The Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO): Prototype performance and prospects for transient science

D. Steeghs; D. K. Galloway; K. Ackley; M. J. Dyer; J. Lyman; K. Ulaczyk; R. Cutter; Y. L. Mong; V. Dhillon; P. O'Brien; G. Ramsay; S. Poshyachinda; R. Kotak; L. K. Nuttall; E. Pallé; R. P. Breton; D. Pollacco; E. Thrane; S. Aukkaravittayapun; S. Awiphan; U. Burhanudin; P. Chote; A. Chrimes; E. Daw; C. Duffy; R. Eyles-Ferris; B. Gompertz; T. Heikkilä; P. Irawati; M. R. Kennedy; T. Killestein; H. Kuncarayakti; A. J. Levan; S. Littlefair; L. Makrygianni; T. Marsh; D. Mata-Sanchez; S. Mattila; J. Maund; J. McCormac; D. Mkrtichian; J. Mullaney; K. Noysena; M. Patel; E. Rol; U. Sawangwit; E. R. Stanway; R. Starling; P. Strøm; S. Tooke; R. West; K. Wiersema

doi:10.1093/mnras/stac013

The Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO): Prototype performance and prospects for transient science

D. Steeghs^*, D. K. Galloway, K. Ackley, M. J. Dyer, J. Lyman, K. Ulaczyk, R. Cutter, Y. L. Mong, V. Dhillon, P. O'Brien, G. Ramsay, S. Poshyachinda, R. Kotak, L. K. Nuttall, E. Pallé, R. P. Breton, D. Pollacco, E. Thrane, S. Aukkaravittayapun, S. AwiphanU. Burhanudin, P. Chote, A. Chrimes, E. Daw, C. Duffy, R. Eyles-Ferris, B. Gompertz, T. Heikkilä, P. Irawati, M. R. Kennedy, T. Killestein, H. Kuncarayakti, A. J. Levan, S. Littlefair, L. Makrygianni, T. Marsh, D. Mata-Sanchez, S. Mattila, J. Maund, J. McCormac, D. Mkrtichian, J. Mullaney, K. Noysena, M. Patel, E. Rol, U. Sawangwit, E. R. Stanway, R. Starling, P. Strøm, S. Tooke, R. West, K. Wiersema

^*Corresponding author for this work

Institute of Cosmology & Gravitation

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Abstract

The Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO) is an array of wide-field optical telescopes, designed to exploit new discoveries from the next generation of gravitational wave detectors (LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA), study rapidly evolving transients, and exploit multimessenger opportunities arising from neutrino and very high energy gamma-ray triggers. In addition to a rapid response mode, the array will also perform a sensitive, all-sky transient survey with few day cadence. The facility features a novel, modular design with multiple 40-cm wide-field reflectors on a single mount. In 2017 June, the GOTO collaboration deployed the initial project prototype, with 4 telescope units, at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory (ORM), La Palma, Canary Islands. Here, we describe the deployment, commissioning, and performance of the prototype hardware, and discuss the impact of these findings on the final GOTO design. We also offer an initial assessment of the science prospects for the full GOTO facility that employs 32 telescope units across two sites.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2405-2422
Number of pages	18
Journal	Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume	511
Issue number	2
Early online date	12 Jan 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stac013
Publication status	Published - 1 Apr 2022

Keywords

gravitational waves
methods: observational
techniques: photometric
telescopes; transients: neutron star mergers

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Steeghs, D., Galloway, D. K., Ackley, K., Dyer, M. J., Lyman, J., Ulaczyk, K., Cutter, R., Mong, Y. L., Dhillon, V., O'Brien, P., Ramsay, G., Poshyachinda, S., Kotak, R., Nuttall, L. K., Pallé, E., Breton, R. P., Pollacco, D., Thrane, E., Aukkaravittayapun, S., ... Wiersema, K. (2022). The Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO): Prototype performance and prospects for transient science. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 511(2), 2405-2422. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stac013

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abstract = "The Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO) is an array of wide-field optical telescopes, designed to exploit new discoveries from the next generation of gravitational wave detectors (LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA), study rapidly evolving transients, and exploit multimessenger opportunities arising from neutrino and very high energy gamma-ray triggers. In addition to a rapid response mode, the array will also perform a sensitive, all-sky transient survey with few day cadence. The facility features a novel, modular design with multiple 40-cm wide-field reflectors on a single mount. In 2017 June, the GOTO collaboration deployed the initial project prototype, with 4 telescope units, at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory (ORM), La Palma, Canary Islands. Here, we describe the deployment, commissioning, and performance of the prototype hardware, and discuss the impact of these findings on the final GOTO design. We also offer an initial assessment of the science prospects for the full GOTO facility that employs 32 telescope units across two sites. ",

keywords = "gravitational waves, methods: observational, techniques: photometric, telescopes; transients: neutron star mergers",

author = "D. Steeghs and Galloway, {D. K.} and K. Ackley and Dyer, {M. J.} and J. Lyman and K. Ulaczyk and R. Cutter and Mong, {Y. L.} and V. Dhillon and P. O'Brien and G. Ramsay and S. Poshyachinda and R. Kotak and Nuttall, {L. K.} and E. Pall{\'e} and Breton, {R. P.} and D. Pollacco and E. Thrane and S. Aukkaravittayapun and S. Awiphan and U. Burhanudin and P. Chote and A. Chrimes and E. Daw and C. Duffy and R. Eyles-Ferris and B. Gompertz and T. Heikkil{\"a} and P. Irawati and Kennedy, {M. R.} and T. Killestein and H. Kuncarayakti and Levan, {A. J.} and S. Littlefair and L. Makrygianni and T. Marsh and D. Mata-Sanchez and S. Mattila and J. Maund and J. McCormac and D. Mkrtichian and J. Mullaney and K. Noysena and M. Patel and E. Rol and U. Sawangwit and Stanway, {E. R.} and R. Starling and P. Str{\o}m and S. Tooke and R. West and K. Wiersema",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 The Author(s) Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Astronomical Society.",

year = "2022",

month = apr,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1093/mnras/stac013",

language = "English",

volume = "511",

pages = "2405--2422",

journal = "Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society",

issn = "0035-8711",

publisher = "Oxford University Press",

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Steeghs, D, Galloway, DK, Ackley, K, Dyer, MJ, Lyman, J, Ulaczyk, K, Cutter, R, Mong, YL, Dhillon, V, O'Brien, P, Ramsay, G, Poshyachinda, S, Kotak, R, Nuttall, LK, Pallé, E, Breton, RP, Pollacco, D, Thrane, E, Aukkaravittayapun, S, Awiphan, S, Burhanudin, U, Chote, P, Chrimes, A, Daw, E, Duffy, C, Eyles-Ferris, R, Gompertz, B, Heikkilä, T, Irawati, P, Kennedy, MR, Killestein, T, Kuncarayakti, H, Levan, AJ, Littlefair, S, Makrygianni, L, Marsh, T, Mata-Sanchez, D, Mattila, S, Maund, J, McCormac, J, Mkrtichian, D, Mullaney, J, Noysena, K, Patel, M, Rol, E, Sawangwit, U, Stanway, ER, Starling, R, Strøm, P, Tooke, S, West, R & Wiersema, K 2022, 'The Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO): Prototype performance and prospects for transient science', Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, vol. 511, no. 2, pp. 2405-2422. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stac013

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO)

T2 - Prototype performance and prospects for transient science

AU - Steeghs, D.

AU - Galloway, D. K.

AU - Ackley, K.

AU - Dyer, M. J.

AU - Lyman, J.

AU - Ulaczyk, K.

AU - Cutter, R.

AU - Mong, Y. L.

AU - Dhillon, V.

AU - O'Brien, P.

AU - Ramsay, G.

AU - Poshyachinda, S.

AU - Kotak, R.

AU - Nuttall, L. K.

AU - Pallé, E.

AU - Breton, R. P.

AU - Pollacco, D.

AU - Thrane, E.

AU - Aukkaravittayapun, S.

AU - Awiphan, S.

AU - Burhanudin, U.

AU - Chote, P.

AU - Chrimes, A.

AU - Daw, E.

AU - Duffy, C.

AU - Eyles-Ferris, R.

AU - Gompertz, B.

AU - Heikkilä, T.

AU - Irawati, P.

AU - Kennedy, M. R.

AU - Killestein, T.

AU - Kuncarayakti, H.

AU - Levan, A. J.

AU - Littlefair, S.

AU - Makrygianni, L.

AU - Marsh, T.

AU - Mata-Sanchez, D.

AU - Mattila, S.

AU - Maund, J.

AU - McCormac, J.

AU - Mkrtichian, D.

AU - Mullaney, J.

AU - Noysena, K.

AU - Patel, M.

AU - Rol, E.

AU - Sawangwit, U.

AU - Stanway, E. R.

AU - Starling, R.

AU - Strøm, P.

AU - Tooke, S.

AU - West, R.

AU - Wiersema, K.

PY - 2022/4/1

Y1 - 2022/4/1

N2 - The Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO) is an array of wide-field optical telescopes, designed to exploit new discoveries from the next generation of gravitational wave detectors (LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA), study rapidly evolving transients, and exploit multimessenger opportunities arising from neutrino and very high energy gamma-ray triggers. In addition to a rapid response mode, the array will also perform a sensitive, all-sky transient survey with few day cadence. The facility features a novel, modular design with multiple 40-cm wide-field reflectors on a single mount. In 2017 June, the GOTO collaboration deployed the initial project prototype, with 4 telescope units, at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory (ORM), La Palma, Canary Islands. Here, we describe the deployment, commissioning, and performance of the prototype hardware, and discuss the impact of these findings on the final GOTO design. We also offer an initial assessment of the science prospects for the full GOTO facility that employs 32 telescope units across two sites.

AB - The Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO) is an array of wide-field optical telescopes, designed to exploit new discoveries from the next generation of gravitational wave detectors (LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA), study rapidly evolving transients, and exploit multimessenger opportunities arising from neutrino and very high energy gamma-ray triggers. In addition to a rapid response mode, the array will also perform a sensitive, all-sky transient survey with few day cadence. The facility features a novel, modular design with multiple 40-cm wide-field reflectors on a single mount. In 2017 June, the GOTO collaboration deployed the initial project prototype, with 4 telescope units, at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory (ORM), La Palma, Canary Islands. Here, we describe the deployment, commissioning, and performance of the prototype hardware, and discuss the impact of these findings on the final GOTO design. We also offer an initial assessment of the science prospects for the full GOTO facility that employs 32 telescope units across two sites.

KW - gravitational waves

KW - methods: observational

KW - techniques: photometric

KW - telescopes; transients: neutron star mergers

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UR - https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/179948/

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DO - 10.1093/mnras/stac013

M3 - Article

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VL - 511

SP - 2405

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JO - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

JF - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

IS - 2

ER -

The Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO): Prototype performance and prospects for transient science

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Keywords

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