MS 668
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Collection Summary | |
| Creator: | McMillan, Robert |
| Collection Name: | Robert McMillan Radial Velocity papers, |
| Inclusive Dates: | 1967-2008 |
| Bulk Dates: | 1979-1997 |
| Physical Description: | 12 Linear Feet |
| Abstract: | Robert S. McMillan materials documenting the Radial Velocity Project of the University of Arizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory. The project developed and used a spectrometer to detect the reflex Doppler shift of solar-type stars orbited by Jupiter-sized planets. Observation log books, grant materials, research files, instruments, photographs, and compact disks. |
| Collection Number: | MS 668 |
| Language: | Materials are in English. |
| Repository: |
University of Arizona Libraries, Special Collections University of Arizona PO Box 210055 Tucson, AZ 85721-0055 Phone: 520-621-6423 Fax: 520-621-9733 URL: http://speccoll.library.arizona.edu/ E-Mail: LBRY-askspcoll@email.arizona.edu |
Dr. McMillan leads the SPACEWATCH® Project which recovers and makes astrometric observations of Near-Earth Objects (NEOs). He is also a Co-Investigator on the Science Team of the NEO Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) spacecraft mission that surveys the sky in the near-infrared. The Spacewatch Project's role for that mission is follow-up observations of asteroids and comets detected by that spacecraft. Spacewatch contributes the majority of the recovery observations of NEOs recently discovered by NEOWISE.
McMillan's career has included studies of variable stars, statistics of stellar populations, interstellar dust, interstellar magnetic fields, planetary atmospheres, Doppler shift spectroscopy of stars, astronomical instrumentation, and surveys of asteroids. He has worked in the last four disciplines from 1979 to the present while at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona. Some of McMillan's peer-reviewed first-author papers from the 1970s were still being cited and used as many as 40 years later.
McMillan's group at LPL was the first to publish stellar Doppler shift (radial velocity; RV) measurements better than +/-20 meters per second (m/s) in a refereed journal. They also made the first reliable detection of p-mode oscillations in a star other than the Sun (Arcturus), discovered the spectroscopic binary of then-longest known period, and established a new upper limit on the RV stability of the Sun observed as a point source. That limit was published in 1993 and as of 2014 has been neither challenged nor surpassed. McMillan also further investigated techniques to measure the RVs of stars in ways that minimize confusion of Doppler shift measurements by effects intrinsic to stellar atmospheres. He returned to the field in 2007 as a collaborator with a group who used a prototype of a newly designed dispersed Fourier Transform Spectrometer to measure the RVs of binary stars with the 2.3-meter Bok Telescope of the Steward Observatory.
As Co-Investigator, Deputy Principal Investigator, Project Scientist, and Project Manager of Prof. Tom Gehrels' Spacewatch Project from 1980-1997, McMillan guided the physical realization of CCD surveying as a productive method of exploring the solar system for asteroids and comets. McMillan became the Principal Investigator of Spacewatch in mid-1997. In 2000 McMillan discovered large Trans-Neptunian Object 2000 WR106, now known as Minor Planet (20000) Varuna. On 2005 Dec 28 he discovered minor planet 2005 YU55, a 300-meter diameter Earthcrossing asteroid that made a close approach to Earth on 2011 Nov 8. The 1.8-m telescope was completed in 2002 and the 0.9-m telescope was completely rebuilt with all new optics and detectors under McMillan's leadership. The 0.9-m telescope was fully automated in 2006. The 1.8-m telescope received a new imaging camera in 2011 October, which has increased the rate of observations by 50% and improved astrometric accuracy by a factor of 2. In 2015 October, the Spacewatch Project further boosted its rate of observations with a new CCD camera at the cassegrain focus of the Bok 2.3-meter telescope of the Steward Observatory and converting the operation of the Spacewatch 0.9-meter telescope from surveying to targeted followup observations.
The Radial Velocity Project was started by Krzysztof Serkowski around 1973 to detect planets orbiting other stars. Detection requires specialized equipment for measuring the polarization of light that is more accurate than conventional Doppler shift equipment. The instrument required a great deal of careful calibration and lots of photons to make measurements with ground-based telescopes.
Robert S. McMillan began collaborating with Serkowski in 1979 because his dissertation topic, interstellar polarization, related to his work. Serkowski was suffering from Lou Gehrig's Disease and the project was passed to McMillan in 1980. Serkowski passed away in 1981. At the time the project had run out of money so McMillan had to restart the project from scratch. Funding was secured from the National Science Foundation and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
The specialized instrument, the University of Arizona radial velocity spectrometer (RVS), was redesigned and new software was written before ovservations commenced. It was successful and the team was the first to publish radial velocity measurements of starts better than 20 meters per second accuracy. They also discovered pulsations in Arcturus, a different, new type of pulsation that had never been seen before in any other stars but the Sun. They also discovered the longest period of a spectroscopic binary.
The program was successful, but suffered from "photon starvation". It required vast amounts of light to work effectively and due to various constraints sufficient large telescope time wasn't available for the project. With a small telescope the project wasn't able to discover planets as it set out to, but it proved the measurement concept and achieved the desired accuracy.
In the 1990s McMillan and the Radial Velocity Project partnered with George David Gatewood, of Allegheny Observatory, Univ. of Pittsburgh, to make ovservations with an instrument called the Multichannel Astrometric Photometer and Spectrograph (MAPS). Observing runs were conducted in 1997 at the Keck II telescope on Mauna Kea in Hawaii.
Professional papers of Robert S. McMillan related to the Radial Velocity Project of the University of Arizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory. Includes many phases of the project including grant writing, project design and instrument development, ovservation and data collection and subsequent scholarship. Collection includes extensive observation log books (over 30 with additional data files and raw data on compact disks), and extensive photographs documenting the instrument, University of Arizona Lunar And Planetary Laboratory facilities, instrument shipment to Hawaii, and Keck Observatory on Mauna Kea in Hawaii.
There are no restrictions on this collection.
It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from theowner of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Arizona Board of Regents for the University of Arizona, its officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of copyright.
Robert McMillan Radial Velocity papers (MS 668). Special Collections, University of Arizona Libraries
Processed by Molly Stothert-Maurer in 2019.
| Series I: Grants, 1997-2002 | |||||||||||
| Scope and Contents | |||||||||||
| Includes original project grant to the National Science Foundation in 1981 and other grant proposals, award documents, correspondence and materials related to NSF and NASA grants. Arranged chronologically. | |||||||||||
| box | folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 1 | Original Radial Velocity proposal to National Science Foundation, 1981 | |||||||||
| 1 | 2 | Reviews of Radial Velocity project grant proposal, 1981-1997 | |||||||||
| 1 | 3 | Radial Velocity grant proposal and award documents, 1990-1993 | |||||||||
| 1 | 4 | Radial Velocity grant, NASA, correspondence, proposals, reports, 1990-2002 | |||||||||
| 1 | 5 | Radial Velocity, NSF grants, 1988-1996 | |||||||||
| 1 | 6 | Radial Velocity purchase requisitions, 1979-1982 | |||||||||
| 1 | 7 | Room (physical resources) at 36", purchasing and vendor files, 1985, 1994 | |||||||||
| 1 | 8 | Radial Velocity work at Lunar and Planetary Laboratory: Results and Plan, meeting, 1992 | |||||||||
| 1 | 9 | MAPS proposals, 1996-1999 | |||||||||
| 1 | 10 | Radial Velocity Grants, NASA, Long-Term Doppler Shift and Line Profile Studies of Planetary Search Target Stars, 2002 | |||||||||
| Series II: Instruments and Design, 1974-2009 | |||||||||||
| Scope and Contents | |||||||||||
| Project manuals, instruments specifications, technical drawings, software and hardware documents. | |||||||||||
| box | folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 11 | Observing/Operating manuals, 1986-1995 | |||||||||
| 1 | 12 | Observing manual, by McMillan, Montani copy, 1995, 1997 | |||||||||
| 1 | 13-14 | Instruments, Fabry-Perot Interferometer, 1977-1985 | |||||||||
| 1 | 15-17 | Spectrometer, 1979-1985 | |||||||||
| 1 | 18-19 | Design, technical drawings, specifications, 1982-1986 | |||||||||
| box | box | ||||||||||
| 2 | 1 | Exposure Meter, 1977, 1990 | |||||||||
| 2 | 2 | Fiber Optics Termination, technical drawings, 1979-1981 | |||||||||
| 2 | 3 | Image slicers, 1977-1993 | |||||||||
| 2 | 4 | Image tubes, 1981-1984 | |||||||||
| 2 | 5 | Calibration of Charge-Injection Device (CID) imager, 1982 | |||||||||
| 2 | 6-7 | CCD software and manuals, 1983-1993 | |||||||||
| 2 | 8 | CCD Evaluation, P. Epperson, 1986 | |||||||||
| 2 | 9 | CCD system, Photometrics, Ltd., Operation Manual, 1986-1989 | |||||||||
| 2 | 10 | Hollow Cathode Lamps, 1985-1991 | |||||||||
| 2 | 11 | Hollow Cathode Lamp Standard Lab Wavelengths, articles, circa 1974 | |||||||||
| 2 | 12 | Hollow Cathode Lamp calibration proceedures, 1985 | |||||||||
| 2 | 13 | Hollow Cathode Lamp calibration, plans, 1991 | |||||||||
| 2 | 14-15 | Modeling calculations, 1989-1990 | |||||||||
| 2 | 16-17 | Instrument Analysis, 1990 | |||||||||
| 2 | 18 | Moon observation, paper, instrument calibration, 1990-1992 | |||||||||
| 2 | 19 | Optical Design, 1991-1992 | |||||||||
| 2 | 20 | Solid Fused Silica Etalon, purchase, research, 1993 | |||||||||
| 2 | 21 | Design Equations, 1994 | |||||||||
| 2 | 22 | Richard A. Buchroeder's Radial Velocity design, 1994 | |||||||||
| box | folder | ||||||||||
| 3 | 1 | Collimator, 1994-1995 | |||||||||
| 3 | 2 | Observing Manual, 1995 | |||||||||
| 3 | 3 | Occulting imager, 1996 | |||||||||
| 3 | 4 | PERGRAM, periodogram analysis, 1996 | |||||||||
| 3 | 5 | Design, Optomechanics Research, Inc., Optical Design Service, 1994-1996 | |||||||||
| 3 | 6 | Software, written by Del Castillo, 1982 with revisions by McMillan, 1993 | |||||||||
| 3 | 7 | Observing manual, correspondence, Toni Moore, 1995 | |||||||||
| 3 | 8 | COSMIC Program, NASA Software Technology Transfer Center, 1995 | |||||||||
| 3 | 9 | Spectroscope, 1994-1996 | |||||||||
| 3 | 10 | Spectrometer, new design, 1993-1996 | |||||||||
| 3 | 11 | Spectrograph camera, 1994-1995 | |||||||||
| 3 | 12 | Fourier Transform Spetrometer (FTS), 2000-2004 | |||||||||
| 3 | 13-14 | Dispersed Fourier Transform Spectrometer (dFTS2), 2006-2009 | |||||||||
| 3 | 15 | Impact tutorial (software), by Anne Descour and others, 2000 | |||||||||
| box | |||||||||||
| 8 | Optical Fiber Test Facility, R. V. M., top and side view, technical drawing (roll), 1981 | ||||||||||
| 8 | 1 | Ten Meter Telescope Optics and Optical System, Keck, 1984 | |||||||||
| 8 | 2 | Vibration Damped Isolation Table, technical drawings, notes, 1986 | |||||||||
| 8 | 3 | Mounting plate to 36-inch Newtonian, relay lens mount, assembly of optic fiber termination, R. V. M., technical drawings, 1981-1985 | |||||||||
| Series III: Observation Logs and Data, 1980-1997 | |||||||||||
| Scope and Contents | |||||||||||
| Extensive observation log books, numbered and organized chronologically and binders of data. Set of folders related to specific stars. Includes computer disks with raw data migrated from tapes. | |||||||||||
| box | folder | ||||||||||
| 3 | 16 | Lab book "Zero", 1980-1998 | |||||||||
| 3 | 17 | Lab book 1, 2, 1981 | |||||||||
| 3 | 18 | Lab book 3, 4 (3 overlaps books 4, 5), 1982-1985 | |||||||||
| 3 | 19 | Lab book 5, 1985 | |||||||||
| 3 | 20 | Meter log book 6, 1985 | |||||||||
| 3 | 21 | Meter log book 7, 1985-1986 | |||||||||
| box | folder | ||||||||||
| 4 | 1 | Observing log book 8, 1986 | |||||||||
| 4 | 2 | Observing log book 9, 1986-1987 | |||||||||
| 4 | 3 | Observing log book 10, 1987 | |||||||||
| 4 | 4 | Observing log book 11, 12, 1987 | |||||||||
| 4 | 5 | Observing log book 13, 14, 1987-1988 | |||||||||
| 4 | 6 | Observing log book 15, 1988 | |||||||||
| 4 | 7 | Observing log book 16, 17, 1988-1989 | |||||||||
| 4 | 8 | Observing log book 18, 19, 1989 | |||||||||
| 4 | 9 | Observing log book 20, 1990 | |||||||||
| 4 | 10 | Observing log book 21, 22, 1990-1991 | |||||||||
| 4 | 11 | Observing log book 23, 24, 1991-1992 | |||||||||
| 4 | 12 | Observing log book 25, 1992-1993 | |||||||||
| box | folder | ||||||||||
| 5 | 1 | Observing log book 26, 1993-1994 | |||||||||
| 5 | 2 | Observing log book 27, 1994 | |||||||||
| 5 | 3 | Observing log book 28, 29, 1994-1995 | |||||||||
| 5 | 4-6 | Meter Observation logs, 1985-1989 | |||||||||
| 5 | 7 | Observation data, calibration plots, data analysis, correspondence, grant documents, 1982-1987 | |||||||||
| 5 | 8 | Analysis of Fabry-Perot modulation by WLREFORM, 1988 | |||||||||
| 5 | 9 | LR's [Lunar Reductions], data, plots, 1988-1995 | |||||||||
| 5 | 10 | George H. Jacoby, data, articles, 1984-1992 | |||||||||
| 5 | 11 | Radial Velocities of the Moon, data, articles, notes, 1991-1995 | |||||||||
| 5 | 12 | Sunspots, graphs, data, 1992 | |||||||||
| 5 | 13 | Radial Velocity reductions, data, digital storage directories, 1992-1993 | |||||||||
| 5 | 14 | Line ratio scan, data, 1993-1995 | |||||||||
| 5 | 15 | Epsilon Eri literature, notes, 1984-1996 | |||||||||
| 5 | 16 | Beta Gem, draft paper, data, 1987, 1991 | |||||||||
| box | folder | ||||||||||
| 6 | 1 | 36 UMa, Radial Velocieties, literature, 1987-1993 | |||||||||
| 6 | 2 | Eta Cas A, manuscript, papers, Radial Velocities, 1987-1993 | |||||||||
| 6 | 3 | Program stars, retired from duty, 1988-1989 | |||||||||
| 6 | 4 | Beta Comae Radial Velocities, data, plots, 1989-1993 | |||||||||
| 6 | 5 | Sigma Dra, articles, data, 1991-1993 | |||||||||
| 6 | 6 | Beta Vir, data, 1993-1995 | |||||||||
| 6 | 7 | Epsilon Boo A, literature, data, 1993-1996 | |||||||||
| 6 | 8 | Epsilon Eri 25 and truncation, Radial Velocity plots and calculations, 1994-1996 | |||||||||
| 6 | 9 | Lamba Aur, Lamda Ser, plots, data, 1996 | |||||||||
| box | |||||||||||
| 8 | Radial Velocity Raw Data, 14 Compact Discs, 650 MB capacity, data migrated from tape, 1985-1995 | ||||||||||
| Scope and Content Note | |||||||||||
| Fortran source code, opens in a crude way. Software would need to be reconstructed to retrun raw data to images. | |||||||||||
| 8 | Radial Velocity viewgraphs, 1 Compact Discs, 650 MB capacity, 2005 | ||||||||||
| 8 | Radial Velocity backup (total), 3M DC 2120 mini data cartridge, August 5, 1995 | ||||||||||
| 8 | Test subdirectory 18 MB most of "C. A. L.", also Radial Velocity backup (total), 3M DC 2120 mini data cartridge, March 26, 1994 | ||||||||||
| 8 | Krzysztof disk 0a/, 0g/usr, 1c/data, level 0 rdump, 8mm data tape 3M, November, 1997 | ||||||||||
| 8 | 5 | WL FPE contrast and HC line focus data, 1988-1990 | |||||||||
| 8 | 6 | Record book, long distance phone log and appointment notes, two strips of film (possibly telescope photographs of planets), 1970-1979 | |||||||||
| 8 | 7 | Fabry-Perot Radial Velocity Meter log book, 1976-1995 | |||||||||
| Series IV: MAPS project, 1991-1998 | |||||||||||
| Scope and Contents | |||||||||||
| Late phase of the project involving a collaboration with Dr. George Gatewood using the Multichannel Astrometric Photometer (MAP) or Multichannel Astrometric Photometer and Spectrograph (MAPS) instrument. | |||||||||||
| box | folder | ||||||||||
| 6 | 10 | Radial Velocity Spectrometer for Keck-2, correspondence with Aden and Marjorie Meinel, Gene Levy, others, 1991 | |||||||||
| 6 | 11 | MAPS, figures, charts, 1996-1997 | |||||||||
| 6 | 12 | MAPS Spectrograph, 1996-1997 | |||||||||
| 6 | 13 | MAPS instrument, DOM output beam photographs, correspondence, 1996-1997 | |||||||||
| 6 | 14-15 | UA/LPL RV-MAPS Spectrograph, 1996-1997 | |||||||||
| 6 | 16 | MAPS Observing Log Book 1, George D. Gatewood, Robert McMillan, WMKO, 1997 | |||||||||
| 6 | 17 | MAPS/Radial Velocity Instrumentation log, 1997 | |||||||||
| 6 | 18 | MAPS/RV results with ST-6, 1997 | |||||||||
| 6 | 19 | Keck Telescope Guide, welcome packet, technical drawings, notes, 1996 | |||||||||
| 6 | 20 | Keck/MAPS observing documents, 1997 | |||||||||
| 6 | 21 | MAPS observations, 1997-1998 | |||||||||
| 6 | 22 | RV-MAPS Etalon/Tri-Prism Spectrograph, drawings, 1997-1998 | |||||||||
| 6 | 23 | MAPS papers, 1996-1997 | |||||||||
| box | folder | ||||||||||
| 8 | 4 | Etalon/Tri-Prism Spectrograph data, 1997-1998 | |||||||||
| Series V: Publications and Scholarship, 1967-2006 | |||||||||||
| Scope and Contents | |||||||||||
| Includes press and outreach, radial velocity literature, writings and figures, correspondence, and files related to workshops and professional organizations. | |||||||||||
| box | folder | ||||||||||
| 6 | 24 | Popular articles, press, correspondence with editors and public outreach events, 1975-2001 | |||||||||
| box | folder | ||||||||||
| 7 | 1 | Literature on radial velocity, 1967-1986 | |||||||||
| 7 | 2 | Literature on radial velocity, includes correspondence, 1977-1986 | |||||||||
| 7 | 3 | Position paper on the interpretation of negative radial velocity results, William Heacox, draft, correspondence, 1978 | |||||||||
| 7 | 4 | Radial Velocity publication, articles, 1982-1984 | |||||||||
| 7 | 5 | Short Period Oscillations, draft, Perter Smith, Robert McMillan, 1987 | |||||||||
| 7 | 6 | Alpha Boo talk, compiling Arcturus data, Los Alamos meeting, , 1986-1996 | |||||||||
| 7 | 7 | Radial velocities, Geoffrey W. Marcy, 1994, 2006 | |||||||||
| 7 | 8 | Power Spectra, CF HT, Walker et al., 1995 | |||||||||
| 7 | 9 | Position and velocity of earth, 1995 | |||||||||
| 7 | 10 | Radial velocity of stars, papers, 1998 | |||||||||
| 7 | 11-12 | Graphics, viewgraphs, 1992-1998 | |||||||||
| 7 | 13 | Planet Detection Workshop, 1983 | |||||||||
| 7 | 14 | International Astronomical Union (IAU) Commission 30, Radial Velocities, Colloquium 170, 1984-1998 | |||||||||
| Series VI: Photographs, 1982-2007 | |||||||||||
| Scope and Contents | |||||||||||
| Prints, negatives and slides of Radial Velocity equipment, LPL facilities, and Keck Observatory on Mauna Kea in Hawaii (bulk). Mostly 3 x 5 and 4 x 6 inch commercial prints developed in the photogrpahy studio in the University of Arizona student union, but also prints given to McMillan from colleagues. Mostly from professional trips to Hawaii. | |||||||||||
| box | |||||||||||
| 9 | Radial Velocity Instruments, notes, 1985, undated | ||||||||||
| 9 | Radial Velocity Spectrometer, notes, undated | ||||||||||
| 9 | Radial Velocity pictures by T. Schemenauer, undated | ||||||||||
| 9 | Radial Velocity equipment, 1986 | ||||||||||
| 9 | Radial Velocity instrument in room 223, circa 1984 | ||||||||||
| 9 | Radial Velocity Instruments, Perkin-Elmer 3241, observatories, 1982, undated | ||||||||||
| 9 | Photometrics at Steward Observatory Kitt Peak 36", negatives, 1987 | ||||||||||
| 9 | Schematics: Input Optics, Newtonian optic, Fabry-Perot etalon, CCD control and readout electronics, Sensitivity of interference, undated | ||||||||||
| 9 | Schematics: spectrometer real-time control and display system, peak transmissions of the Fabry-Perot etalon, undated | ||||||||||
| 9 | USNO dFTS2 run on 90-inch, 2007 | ||||||||||
| 9 | Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS), undated | ||||||||||
| 9 | Radial Velocity instrument, 1996 | ||||||||||
| 9 | 36" drive, Radial Velocity CCD, 1997 | ||||||||||
| 9 | Roof security at Radial Velocity CCD, 1995 | ||||||||||
| 9 | Radial Velocity fiber output mount, 1999 | ||||||||||
| 9 | Installation of roof telescope, 1995 | ||||||||||
| 9 | Radial Velocity stuff shipped, 1997 | ||||||||||
| 9 | Keck run, roll 4 of 4, 1997 | ||||||||||
| 9 | Bok 2.3-meter telescope, Kitt Peak, using fiber-optic fed sunlight to test a spectrometer, 2007 | ||||||||||
| 9 | International Astronomical Union (IAU), Radial Velocity Colloquium 170, Victoria, British Columbia, Dominion Astrophysical Observatory (DAO), with Dave Balam, 1998 | ||||||||||
| 9 | Steward Observatory 90" telescope, 2000 | ||||||||||
| box | |||||||||||
| 10 | Keck Telescope, 1996 | ||||||||||
| 10 | Keck Observatory, 1996 | ||||||||||
| 10 | Keck, photographs by Tim Persinger, 1997 | ||||||||||
| 10 | Hawaii, photographs by Andrew Tubbiolo, 1997 | ||||||||||
| 10 | Hawaii, big island, volcano, Gloria McMillan, 1997 | ||||||||||
| 10 | Shipping crates at Keck, 1997 | ||||||||||
| 10 | First run of MAPS at Keck, 1997 | ||||||||||
| box | |||||||||||
| 11 | First run of MAPS at Keck, 1997 | ||||||||||
| 11 | Keck trip, photographs and correspondence from Dave, 1997 | ||||||||||
| 11 | MAPS setup, Keck, includes 35 mm slides, 1997 | ||||||||||
| 11 | MAPS/RV run, Keck 2, 1997 | ||||||||||
| 11 | RV/MAPS Observing run, Keck 2, outdoor shots, 1997 | ||||||||||