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1st Announcement OPTICON-CSIC Virtual Workshop on THE FUTURE OF MOS TECHNOLOGIES April 26-29, 2021 We announce a four-day workshop of the EC-funded OPTICON network on the development of technologies to acquire the light from thousands of targets simultaneously, as it is planned for the 2020s and future generations of multi-object spectrographs (MOS). Massive spectroscopic surveys are essential to advance astrophysics and cosmology. They can address new fundamental knowledge, ranging from a complete understanding of the formation of the Milky Way to probing the nature of the mysterious dark energy. The technology required to enable large spectroscopic surveys is one of the most challenging in astronomical instrumentation: instruments need to be accurate, with micrometre positioning accuracy and repeatability; fast, to minimize overheads; robust, to minimize failure; and low cost. In recent years, new mechatronic devices have been developed to place thousands of high-throughput optical fibres at any given position on the focal plane. Other technologies subject to current R&D involve micro-mirror and micro-shutter arrays, programmable slit masks and, with increasing importance, photonic technologies (e.g., multi-core fibres, photonic lanterns, multiplexers, arrayed waveguide gratings). This event will provide an excellent opportunity to bring together experts from different areas and groups with the goal to: - Present current and future MOS instruments and facilities. - Discuss and share innovative ideas for the design and development of new MOS instrumentation. - Identify the key enabling technologies that will require active industrial development. - Recognise new techniques and manufacturing capabilities in the market. - Examine optimal target acquisition and positioning methods and algorithms. - Review unbiased estimators to account for MOS assignment strategies. Europe has shown emergent leadership in all these domains, and this focused meeting will enhance and improve collaboration among different international actors. These techniques have led to enormous activity in recent years (e.g., the WEAVE, DESI, 4MOST, PFS and MOONS spectrographs), and work is underway on advanced designs for the next generation of MOS instruments, from dedicated 10-12m class facilities (e.g. MSE, SpecTel) to MOSAIC, the multi-object spectrograph on the ELT. By involving a wide range of European and international instrumentation groups with demonstrated leadership in the field, as well as representatives from MOS projects worldwide, this multidisciplinary OPTICON Workshop will ensure that feedback from the science users of MOS instruments helps to shape next-generation facilities. The workshop will comprise invited and contributed talks. Invited review talks will help set the scene, and will include more technical presentations on MOS systems for facilities currently under construction and development. We welcome contributions on, e.g., novel ideas, designs, developments, and results from currently built MOS facilities—including talks on ‘lessons learned’ from technology groups and science users. Registration Registration is now open and available at the conference website: https://rsjanssen7.wixsite.com/mostech2021 The meeting has no registration fee. Key dates March 15: Abstract submission deadline April 21: Closing of registration April 26-29: Online workshop Scientific Organising Committee: Jean-Gabriel Cuby (LAM) Bianca Garilli (INAF) Vanessa Hill (OCA) Andreas Kelz (AIP) Francisco Prada (CSIC; co-Chair) Suzanne Ramsay (ESO) Ruben Sanchez-Janssen (UKATC; co-Chair) This event will promote diversity and non-discrimination in all its forms: gender, sexual orientation, race, nationality, and career status. Ruben Sanchez-Janssen Instrument Scientist / Astronomer STFC UK Astronomy Technology Centre The Royal Observatory Edinburgh Blackford Hill, Edinburgh, EH9 3HJ, UK Tel: +44 (0)131 6688 283 Web: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruben-sanchez-janssen/ ________________________________ This is an informal STFC Particle Astrophysics mailing list. This list will be used for the circulation of information considered to be relevant to the wider Particle Astrophysics Community. Please feel free to forward on to colleagues who may be interested in this information. If you would like to unsubscribe from the mailing list please send an email with no subject and in the main body the words UNSUBSCRIBE PAAP-ML to [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>. For anyone wishing to subscribe to the mailing list please send an email with no subject and in the main body the words SUBSCRIBE PAAP-ML to [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>. 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