The VLT Project VIRMOS

Involved people at OAB: Bregoli, Lolli, Marchesini, Merighi, Montegriffo.

The OAB is involved in the ESO-VLT Project VIMOS. The VIMOS project has been successfully tested at the end of this year in laboratory and then moved to Paranal. Commissioning of the instrument at the telescope has started in early 2002. Aim of the project is to deliver 2 spectrographs for the ESO-VLT. VIMOS is a visible imaging spectrograph with outstanding multiplex capabilities, allowing to take spectra of more than 800 objects in an area of $\sim 220$ arcmin$^2$ (four quadrants of about $7\times 8$ arcmin each). NIRMOS is a near IR imaging spectrograph with a multiplex capability of 180 spectra (10 arcsec slits) over the same area. Together VIMOS and NIRMOS will allow to get spectroscopy from 0.37 to 1.8 $\mu m$, with unsurpassed efficiency for large surveys.

The OAB is mainly involved in the development of the imaging and astrometric part of the DRS (Data Reduction Software) and of the RTD (Real Time Display). DRS software must perform on-line (pipeline sequence) and off-line data analysis from raw data to fully reduced images (both direct imaging and spectra), while the RTD must allow quick-look of the data and a minimal on-line data assessment.