PSM2012 Abstracts v 13 November 2012 AFB 06 September 2012 21:24:14 PDT Palomar Science Meeting 2012 RegistrationFrom: baranec@astro.caltech.edu Return-Path: baranec@astro.caltech.edu Reply-To: baranec@astro.caltech.edu action: Register for Palomar Science Meeting 2012 name: Christoph Baranec institution: Caltech email: baranec@astro.caltech.edu title: Rise of the machines: Robo-AO and the evolution of automated astronomy abstract: The 60-inch telescope at Palomar Observatory is host to Robo-AO, the first automated laser adaptive optics system in the world. By fully robotizing and sequencing this complex opto-electronic machine, we are able to execute large scale surveys, monitor long-term astrophysical dynamics and characterize newly discovered transients, all at the visible diffraction limit. An overview of current and planned science programs will be presented. comment: ---------------------------------------------------------- 14 September 2012 17:53:56 PDT Palomar Science Meeting 2012 RegistrationFrom: jbecker@caltech.edu Return-Path: jbecker@caltech.edu Reply-To: jbecker@caltech.edu action: Register for Palomar Science Meeting 2012 name: Juliette Becker institution: California Institute of Technology email: jbecker@caltech.edu title: Identification of a White Dwarf/M-Dwarf Binary System in the Kepler Field abstract: We present new analysis of a Kepler target and identify the object as a white dwarf/M-dwarf eclipsing binary. Inspection of publicly available Kepler data reveals short ingress/egress times, and a flat bottomed transit characteristic of the secondary eclipse of a white dwarf companion. Radial velocity measurements taken with the TripleSpec near infrared spectrograph confirm that this system is an eclipsing binary and establish constraints on the physical properties of the target and companion. comment: Involved in the preparation of this poster are Andrew Vanderburg, Phil Muirhead, and myself ---------------------------------------------------------- 28 September 2012 17:04:29 PDT Palomar Science Meeting 2012 RegistrationFrom: ebellm@caltech.edu Return-Path: ebellm@caltech.edu Reply-To: ebellm@caltech.edu action: Register for Palomar Science Meeting 2012 name: Eric Bellm institution: Caltech email: ebellm@caltech.edu title: The Zwicky Transient Facility abstract: The Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) is a next-generation optical transient survey. A new 35-square degree CCD camera on the Palomar 48-inch Schmidt telescope will open a new sector of transient phase space in a search for rare, fast-decaying transients. I will describe the survey's science goals, the design of the new camera, and the planned survey strategy. ---------------------------------------------------------- 19 September 2012 16:09:49 PDT Palomar Science Meeting 2012 RegistrationFrom: tyb@noao.edu Return-Path: tyb@noao.edu Reply-To: tyb@noao.edu action: Register for Palomar Science Meeting 2012 name: Todd Boroson institution: NOAO email: tyb@noao.edu title: A Search for Binary Supermassive Black Holes abstract: I report preliminary results from a systematic search for close supermassive black hole binaries among z<0.7 quasars. The sample comprises 88 candidates in which the broad H-beta emission line is displaced from the rest-frame of the quasar by more than 1000 km/s. Second epoch, and in some cases, third epoch, spectra have been obtained (some with the P200) to search for changes in the line peak consistent with orbital motion. Significant changes are seen in 14 objects. I will discuss the characteristics of the line profiles, the nature of the changes in velocity, and the statistical implications of the results for predictions of the density of such objects. comment: ---------------------------------------------------------- 27 August 2012 17:23:25 PDT Palomar Science Meeting 2012 RegistrationFrom: bonnie.buratti@jpl.nasa.gov Return-Path: bonnie.buratti@jpl.nasa.gov Reply-To: bonnie.buratti@jpl.nasa.gov action: Register for Palomar Science Meeting 2012 name: Bonnie J. Buratti institution: Jet Propulsion Laboratory Caltech email: bonnie.buratti@jpl.nasa.gov title: From Asteroid 4 Vesta to Earth: Evidence from Palomar abstract: Prior to the Dawn encounter at 4 Vesta and the ensuing close scrutiny of this Main Belt asteroid, observations were obtained at Palomar for the first time of the south polar regions of Vesta. Vesta has long been believed to be the source of the HED meteorites, with differences in the meteorites corresponding to layers of a differentiated Vesta. The visible spectrum of the south pole of Vesta is closest to the diogenite subclass of HEDs, suggesting the large impact basin there is representative of a differentiated mantle uncovered by an impact, fragments of which fell on the Earth. comment: Mike Hicks is a coauthor on this talk ---------------------------------------------------------- name: Rick Burruss institution: JPL email: rburruss@jpl.nasa.gov title: Palm-3000 Performance Update abstract: The first of a new generation of high actuator density AO systems developed for large telescopes, PALM-3000 is optimized for high-contrast exoplanet science but will support operation with natural guide stars as faint as V ~ 18 in the near future. PALM-3000 began commissioning in June 2011 on the Palomar 200" telescope and has to date over 60 nights of observing. We present details of the system, and current results. Operating at 2 kHz with 8.3cm pupil sampling on-sky (64x), we have achieved a K-band Strehl ratio as high as 89% in ~1.0 arcsecond visible seeing, with a median strehl ratio of 83%. ---------------------------------------------------------- 14 September 2012 16:38:48 PDT Palomar Science Meeting 2012 RegistrationFrom: eric.j.cady@jpl.nasa.gov Return-Path: eric.j.cady@jpl.nasa.gov Reply-To: eric.j.cady@jpl.nasa.gov action: Register for Palomar Science Meeting 2012 name: Eric Cady institution: JPL email: eric.j.cady@jpl.nasa.gov title: Phase and amplitude correction with the Project 1640 CAL interferometer abstract: The Project 1640 CAL system is a white-light interferometric wavefront sensor, which continuously measures the full electric field after the focal plane mask in the Project 1640 coronagraph to correct errors introduced after the PALM-3000 wavefront control system. We report on the status of our work to create dark holes in the image plane of the science camera by eliminating quasi-static speckles originating from both phase and amplitude aberrations. comment: ---------------------------------------------------------- 06 September 2012 07:41:43 PDT Palomar Science Meeting 2012 RegistrationFrom: fraser.clarke@physics.ox.ac.uk Return-Path: fraser.clarke@physics.ox.ac.uk Reply-To: fraser.clarke@physics.ox.ac.uk action: Register for Palomar Science Meeting 2012 name: Fraser Clarke institution: University of Oxford email: fraser.clarke@physics.ox.ac.uk title: An off-the-shelf guider for the 200-inch; reaching the seeing limit with SWIFT! abstract: To use SWIFT in a "non-AO" mode, we have developed a simple guider using entirely off-the-shelf components. We have developed an "ASCOM" driver for the 200-inch, allowing it to interface with a host of amateur astronomy programs which already support a wide range of camera hardware and guiding algorithms. The system only took 10 minutes to commission on sky in May 2012, and delivers seeing limited stability to SWIFT using guide stars as faint as R=20.5. This enables SWIFT to be used for a host of programmes where no AO guide-star is available. We present the guide system, and a concept for seeing-limited mode of SWIFT as an additional capability to AO operations. The driver software is available to other instruments looking for a quick guiding solution for the 200-inch. comment: ---------------------------------------------------------- 14 September 2012 11:47:21 PDT Palomar Science Meeting 2012 RegistrationFrom: aheinze@astro.sunysb.edu Return-Path: aheinze@astro.sunysb.edu Reply-To: aheinze@astro.sunysb.edu action: Register for Palomar Science Meeting 2012 name: Aren Heinze institution: Stony Brook University email: aheinze@astro.sunysb.edu title: Weather on Other Worlds: joint Hale/Spitzer observations of patchy clouds on a brown dwarf abstract: The WIRC near-infrared camera on the Hale Telescope is capable of precise time-series photometry of brown dwarfs, including T dwarfs which are too faint for accurate measurements in the optical. We report WIRC observations showing rotationally modulated variability due to inhomogeneous iron and silicate clouds on a newly-identified variable T dwarf.\A0 The Palomar data were taken within two weeks of additional precise photometry at longer wavelengths from the Spitzer Space Telescope. Near simultaneous, multi-wavelength ground- and space-based photometry of this type is a powerful tool for understanding clouds and weather on brown dwarfs. comment: ---------------------------------------------------------- 17 September 2012 11:26:21 PDT Palomar Science Meeting 2012 RegistrationFrom: srh@caltech.edu Return-Path: srh@caltech.edu Reply-To: srh@caltech.edu action: Register for Palomar Science Meeting 2012 name: Sergi Hildebrandt institution: Caltech email: srh@caltech.edu title: First observations from TMAS at the Hale telescope abstract: In this presentation, I will introduce TMAS (the Ten MiliArcSecond per pixel camera). TMAS ("Thomas") is a simple visible-light imager system to enable high-angular-resolution science with PALM-3000. I will show the first results from its first light the nights of 26th and 27th September and 27th October. comment: ---------------------------------------------------------- 11 October 2012 23:30:21 PDT Palomar Science Meeting 2012 RegistrationFrom: srh@caltech.edu Return-Path: srh@caltech.edu Reply-To: srh@caltech.edu action: Register for Palomar Science Meeting 2012 name: Sergi Hildebrandt institution: Caltech email: srh@caltech.edu title: Astrometry of M15 with Robo AO abstract: In this poster, I show an astrometric analysis of the M15 observations with Robo-AO during 2012B. These are the first results of a program to characterize Robo-AO performance in the area of high precision astrometry. I apply the results to analyze the possibility of contributing to two particular themes: the presence of an intermediate mass black hole and the effects of modified Newtonian gravity. comment: ---------------------------------------------------------- 15 September 2012 23:11:48 PDT Palomar Science Meeting 2012 RegistrationFrom: shinkley@astro.caltech.edu Return-Path: shinkley@astro.caltech.edu Reply-To: shinkley@astro.caltech.edu action: Register for Palomar Science Meeting 2012 name: Sasha Hinkley institution: Caltech email: shinkley@astro.caltech.edu title: New Insights into Young Binary Systems from Project 1640 at Palomar abstract: Using the Palomar Adaptive Optics system along with the Project 1640 integral field spectrograph, we have obtained observations of two very young binary star systems: the archetypal system FU Orionis and the Z Canis Majoris system. Both of these binary systems are separated by only a few Palomar diffraction widths, but are easily resolved in our observations. The spectroscopic nature of our observations allows us to fit models to each system demonstrating two novel results: First, our analysis provides evidence that the companion to the FU Ori primary might be the more massive component of the binary system, and 2) our observations of the Z Canis Majoris system during eruption confirms that the eruption is certainly due to the Herbig Ae member of the system. These observations demonstrate the power of combining adaptive optics and spectrophotometry to elucidate the natures of young binaries. comment: Note primary co-author Laurent Pueyo of JHU ---------------------------------------------------------- 14 September 2012 11:46:43 PDT Palomar Science Meeting 2012 RegistrationFrom: rcwh@astro.ox.ac.uk Return-Path: rcwh@astro.ox.ac.uk Reply-To: rcwh@astro.ox.ac.uk action: Register for Palomar Science Meeting 2012 name: Ryan Houghton institution: University of Oxford email: rcwh@astro.ox.ac.uk title: SWIFT seeing-limited observations of Coma Galaxies abstract: We report on the recent use of SWIFT (an integral field spectrograph operating between 0.63 um and 1.05 um on the Hale 200" Telescope) to observe galaxies in the Coma cluster in natural seeing. We use the stellar kinematics to study the Fast:Slow rotator fraction in one of the densest local environments (Cappellari et al., 2011b, Scott et al., 2012) and analyse the Na I doublet and Wing\96Ford FeH band to constrain the stellar initial mass function (van Dokkum & Conroy 2010, Cappellari et al. 2012). For comparison, we also present observations of the same IMF-sensitive features from SWIFT observations of M31 and M32. comment: ---------------------------------------------------------- 28 August 2012 11:09:01 PDT Palomar Science Meeting 2012 RegistrationFrom: enkirby@gmail.com Return-Path: enkirby@gmail.com Reply-To: enkirby@gmail.com action: Register for Palomar Science Meeting 2012 name: Evan Kirby institution: UC Irvine email: enkirby@gmail.com title: Extremely Red Stars in the Milky Way Bulge abstract: The bulges of the Milky Way and M31 possess extremely red stars with de-reddened V-K colors in excess of 10 magnitudes. Because these stars contribute to the integrated light of galactic spheroids disproportionately at infrared wavelengths, they could affect the interpretation of infrared spectral features. In particular, the sodium doublet at 819 nm and the Wing-Ford molecular band at 990 nm have recently been used to argue for a bottom-heavy initial mass function. I will present DoubleSpec infrared spectra of some giants in Baade's window, utilizing DoubleSpec's new accessibility out to 1 micron. comment: ---------------------------------------------------------- 13 September 2012 10:10:06 PDT Palomar Science Meeting 2012 RegistrationFrom: davy@ipac.caltech.edu Return-Path: davy@ipac.caltech.edu Reply-To: davy@ipac.caltech.edu action: Register for Palomar Science Meeting 2012 name: J. Davy Kirkpatrick institution: IPAC/Caltech email: davy@ipac.caltech.edu title: A Search for the Solar Neighborhood's Coldest Brown Dwarfs using WISE abstract: The 2012A semester saw the conclusion of a two-year Palomar program, an integral piece of our follow-up campaign to identify a 300-target Gold Sample of cold brown dwarfs selected from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). This Gold Sample has been used to identify a new spectroscopic class (the Y dwarfs), sample atmospheric physics at very cold temperatures, and study the low-mass end of the mass function. In addition to giving results from the overall program, I will highlight areas in which our WIRC and TSpec time helped us meet these goals. comment: ---------------------------------------------------------- 22 August 2012 08:15:37 PDT Palomar Science Meeting 2012 RegistrationFrom: npk@astro.caltech.edu Return-Path: npk@astro.caltech.edu Reply-To: npk@astro.caltech.edu action: Register for Palomar Science Meeting 2012 name: Nick Konidaris institution: Caltech email: npk@astro.caltech.edu title: The SED Machine abstract: The SED Machine is the new workhorse instrument for the Palomar 60-inch telescope. The SED Machine consists of two instruments: a classification resolution (R=100), optical (370 - 920 nm), integral-field spectrograph with a 25" x 25" field of view; and a four-color "rainbow" imager that simultaneously images in the Sloan u, g, r, and i bands over roughly a 10-arcminute field. In this talk I describe how SED Machine will be used to classify transients discovered by the Palomar Transient Factory. The instrument is funded by the National Science Foundation and our colleagues in Taiwan, and is slated for commissioning in Spring 2013. comment: ---------------------------------------------------------- 13 September 2012 14:52:58 PDT Palomar Science Meeting 2012 RegistrationFrom: hknutson@caltech.edu Return-Path: hknutson@caltech.edu Reply-To: hknutson@caltech.edu action: Register for Palomar Science Meeting 2012 name: Heather Knutson institution: Caltech email: hknutson@caltech.edu title: Life on the Edge: Planetary Atmospheres in Extreme Environments abstract: Transiting extrasolar planets provide an unprecedented opportunity to study the potential diversity of planetary atmospheres and provide an important testing ground for our models of these atmospheres. By measuring the decrease in flux as these planets move behind their parent stars, it is possible to characterize the light emitted by the planets' day sides, and to construct a rough spectrum. I will present WIRC H and Ks secondary eclipse observations of a sample of extremely hot (2000-3500 K) gas giant planets. In combination with existing Spitzer observations in the 3.6 and 4.5 micron bands, these data provide strong constraints on the dayside temperatures and atmospheric compositions of these planets. comment: ---------------------------------------------------------- name: Jifeng Liu institution: NAOC email: jfliuatcfa@gmail.com title: Discovering the quiet stellar mass black holes abstract: Four decades of X-ray observations have discovered and confirmed 20+ stellar mass black holes, only a tip of a tip of the iceberg as compared to the millions of black holes expected in the Milky Way. This is because these discoveries rely on the X-ray outbursts of the black hole binaries, thus missing the majority that have remained in quiescent or low states in the past. Here I describe our efforts to discover these quiet black holes from their excessive UV/blue radiation from the accretion disk by combining the power of GALEX, SDSS and LAMOST surveys, aided by follow-up observations with, e.g., P200 to obtain their dynamical mass measurements. ---------------------------------------------------------- name: Stan Metchev institution: Stony Brook University email: metchev@astro.sunysb.edu title: Debris Disk Science with PALM-3000: First Results abstract: I will present first results from using the PALM-3000 adaptive optics system and PHARO imager to survey the inner reaches of nearby circumstellar debris disks. June 2012 observations of the HD 141569A debris disk obtained with the JPL-built vortex coronagraph resolved the disk to unprecedentedly small (0.3") angular separations, indicating that the previously suggested clearing extends inwards to at least 35 AU. The full direct imaging disk survey will resolve scattered light from asteroid belt-temperature material around the nearest debris disk-host stars. ---------------------------------------------------------- 13 September 2012 14:33:40 PDT Palomar Science Meeting 2012 RegistrationFrom: philm@astro.caltech.edu Return-Path: philm@astro.caltech.edu Reply-To: philm@astro.caltech.edu action: Register for Palomar Science Meeting 2012 name: Philip Muirhead institution: Caltech email: philm@astro.caltech.edu title: "Discovering" Sub-Earth-sized Exoplanets with Palomar-TripleSpec abstract: I will talk about a Palomar-TripleSpec program to characterize M dwarfs that host transiting extrasolar planets initially discovered by NASA's Kepler Mission. By accurately measuring M dwarf effective temperatures and metallicities using novel techniques developed by collaborators Rojas-Ayala et al., and combining those measurements with the Dartmouth evolutionary isochrones, we have dramatically revised the stellar parameters for Kepler M dwarf planet hosts. In doing so, we also revise Kepler's planet-candidate radii. I will talk about a new class of exoplanet we have discovered through this program that is remarkably similar to Jupiter's Galilean satellites: short-period sub-Earths orbiting mid-M dwarfs. comment: ---------------------------------------------------------- name: Philip Muirhead institution: Caltech email: philm@astro.caltech.edu title: Lock-In Amplified Externally Dispersed Interferometry (LAEDI) for Ultra-Precise Stellar Radial Velocimetry authors: Philip S. Muirhead, Gautam Vasisht, J. Kent Wallace and John A. Johnson abstract: Lock-in Amplified Externally Dispersed Interferometry (LAEDI) is an experiment to develop novel instrumentation capable of measuring ultra-precise radial velocities of stars (< 10 cm/s of systematic noise). By rapidly varying a spectrum at high speed with a Michelson interferometer, and tying the variation to an frequency-locked laser (with mm/s of stability), we expect to eliminate effectively all systematic noise in radial velocity measurements. LAEDI requires spatially-filtered starlight from a single-mode fiber, and will only work on visible-light adpative optics systems, such as Palm-3k on the Palomar 200-inch Telescope and RoboAO on the Palomar 60-inch Telescope. We are currently building a prototype using funds generously awarded through the JPL Director's Research and Development Fund. ---------------------------------------------------------- 17 September 2012 10:13:56 PDT Palomar Science Meeting 2012 RegistrationFrom: bro@amnh.org Return-Path: bro@amnh.org Reply-To: bro@amnh.org action: Register for Palomar Science Meeting 2012 name: Ben R. Oppenheimer institution: American Museum of Natural History email: bro@amnh.org title: Project 1640: Palomar's Exoplanet Reconnaissance Program abstract: Project 1640 is an exoplanet imaging and spectroscopy program that has just begun its 3-year survey of nearby stars. Over the past summer we have demonstrated the highest contrast imaging observations ever taken from any telescope and have acquired images and spectra of a few known exoplanets. Our system is leading the world in exoplanet detection and characterization and is operational at least 6 months ahead of competing projects. comment: ---------------------------------------------------------- 15 September 2012 23:25:29 PDT Palomar Science Meeting 2012 RegistrationFrom: lap@pha.jhu.edu Return-Path: lap@pha.jhu.edu Reply-To: lap@pha.jhu.edu action: Register for Palomar Science Meeting 2012 name: Laurent Pueyo institution: Johns Hopkins University email: lap@pha.jhu.edu title: Mass ratio and extinction in the FU Orionis binary system with P1640 abstract: We report low resolution near infrared spectroscopic observations of the eruptive star FU Orionis binary system using the P1640 Integral Field Spectrograp, with a particular focus on FU Ori S, a faint source $0.5''$ south of FU Ori. We first use our epoch to demonstrate that the two stars are indeed physically associated and form a true binary pair. We then proceed to extract J and H band spectro-photometry using the damped LOCI algorithm, a reduction method tailored designed for high contrast science with IFSs and pioneered by the Project 1640 team. We use our SED to constrain the infrared excess and estimate the bulk physical properties of FU Ori S. We argue that our analysis provides evidence that FU Ori S, the faintest source, might be the most massive component of this binary system. comment: ---------------------------------------------------------- 10 September 2012 12:42:00 PDT Palomar Science Meeting 2012 RegistrationFrom: Umaa.D.Rebbapragada@jpl.nasa.gov Return-Path: Umaa.D.Rebbapragada@jpl.nasa.gov Reply-To: Umaa.D.Rebbapragada@jpl.nasa.gov action: Register for Palomar Science Meeting 2012 name: Umaa Rebbapragada institution: Jet Propulsion Laboratory email: Umaa.D.Rebbapragada@jpl.nasa.gov title: Candidate Vetting Algorithms for the Palomar Transient Factory abstract: The Palomar Transient Factory (PTF) is a fully automated synoptic sky survey depends on machine learning methods to discover astronomical transient events as soon as they occur. The current solution in residence at PTF is a random forest classifier that outputs a score for whether a candidate is real or bogus. This talk explores alternate machine learning methods for transient vetting, such as Bayesian Networks and non-parametric methods that provide robust guidance on feature importance and classification, and have the additional promise of encoding scientist knowledge. comment: ---------------------------------------------------------- 15 September 2012 18:06:58 PDT Palomar Science Meeting 2012 RegistrationFrom: riddle@caltech.edu Return-Path: riddle@caltech.edu Reply-To: riddle@caltech.edu action: Register for Palomar Science Meeting 2012 name: Reed Riddle institution: Caltech email: riddle@caltech.edu title: Robo-AO: Ultimate Binarity Survey of close binary companions abstract: Robo-AO is a new automated adaptive optics system on the Palomar 60-inch telescope. Robo-AO is an ideal instrument for large surveys using AO to examine the region around stars at high resolution. One of the principal science programs for Robo-AO is the Ultimate Binarity Survey. This will be the largest imaging survey for close binary companions, with about 1,700 nearby stars observed, allowing the detailed comparison of stellar binarity properties across the entire main sequence and beyond. This presentation will discuss the ability of Robo-AO to undertake such large surveys and update the progress and current results from the Ultimate Binarity Survey. comment: ---------------------------------------------------------- 06 September 2012 13:08:17 PDT Palomar Science Meeting 2012 RegistrationFrom: bsesar@astro.caltech.edu Return-Path: bsesar@astro.caltech.edu Reply-To: bsesar@astro.caltech.edu action: Register for Palomar Science Meeting 2012 name: Branimir Sesar institution: Caltech email: bsesar@astro.caltech.edu title: Mapping the Galactic Halo with RR Lyrae Stars abstract: Finding and characterizing halo substructures is important as their kinematic and chemical properties help constrain the properties of the Galactic dark matter halo, the formation history of the Milky Way, and the galaxy formation process in general. I will argue that RR Lyrae stars are the best practical choice for this task, especially at distances beyond 30 kpc. I will show how several thousands RR Lyrae stars selected from SDSS, LINEAR, and PTF surveys can be used to map the Galactic halo over quarter of the sky and to distances of 100 kpc. I will also present kinematics and metallicities of some recently discovered distant halo substructures that were traced using RR Lyrae stars selected from the Palomar Transient Factory survey. comment: ---------------------------------------------------------- 13 September 2012 20:22:18 PDT Palomar Science Meeting 2012 RegistrationFrom: keivan.stassun@vanderbilt.edu Return-Path: keivan.stassun@vanderbilt.edu Reply-To: keivan.stassun@vanderbilt.edu action: Register for Palomar Science Meeting 2012 name: Keivan Stassun institution: Vanderbilt University email: keivan.stassun@vanderbilt.edu title: Gyrochronology and Light Curve Analysis Tools with PTF abstract: Using the Palomar Transient Factory (PTF), we monitored 88000 stars in the field containing the 1 Gyr cluster NGC752 over five months in 2010-2011, from which we measure rotation periods for bona-fide cluster members. Using this new catalog of rotation periods we are testing and extending existing gyrochronology relations to an age beyond the Hyades (650 Myr) in order to improve stellar age determination methods. In addition, we will demonstrate our sophisticated light-curve analysis tools (LCchopper, LCanimator) that we are making available to the Palomar science community for automated analysis, visualization and interpretation of light curve data. comment: ---------------------------------------------------------- 06 September 2012 15:04:07 PDT Palomar Science Meeting 2012 RegistrationFrom: Rachel.A.Stevenson@jpl.nasa.gov Return-Path: Rachel.A.Stevenson@jpl.nasa.gov Reply-To: Rachel.A.Stevenson@jpl.nasa.gov action: Register for Palomar Science Meeting 2012 name: Rachel Stevenson institution: JPL email: Rachel.A.Stevenson@jpl.nasa.gov title: Cometary Mass Loss from Main Belt Asteroid P/2012 F5 (Gibbs) abstract: On Mar. 23 2012, asteroid P/2012 F5 (Gibbs) was discovered with a long dust trail, displaying cometary behavior despite occupying a dynamically stable asteroidal orbit in the main belt. Using the Large Format Camera mounted on the Hale 200" telescope at Palomar Observatory, we observed the asteroid on Mar. 27 2012. We use B- and R-band observations to estimate the scattering cross-section and mass of dust in the trail. Dynamical modeling of the motion of the dust provides evidence that the activity was impulsively generated on approximately Jul. 7 2011, perhaps by collision or rotational spin-up of the asteroid. comment: ---------------------------------------------------------- 17 September 2012 11:53:54 PDT Palomar Science Meeting 2012 RegistrationFrom: sabrinas@virginia.edu Return-Path: sabrinas@virginia.edu Reply-To: sabrinas@virginia.edu action: Register for Palomar Science Meeting 2012 name: Sabrina Stierwalt institution: University of Virginia email: sabrinas@virginia.edu title: Breaking the Metallicity-Luminosity Relation with HI-selected Dwarf Galaxies abstract: Recent discoveries in the Local Group have almost all been gas-deficient systems dominated by old stellar populations. More widespread searches in the outskirts of the Galaxy\92s influence, however, reveal HI-bearing galaxies with recent star formation. These late-type dwarfs may represent a so far poorly studied population of widely distributed, optically faint yet gas-rich systems. I will present an attempt to "break" the well-known metallicity-luminosity relation using HI-selected dwarfs that probe star formation at its most inefficient (low surface brightness, HI-rich dwarfs), possible evolutionary links between early- and late-type dwarfs (mixed-morphology dwarfs), and the formation of second generation, tidal dwarf galaxies. comment: ---------------------------------------------------------- 20 September 2012 11:53:32 PDT Palomar Science Meeting 2012 RegistrationFrom: spt@astro.caltech.edu Return-Path: spt@astro.caltech.edu Reply-To: spt@astro.caltech.edu action: Register for Palomar Science Meeting 2012 name: Shriharsh Tendulkar institution: California Institute of Technology email: spt@astro.caltech.edu title: Robo-AO Performance and Palomar Turbulence Conditions abstract: The Robo-AO instrument, designed for the Palomar 60-inch telescope, is the first completely automated laser adaptive optics system in the world. In order for science to fully benefit from its capabilities, we need to understand the performance of Robo-AO in various observing conditions. We've undertaken an effort to re-commission the turbulence profiling MASS-DIMM instrument at Palomar in order to acquire turbulence data simultaneously with Robo-AO data. We shall discuss how the performance metrics (strehl ratio, FWHM, isoplanatic patch, PSF shape) change as a function of the strength of the turbulence, turbulence profiles and laser light return. comment: ---------------------------------------------------------- 02 September 2012 23:01:59 PDT Palomar Science Meeting 2012 RegistrationFrom: ypwang@bao.ac.cn Return-Path: ypwang@bao.ac.cn Reply-To: ypwang@bao.ac.cn action: Register for Palomar Science Meeting 2012 name: Yiping Wang institution: National Astronomical Observatories of China email: ypwang@bao.ac.cn title: High resolution deep imaging of high-z QSO hosts and companions abstract: I will present here the preliminary results from our pioneer work on the high-z QSO hosts and companions via high resolution and adaptive optics deep imaging using Subaru. comment: ---------------------------------------------------------- 08 September 2012 21:49:16 PDT Palomar Science Meeting 2012 RegistrationFrom: wuxb@pku.edu.cn Return-Path: wuxb@pku.edu.cn Reply-To: wuxb@pku.edu.cn action: Register for Palomar Science Meeting 2012 name: Xue-Bing Wu institution: Peking University email: wuxb@pku.edu.cn title: Weighing black holes at z~3.5 with Hale P200 Triplespec observations abstract: Estimating black hole masses of quasars at high redshift provides us a unique chance to study black hole growth and black hole - bulge relationship in the early universe. However, most of current studies adopted CIV emission line properties to estimate the black hole masses of high redshift quasars from optical spectroscopy, which have large uncertainties. The Hale P200 Triplespec observations enable us to directly measure the H_beta and Mg II emission line properties of z~3.5 quasars with near-IR spectroscopy and estimate their black hole masses with more reliable scaling relations. I will present some preliminary results obtained from our P200/Triplespec observations of 29 quasars at z~3.5. comment: ---------------------------------------------------------- 15 September 2012 15:05:39 PDT Palomar Science Meeting 2012 RegistrationFrom: mingzhao@psu.edu Return-Path: mingzhao@psu.edu Reply-To: mingzhao@psu.edu action: Register for Palomar Science Meeting 2012 name: Ming Zhao institution: Penn State University email: mingzhao@psu.edu title: Detection and Characterization of Planetary Atmospheres with WIRC and PHARO abstract: We present our recent progress and results from observations of hot Jupiters' atmospheres using WIRC and PHARO with the Palomar Hale telescope. Thanks to collaborations with Palomar staff, we have improved the telescope's guiding precision and created a new linearity correction for WIRC, allowing us to detect the thermal emission from a few hot Jupiters and demonstrating the telescope's capability of characterizing exoplanetary atmospheres in the near-IR. We also outline the prospects for future improvements in photometry precision, and for spectroscopy of exoplanetary atmospheres using the Hale telescope. comment: ----------------------------------------------------------