A Strategy for Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy (1995) / Chapter Skim
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A Strateg,tþr Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Panel on Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy was convened to determine Astronomy occupies a special place in the whether the strategic balance of support by the research portfolio of this country. NSF for all of optical and infrared (OIR)
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A Strategtfor Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy be reduced, and it is very likely that the smaller The panel recommends that a third strategy telescopes at the Kitt Peak National Observatory be pursued, if further funds are available.
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A Strategtfor Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy I INTRODUCTION recommendations regarding NSO might have a major impact on the national strategy for solar The charge to the Panel on Ground-Based research.
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A Strategyþr Ground-Based Optícal and Infrared Astronomy Project (IGP) is a vital element of a national recommendation was for an infrared-optimized strategy for OIR astronomy.
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A Strategt þr Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy facilities was for the construction of several new facilities without an increase in the net funding 4-meter-class telescopes, supported insofar as for astronomy. For example, sufficient funds possible through a combination of federal, state, for the support of the infrastructure of other and private funds.
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A Strategt for Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy Technologies and Instrumentation (ATI)
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A Strategtþr Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy program was restored in 1994 to approximately the cost to do so will rise to approximately the 1985 level, because the number of $2.5 M by 2003. With level funding, NOAO astronomers (measured either by the number of can support U.S.
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A Strategl,t for Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy Table 1. NOAO Telescopes and Oversubscription Rates Oversubscription Rate Nights Scheduled by Nights Telescope Focal Ratios Feb.
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A Strategtfor Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy Helmut Abt's studies* on the cost- Oscillation Network Group (GONG)
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A Strategyþr Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy shows the same distribution of the KPNO and Since that time, most of the original signatories NOAO Tucson staff excluding NSO and have built their own Northern Hemisphere GONG. The net NOAO staffing devoted to telescopes and so are much less dependent on nighttime OIR astronomy has decreased by KPNO.
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A Strategtfor Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy NASA The Independent Observatories The National Aeronautics and Space Table 2lists all current and planned Administration Solar System Exploration telescopes with aperture greater than2.0 meters Division supports the 3-meter Infrared that will be available to U.S. astronomers, Telescope Facility (IRTF)
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A Strategy þr Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy Table 2. Current and Planned U.S.
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A Strategyþr Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy Key to Table 2: ARC: Located at Apache Point Observatory, New Mexico, and operated by the Astrophysics Research Corporation, a consortium of the University of Chicago, New Mexico State University, Princeton University, the University of Washington, and Washington State University. CFHT: Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope.
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A Strategyfor Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy ilr. OPPORTUNITIES IN OIR university setting offers the additional ASTRONOMY advantage of involving undergraduate and graduate students, and therefore training scientists and engineers who become familiar The Allure of Astronomy with essential enabling technologies.
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Plate l Scale model of the Gemini North telescope. The 8meter-diameter primary mirror is relatively thin and flexible.
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ptate 4. Infrared array images of the Orion Nebula, a nearby region of active star formation.
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Plate 5.
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A Strategtþr Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy Improved design and thermol control of o Adaptive optics. Technology to correct for telescope domes.
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A Strøtegyfor Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy radio to gamma rays. In this strategy, OIR jets around these stars, and the spectra will astronomy plays a central role.
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A Strategyþr Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy such observations with observations with newspapers, magazine covers, and television radio, ultraviolet, X-ray, and gamma-ray news broadcasts. This remarkable event, the telescopes is also necessary.
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A Strategtþr Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy highly focused-it will require great diversity of greater number ofsources at once because they facilities, observing strategies, and ideas. have larger fields of view.
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A Strategtfor Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy a few minutes of telescope time or, as is hundreds of nights of telescope time. The frequently the case, it may lead to an extensive independent observatories also make a major campaign for coordinated ground- and space- contribution to the research of astronomers not based OIR observations.
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A Strategyfor Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy and the deployment of large-format optical and optimum infrastructure. The principles are as infrared detector arays.
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A Strategtþr Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy the development of optical and infrared well served by the competitive access to NOAO detector arrays, and in software facilities, and that must continue. development for instrument and telescope (Here, and throughout this report, the panel control as well as data analysis.
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A Strategt for Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy independent observatories is one that has been components of the present NOAO would by raised repeatedly and that is addressed below' necessity vanish. Renewal of facilities must In addition to providing national access to lead to a decrease of long-term operating costs telescopes, NOAO aims to provide leadership in so that more science can be supported within a the development and operations of major new fixed budget, telescopes, in developing instrumentation and This realignment will be painful, for a software, and in scientific research.
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A Strategyþr Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy A reduced selection of instruments, with most efficiently through queue observing and, more instruments permanently installed on possibly, by remote observing. Therefore, the each telescope, should require fewer USGPO must be prepared to support hardware personnel for operations and maintenance and software interfaces for U.S.
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A Strategtfor Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy and the need to support them will not diminish Gemini, is the only access to the Southern with the coming of Gemini. Hemisphere skies for the vast majority of U.S.
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A Strategtfor Ground-Based Optical ond Infrared Astronomy observing run lengths, ranging from longer runs New-technology telescopes and their to observations that are much shorter in time but instruments are increasingly interdependent. have better frequency coverage, such as an hour Special-purpose telescopes with dedicated a night for several days or weeks.
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A Strategtfor Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy A common problem for both national and the community. Such arangements should be private observatories is large detector array regarded as collaborations between NOAO development and supply.
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A Strategtþr Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy projects for certain staff. For the FY 1993 to an open competition and will bring their own FY 1994 period there appeared to be an funding.
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A Strategt þr Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy develop a more open system with stronger o Community user interface and service, community participation in the project. including wide-band links o Coordination of north-south and GeminiObserver Support KPNO-CTIO observing programs o Targeted facility instrument production Finally, in order to ensure that astronomers who win time on NOAO telescopes have a In a constrained budget environment, it is minimum level of support necessary to carry out impossible to maximize the opportunities for their proposed science, the panel recommends scientific leadership, both in the excellence of that NSF give NOAO the responsibility and the facilities and in the scientific productivity of necessary funds to support travel, lodging, and those facilities, without sacrificing something.
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A Strategtþr Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy astronomy than can be supported by NSF funds Astronomical Sciences to provide such a alone. funding level, especially in view of the need for New technologies offer opportunities to funding Gemini operations and modernizing the increase the performance of all telescopes by telescopes at NOAO, and for NOAO to provide huge factors at relatively modest cost compared a broad spectrum ofobserving options to the to that of the telescopes themselves.
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A Strategyþr Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy and reliable observational capability, based on The panel suggests that NSF implement prior successful experience with similar this program immediately, beginning with a instruments. Of course, there is a continuum portion of existing funding in the present ATI between ATI and the development of facility program and augmenting the program as rapidly instruments.
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A Strategt for Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy elect to provide only "data on demand," through independent observatory has built a modern queue observing by its own staff. An 3.S-meter telescope, at a net capital cost of observatory equipped for remote observing $ l5 M, and submits a proposal to NSF for might provide that option.
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A Strategtþr Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy quality data by participating in such a program. The proposed terms for national access, That may be true in many cases, because including a plan for user support, would then modern instruments with wide fields can often become part of the proposal to NSF for the new provide major gains in telescope efficiency' For instrument.
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A Strategyþr Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy This qualitatively new observing eapability as an ATI program item or a facility-class might also justifu modest NASA support for instrument. If the latter, the committee must such programs, or the instruments to carry them further decide whether the proposed instrument out, as suggested in Section VI.
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A Strategtþr Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy excellent astronomers to become KPNO would find that their access to telescopes disenfranchised, the field would suffer from the would be sharply curtailed and the competition loss oftheir expertise, and educational much more intense than it is now. An example opportunities for future generations would be of collateral damage under this scenario is that diminished.
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A Strategt for Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy however.) In any case, it is better to have instrumentation program at the independent limited service than no service at all.
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A Strategt for Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy independent observatories. Moreover, the Summary national access time provided to astronomers The panel has outlined above three possible through this program should mitigate the loss of futures for OIR astronomy in the coming observing options to astronomers who now decade.
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NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS Tha National Academy Press was created by the National Academy of Sciences to publish the reports issued by the Academí and by the Naäonal Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Meilicine, and the National Reseaich Counci! , all operating under the charter granted to the National Academy o'f S.i..tõ.s by the Congress óf tne United States'
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