The Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO): prototype performance and prospects for transient science
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, KAGRA), study rapidly evolving transients, and exploit multi-messenger 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 June 2017 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
Cite
@article{arxiv.2110.05539,
title = {The Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO): prototype performance and prospects for transient science},
author = {D. Steeghs and D. K. Galloway and K. Ackley and M. J. Dyer and J. Lyman and K. Ulaczyk and R. Cutter and Y. L. Mong and V. Dhillon and P. O'Brien and G. Ramsay and S. Poshyachinda and R. Kotak and L. K. Nuttall and E. Palle and R. P. Breton 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. Heikkila and P. Irawati and M. R. Kennedy and T. Killestein and H. Kuncarayakti and A. J. Levan 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 E. R. Stanway and R. Starling and P. Strom and S. Tooke and R. West and D. J. White and K. Wiersema},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2110.05539},
year = {2022}
}
Comments
19 pages, 16 Figures, accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society