Galaxy and Mass Assembly (GAMA): survey diagnostics and core data
  release
  The Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) survey has been operating since February
2008 on the 3.9-m Anglo-Australian Telescope using the AAOmega fibre-fed
spectrograph facility to acquire spectra with a resolution of R~1300 for
120,862 SDSS selected galaxies. The target catalogue constitutes three
contiguous equatorial regions centred at 9h (G09), 12h (G12) and 14.5h (G15)
each of 12 x 4 sq.deg to limiting fluxes of r < 19.4, r < 19.8, and r < 19.4
mag respectively (and additional limits at other wavelengths). Spectra and
reliable redshifts have been acquired for over 98 per cent of the galaxies
within these limits. Here we present the survey footprint, progression, data
reduction, redshifting, re-redshifting, an assessment of data quality after 3
years, additional image analysis products (including ugrizYJHK photometry,
Sersic profiles and photometric redshifts), observing mask, and construction of
our core survey catalogue (GamaCore). From this we create three science ready
catalogues: GamaCoreDR1 for public release, which includes data acquired during
year 1 of operations within specified magnitude limits (February 2008 to April
2008); GamaCoreMainSurvey containing all data above our survey limits for use
by the GAMA team and collaborators; and GamaCoreAtlasSv containing year 1, 2
and 3 data matched to Herschel-ATLAS Science Demonstration data. These
catalogues along with the associated spectra, stamps and profiles can be
accessed via the GAMA website: http://www.gama-survey.org/
