The WHT Enhanced Area Velocity Explorer is a multi-object spectrograph with a field of view of 2 degrees diameter over which about 1000 single fibres can be deployed. It can also deploy 20 integral field units of 11′′×12′′ and one large integral field unit of 90′′×78′′, to study extended objects. The fibre systems can feed a spectrograph that can be operated either at low resolving (R 5000) or at high resolving power (R 20000). The instrument is currently being commissioned at La Palma (Canary Islands) and will start normal operations in mid 2025.
The instrument will conduct 12 surveys over five years of operations, using about 70% of the telescope time. In particular four surveys are dedicated to Galactic Archaeology and are going to be a precious complement to Gaia.
The Observatoire de Paris has designed, procured and tested the fibre system of WEAVE and P. Bonifacio is a member of the WEAVE executive board. Thanks to this effort all of the CNRS Institut National des Sciences de l’Univers enjoys access to WEAVE surveys and data. The WEAVE surveys are object of a Action National d’Observation and responsibilities at the pôle Etoiles et Galaxies include Quality Assurance and preparation of Observing Blocks.
