BAS AL FINANCING PROGRAM FOR SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT GUIDELINES The report should be written following the format specified hereafter. It should cover only the annual period of execution (or th e specific period indicated within) Once it is completed, it should be sent in printed to the following address: Programa De Investigación Asociativa - CONICYT Mailing address: Moneda 1375, quinto piso, Santiago Centro E - mail: Phone: For further inquirie s contact: INDEX I. PRESENTATION ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................... 2 II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE PROGRESS MADE ................................ ................................ ..................... 6 III. OBJECTIVES AND RESULTS ACHIEVED ................................ ................................ ................................ ......... 8 I V. PROJECT MANAGEMENT ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ 27 V . LESSONS LEARNED ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ......... 28 V I. PERFORMANCE INDICATORS ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................... 29 V II. FINANCIAL STATEMENT ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 30 REPORT PERIOD : 6 th Year X 7 th Year □ 8 th Year □ 9 th Year □ PERIOD COVERED : From January to December 2013 I. PRESENTATION NAME OF THE CENTER COD E Centro de Astrofísica y Tecnologías Afí nes (CATA) PFB - 06 DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER SIGNATUR E María Teresa Ruiz EXECUTIVE / DEPUTY / CO - DIRECTOR Guido Garay MANAGER (if applicable) SIGNATURE SPONSOR ING INSTITUTION (if applicable) Universidad de Chile ASSOCIATED INSTITUTION ( S ) (if applicable) Pontificia Universidad Católica, Universidad de Concepción CENTER WEBSITE ADDRESS 1 www.cata.cl 1 The home page of the website should contain the logo of CONICYT . Research Lines (from January - August, 2013) Other Researchers Princ ipal N° Title Objective (participating in the Researcher line) Barrientos, Bauer, Campusano, Clocchiatti, Demarco, Birth and evolution of structures in Dunner, Galaz, 1. - Area 1 Leopoldo Infante the Universe Jordan, Lira, Lopez, Nagar, Padilla, Quintana, R eisenegger, Treister Catelan, Costa, Chaname, Stellar Populations in the Local Jordan, Mendez, Area 2 Doug Geisler Universe Muñoz, Richtler, Rubio, Ruiz, Villanova, Zoccali Costa, Hamuy, Area 3 Distance Scale Wolfgang Gieren Mennickent, Minnit i Bronfman, Casassus, Area 4 Star Formation Guido Garay Escala, Mardones, Rubio Extrasolar planets and brown Jenkins , Jordan, Area 5 Dante Minniti dwarfs Rojo, Ruiz Clocchiatti, Maza, Area 6 Supernovae and Dark Matter Mario Hamuy Reisenegger Finger , Infante, 2. - A rea 7 Astronomical Instrumentation Leonardo Bronfman Mena, Nagar, Vanzi High Performance Astronomical Cuadra, Escala, Area 8 Alejandro Clocchiatti Computing Fellhauer, Padilla , Area 9 Outreach José Maza Galaz, Nagar During th e regular meeting of the Principal Researches of CATA held during the month of August, we discussed the resignation of Dr. Mario Hamuy to the CATA project in order to get involved in a full time basis in the direction of the recently approved Millenium Ins titute of Astrophysics MAS. It was then decided that the research done in Supernovae be incorporated in Area 3. I t was also agreed to nominate Dr. Nelson Padilla as the new principal investigator of the High Performa nce Astronomical Computing area . Research Lines (since September 2013) Other Researchers Principal N° Title Objective (participating in the Researcher line) Barrientos, Bauer, Campusano, Clocchiatti, Demar co, Birth and evolution of structures in Dunner, Galaz, 1. - Area 1 Leopoldo Infante the Universe Jordan, Lira, Lopez, Nagar, Padilla, Quintana, Reisenegger, Treister Catelan, Costa, Chaname, Jordan, Stellar Populations in the Local Area 2 Doug Geisler Mendez, Muñoz, Universe Richtler, Ruiz, Villanova, Zoccali Clocchiatti, Costa, Area 3 Distance Sc ale Wolfgang Gieren Maza, Mennickent, Minniti, Reisenegger Bronfman, Casassus, Area 4 Star Formation Guido Garay Escala, Mardones, Rubio Extrasolar planets and brown Jordan, Mendez, Area 5 Dante Minniti dwarfs Rojo, Ruiz High Performance Astronomical Cuadra, Escala, Area 6 Nelson Padilla Computing and Simulations Fellhauer Finger, Infante, 2. - Area 7 Astronomical Instrumentation Leonardo Bronfman Mena, Nagar, Vanzi Area 8 Outreach José Maza Galaz, Nagar Changes in research personnel Indicate any changes in the Staff of Principal Investigators and o ther Investigators as compared to the Development Plan of Continuity. Use this section to introduce information on profiles and roles of newly hired personnel. Mario Hamuy, a member of the staff of Principal Investigators, presented his resignation to CATA to assume the Dir ection of the recently approved Millenium Institute in Astrophysics MAS supported by the I niciativa C ientifica Milenio. Advisory Committee Name its members and date of constitution, include new additions and/or drop - offs, d escribe its task (s) , frequency of meeting s , decisions taken and/or recommendations made over the period . Attach report s , if applicable. T he Advisory Committee of t he CATA is constituted by four distinguished scientists with experience in the direction and/or scientific operation of Internation al Institutes or Observatories . The current members of the Advisory Committee are Dr . Mark Phillips, Director of Magellan Telescopes; Dr. Stephen Heathcotte, Director of Cerro T ololo Interamerican Observator y; Dr. Miguel Roth, D irector of Las Campanas Observatory; and Dr. Massimo Tarenghi, former director of ALMA Observatory . Heath cotte and Tarenghi are new members with the necessary expertize and new views to help us to achieve our goals. Every two years, the Advisory Committee review s the operation of the Center, visits CATA dependences, and meet s independently with researchers, postdoctoral fellows and students. After the on site visit , the Advisory Committee handles the Center Director a document with a critical view of the Center and recommendations . In 2014 (7 th year) we are organizing an External Committee Visit for the seco nd half of the year. II. EXECUTI VE S UMMARY OF THE PROGRESS MADE This section should be written in no more than two page s and must be in relation to the progress made in the reporting period . This information is public and may be published on CONICYT’s web site. The Centro de Astrofísi ca y Tecnologías Afines (CATA) is hosted by the Universidad de Chil e’s Astronomy Department at Cerro Calán, and has two associated institutions, the Astronomy Department of the Pontificia Universidad Católica and the Astronomy Department of the Universidad de C oncepción. The main goals of CATA are : produce a significant increase in the astronom ical community working in Chile training, at the highest possible level, researchers, stu dents and specialized engineers, to meet the challenges posed by the newly available facilities and take advantage of the opportunity for technological developments associated with these foreign investments. In addition, CATA support s Chilean astronomers and engineers to become actively involved in the development of new instrum entation, which requires innovation in high technology a nd computer science. The actions taken by the CATA during its first six year s of operation have been very successful in pursuing these goals. 1. Research CATA continues to provide Chilean astronomer s with the proper environment and tools to engage in astronomical research, giving them the opportunity to undertake ambitious Key projects which have put them at the forefront of astrophysics. These projects favour strong interaction among CATA researcher s and make the best use of all the available research facilities. There are six main areas of astrophysics cultivated by members of the Center: Birth and evolution of structures in the Universe Stellar populations in the local Universe The extragalactic distance scale Star formation Extrasolar planets and Brown dwarfs High performance computing and simulations The scientific work performed in all six research areas of the CATA during the sixth year of operation has been con siderab le which is reflected by the 306 papers published by CATA members in refereed journals. Given the ample scope of the research and the amount of work done by CATA members , a fair summary is impracticable. A more detailed report of the principal science results obtained during this period in each of the individual areas of research is p resented in the Objectives and Results section. The list of refereed (ISI) publications is presented in the Table. In summary, research activities in all areas proceeded intensely fully in - line with th e initial science objectives as well as broadening their scope. 2. Human resources CATA continues to bring forth an increase in the number of new researchers and engineers working at the three associated institutions. During the last two year s of oper ation, CATA hired three astronomers : Julio Chaname, James Jenkins and Sandro Villanova and one engineer : Ricardo Finger on a full - time basis. This brings to eighteen (18) the total number