12 Jan 2009

The gamma-ray observatory INTEGRAL is the second medium-sized mission of ESA's Horizon 2000 Science Programme. It was launched on a Proton rocket on 17 October 2002 and offers astronomers a unique opportunity to perform high resolution spectroscopy in the energy range from 20 keV to 8 MeV (Spectrometer SPI) and high angular resolution imaging in the energy range from 15 keV to 10 MeV (Imager IBIS). Concurrent monitoring of high energy sources is performed by the co-aligned monitors in the 3 keV to 35 keV X-ray band (X-ray Monitor JEM-X) and in the optical wavelengths (V, 500 - 600 nm) by the Optical Monitoring Camera OMC.

This Announcement solicits proposals for observations to be carried out in the period from October 2009 to December 2010 offering about 29 Ms scientific observing time. Proposers from all over the world are welcome to participate. All proposals will be subject to an independent peer review by the INTEGRAL Time Allocation Committee (TAC). Potential proposers are expected to prepare and submit proposals in electronic form by the deadline given below using the INTEGRAL Proposal Generation Tool software. The documentation, proposal submission and support software for this Announcement are being made available via the Internet at:

http://integral.esac.esa.int

The key milestones for this Announcement are:

Please note that observing proposals selected for AO-7 will subsequently be open for so-called "data right proposals" via a second Call for Proposals. These associated proposals allow the possibility to obtain data rights on point-like sources, extended sources or emission features contained in the field of view of accepted observing proposals. The second call is scheduled to be released in May 2009.

I wish you success with your proposals to use the INTEGRAL observatory.

Yours sincerely,

David Southwood
Director of Science and Robotic Exploration