Optimizing the U.S. Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy System (2015) / Chapter Skim
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6 Optimizing the U.S. OIR System
6 Optimizing the U.S. OIR System
Pages 80-92
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From page 80... ...
This section describes a future OIR System composed r of individual nodes that is optimized with respect to the needed capabilities, and that coordinates federal and non-federal resource holders to maximize the scientific output. A twofold plan is proposed for (1)
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From page 81... ...
pdf. 5 For example, the NSF Portfolio Review Committee recognized the high current importance and potential for future impact of the Mayall 4-meter telescope with its wide-field OIR imaging capabilities, but in the context of funding and other constraints, the PRC recommended NSF divestment of the Mayall (NSF, 2012, Advancing Astronomy in the Coming Decade)
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From page 82... ...
Large surveys will provide unprecedented amounts of archived data to the community for a wide range of science, and flagship specialized instruments will provide unique data sets. Nevertheless, it is still essential to maintain community access to the iverse suite d of capabilities required to pursue the science priorities of NWNH and VVPS and other exciting new science (see Chapters 2 and 4)
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From page 83... ...
A functional OIR System of facilities, developed and operated by components funded both federally and non-federally, could provide the requisite community access and satisfy in the modern era the original motivation for the creation of 7 Theenvisioned mechanics of NOAO proposal processing were operational in the era of TSIP and could be revitalized and expanded to cover the suite of future participants in the U.S. OIR System.
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From page 84... ...
Espaillat, et al., 2014, "White Paper on the Future of Ground-Based OIR Astronomy in the US"; N.B. Suntzeff, 2014; Walter et al., 2014, "AURA Observa tory Council Views on the National Observatory." 10 NSF, 2012, Advancing Astronomy in the Coming Decade.
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From page 85... ...
The AURA Observatory Council reiterates the idea of NOAO coordinating the broad range of capabilities in the U.S. OIR System.11 The TACs would be made aware that they have two resources to manage when ranking the science priorities among the proposals received: the available telescope nights or data access offered by the nodes, and the support including NSF funding for their access.
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From page 86... ...
Observatory representatives would barter facilities, swap instruments, or engage in limited term partnerships for telescope time or data access on behalf of their respective constituencies, as appropriate, and NSF would barter telescope time or data access or engage in limited term partnerships to carry out proposals competed through a system-wide time allocation committee. 6.3 Formulating a Planning Process A coordinated approach to telescope, instrument, and data access as described above can be either part of, or separate from, a strategic planning process in which the community addresses the highest-priority science objectives of the coming decade through the cooperation of all capable components of the U.S.
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From page 87... ...
Appropriate prioritization enables resource decisions to carry out the investigations that will address decadal survey science. The task of organizing this system-wide strategic process, including running meetings or workshops and generating and publicizing reports, could be taken on by NOAO.
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From page 88... ...
The agreed-upon plan will optimize the use of federal resources by drawing on the various strengths within the OIR System as they are needed to realize decadal science priorities. Rather than a detailed listing of what the rules of this program might be in practice, here are a few proposed principles to guide its definition: 1.
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From page 89... ...
Note that the original recommendation by the AANM decadal survey was that "all facilities, whether nationally or independently operated, be viewed as single integrated systems -- one for optical and infrared astronomy, one for radio astronomy, and one for solar astronomy. The committee recommends that NSF AST implement a plan for ground-based astronomy that reflects an integrated view of independent and national observatories and the funding available from government and private sources."15 With this AANM 15 NRC, 2000, Astronomy and Astrophysics in the New Millennium, p.
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From page 90... ...
System coordination that includes both elements outlined above -- the access and the strategic instrumenta tion development -- could be undertaken by a single organization charged with responsibility for carrying out all aspects of the coordination. For example, a focused workshop could be organized to produce an updated plan in a specific decadal science priority area; the plan would specify an instru ment to be built; a solicitation would produce proposals to develop such an instrument; the instrument would be constructed and placed at the optimum telescope within the system; time would be made available through the telescope time exchange; and access would then be granted to this premier instrument to the best science proposals.
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From page 91... ...
The National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the National Institutes of Natural Sciences/National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, and the Indian Institute of Astrophysics have joined TMT as partners, while the Association of Canadian Universities for Research in Astronomy joined as associate member. Astronomy Australia Limited, Australian National University's Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, and the Sao Paulo Research Foundation of Brazil are international partners in GMT.
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From page 92... ...
Much of the key LSST science does not require rapid follow-up, so non-member countries can still benefit from LSST by accessing its publicly available data after the propriety period has ended. Nonetheless, access to time-critical events might be of sufficient value to barter LSST data in an exchange program.
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