Observing Programme

 

INTEGRAL Observing Programme = General Programme (open time) + Core Programme (guaranteed time)

 

INTEGRAL Observing Programme

General Programme (open time)

INTEGRAL is an observatory-type mission with nominal lifetime 2 years and extension approved up to 2010, with a checkpoint in 2008. Most of the total observing time is awarded as the General Programme to the scientific community. The yearly fraction of observing time available for Open Time observations (approved up to 2008) is summarized in the figure at the top of this page. For completeness, the IUG and ISWT recommendations for years 2009 and 2010 are also included. Note, however that the figures for years 2009 and 2010 will require approval by SPC.

The seventh call (AO-7) for observation proposals was issued on 12 January 2009, with a proposal submission deadline by 20 February 2009. The AO-6 process was completed in September 2009.

Typical observations last from 100 ksec up to about two weeks. Proposals for observations are selected on their scientific merit only by a single Time Allocation Committee. These selected observations are the base of the General Programme.

(*) An INTEGRAL Key Programme (KP) is a scientific investigation which requires a very significant fraction of the observing time (available per annual AO-N cycle) in order to achieve its scientific objectives. Typical examples are ultra-deep observations of nucleosynthesis emission and/or diffuse emission (lines and continuum), or studies of (a number of) point sources in a field, each requesting a few Ms observing time.

KP observations are a new element in the INTEGRAL observing programme, which, using the unique "targets multiplicity" feature of INTEGRAL's coded aperture masks, in combination with the very large fields of view, allows the accommodation of the various requirements of the scientific community, both for ultra-long nucleosynthesis and diffuse emission studies, as well as for (much) shorter observations of the many individual compact objects which are contained in those large fields.

KP observations were sucessfully introduced as a 'pilot project' in AO-4, when 2 Msec were invested on the Galactic Centre region (see AO-4 document on the KP for details). Following the positive response to this programme by the scientific community, an Anouncement of Opportunity for KP proposals was released in AO-5. The Time Allocation Committee recommended 4 KP to be executed, with two merged into one observation program, for a total of 6 Msec (see AO-5 document on the KP for further details). In AO-6, the available time for Key Programme observations has been increased to 12 Msec. 6 different fields are to be observed for a total of 2 Msec each (see AO-6 document on the KP for further details).

The sixth call (AO-6) for observation proposals was issued on 10 March 2008, with a proposal submission deadline by 18 April 2008. The AO-6 process was completed in June 2008.

The fifth call (AO-5) for observation proposals was issued on 12 March 2007, with a proposal submission deadline by 20 April 2007. The AO-5 process was completed in June 2007.

The fourth call (AO-4) for observation proposals was issued on 13 March 2006 with a proposal submission deadline by 21
April 2006. The AO-4 process was completed in June 2006.

The third call (AO-3) for observation proposals was issued on 13 September 2004 with a proposal submission deadline by 29 October 2004. The AO-3 process was completed in January 2005.

The second call (AO-2) for observation proposals was issued on 15 July 2003 with a proposal submission deadline by 05 September 2003. The AO-2 process was completed by the end of October 2003.

The first call (AO-1) for observation proposals was issued on 01 Nov 2000 with a proposal submission deadline by 16 February 2001. The AO-1 process was completed in August 2001.


Core Programme (guaranteed time)

The remaining fraction of the total observing time (see figure at the top of this page) is reserved for institutes which have developed and delivered instruments and the data centre (guaranteed PI time), for Russia and NASA for their contributions to the programme, and - to a smaller extent - for Mission Scientists and ISOC. The fraction of observing time reserved for the Core Programme has been progressively reduced during the mission extension.
The termination of the CP as of 2009 has been approved by ESA's Science Programme Committee in November 2007.

Full details of the Core Programme (guaranteed time) as described for AO-6

Full details of the Core Programme (guaranteed time) as described for AO-5

Full details of the Core Programme (guaranteed time) as described for AO-4

Full details of the Core Programme (guaranteed time) as described for AO-3

Full details of the Core Programme (guaranteed time) as described for AO-2

Full details of the Core Programme (guaranteed time) as described for AO-1


The INTEGRAL Science Data Centre (ISDC) serves all users of INTEGRAL, in particular the entire guest observer community. The ISDC is the place where the archive and derived products are built and made accessible to the world wide astronomical community. Scientists have the possibility to visit the ISDC to familiarise themselves with INTEGRAL data and software. All scientific data are made available to the scientific community one year after they have been released to the observer. This guarantees the use of the scientific data for different investigations beyond the aim of a single proposal.