLTI Expertise Centres Network

The networking activity builds on the community-building work that has been carried out by the European Interferometry Initiative as part of OPTICON since FP6, involving 15 countries, ESO and ESA, systematically delivering very strong results. For H2020 the goal is to leap towards a coordination network -- the VLTI Expertise Centres Network -- that will enable experts and non-experts alike across Europe to maximize the impact of the dramatically enhanced capabilities provided by GRAVITY and MATISSE. The strategic leap is supported by the Future of Interferometry in Europe working group conclusions (FP7), the ASTRONET recommendation and fully in line with facilitating the access to key infrastructures in Europe and fostering a culture of co-operation.

More specifically the WP objectives are:

1. Coordinate the creation of an European-wide network of VLTI Expertise Centres;
2. Organize schools that will train the VLTI users in the new GRAVITY/MATISSE instruments;
3. Support observing proposal preparation and data reduction;
4. Co-organize with ESO the VLTI community days and the European Interferometry Initiative meetings;
5. Focus the highly successful Fizeau staff exchange grant scheme towards young researchers and VLTI outreach in communities without much optical-infrared interferometry know-how;
6. Exchange experience and coordinate with the radio-mm interferometry community

ESO Messenger Report

ESO–European Interferometry Initiative School "The 9th Very Large Telescope Interferometer School" [ESO/PDF]

Contact

Paulo Garcia (UPORTO) -