The Konkoly Infrared Space Astronomy Group
The Konkoly Infrared Space Astronomy Group is a team at Konkoly Observatory
(Budapest, Hungary) working on the field of infrared astronomy. We put
special emphasis on the analysis and interpretation of observations taken with
ISOPHOT, the photometer on-board ESA's Infrared Space Telescope (ISO),
and on the preparation of ESA's Herschel mission.
Our astrophysical research includes the study of infrared sky background
(zodiacal, cirrus, extragalactic), of star formation (T Tau, Herbig Ae/Be,
FU Ori stars), and of the Vega-phenomenon.
History
Built on a decades-long tradition in the optical study of the interstellar medium and
star formation, infrared (IRAS) data have been analysed at Konkoly Observatory
since 1987. After the launch of ISO, in 1995, Konkoly Observatory staff were
involved in the calibration and evaluation of ISOPHOT data. Two members
of the present infrared group (P. Ábrahám, Cs. Kiss) have spent
several years at the ISOPHOT Data Centre (Max-Planck-Institut für
Astronomie, Heidelberg) and gained first hand experience in the ISO mission
and
the ISOPHOT instrument. Following their return to Hungary in 2001 an ISOPHOT
Hungarian Subnode was established as a new project for the Observatory. The ISO
work is syncronised with the ISOPHOT Data Centre (MPIA, Heidelberg) and with
the ISO Data Centre (ESAC, Madrid). As an extension of the ISO work, the group
is involved in the preparation of the Herschel mission since September 2004.
Goals
The group's present day activities include working on the
final calibration
of ISOPHOT and publishing ISOPHOT observations.
In the framework of a collaboration with the ISO Data Centre we
systematically
re-reduce selected ISOPHOT observing modes and feed back the refined data
products into the ISO Data Archive as Highly Processed Data Products.
Our goal is to contribute to the long term preservation
of the ISOPHOT-related expertise.
In parallel, we are developing a confusion noise estimator for the Herschel observing modes,
and contributing to the pre-flight and in-flight calibration of the
PACS instrument. We also aim at creating an environment where data from different
space-borne and ground-based infrared instruments can be compared and
combined in a careful and accurate way. These infrared data form the basis of our
astrophysical studies on sky background, interstellar matter, star formation,
and the Vega-phenomenon.
Facilities
We work on a PC-based computer cluster under linux, with sufficient resources
to handle ISOPHOT and Herschel/PACS data.
Several versions of the ISOPHOT Interactive Analysis (PIA V9.1, V10.0, V11.0),
as well as the Herschel/PACS Interactive Analysis are available. The ERD data
of all ISOPHOT observations are on disk which
allows efficient mass data processing. We also put on disk important DIRBE
products (Weekly maps, zodiacal model, etc.) as the basis of a routine comparison
between ISOPHOT and DIRBE.
Support, funding
Different aspects of the work performed in the Konkoly Infrared Space Astronomy
Group were/are
kindly supported by the ESA PRODEX Programme Buro, the ESA PECS Programme Buro,
the Hungarian Space Office,
the German-Hungarian and Spanish-Hungarian Bilateral Agreements, and the Hungarian
Scientific Research Fund (OTKA). The Highly Processed Data Products for the ISO Data
Archive are produced in the framework of a contract with the ISO Data Centre.
Contact:
Konkoly Observatory of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences - KISAG
- Physical address: 1121 Budapest Konkoly-Thege Miklós u. 13-17., Hungary
- Mail address: H-1525 Budapest, P.O.Box 67., Hungary
- Telephone: (+36-1) 391-9322, (+36-1) 391-9360
- Fax: (+36-1) 275-4668
- E-mail:
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