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An Overview of the INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo Giuseppe S. Vaiana December 2007

An Overview of the INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo Giuseppe S. Vaiana December 2007. SOME FUNDAMENTAL “MOMENTS”. 1790 Observatory Foundation 1923 Reduction to Univ. Observ. 1988 Again National Observatory Always hosted in Palazzo dei Normanni (Pisana Tower).

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An Overview of the INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo Giuseppe S. Vaiana December 2007

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  1. An Overview of the INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo Giuseppe S. VaianaDecember 2007

  2. SOME FUNDAMENTAL “MOMENTS” 1790 Observatory Foundation 1923 Reduction to Univ. Observ. 1988 Again National Observatory Always hosted in Palazzo dei Normanni (Pisana Tower). The spaces shared with Astronomy Section of DSF&A are OVERCROWDED (Sept. 2002 Earthquake)‏ A NEW BUILDING IS NEEDED

  3. Instrumentation for Optical/IR Spectroscopy for Large Telescopes Experimental AstroBiology Instrumentation for X-ray Astronomy: Filters, Optics, Detectors High Perfomance Calculation & Applications to Astrophysical Plasma Algorithms for Analysis of Astronomy Data Physics of the Sun and solar-like stars Physics of Young Stellar & Planetary Systems, & Young Pop. SNRs and SNs and interaction with ISM Programs & Projects 2004-2007

  4. CfA: CHANDRA/HRC ESA: CV Proposals ESA/ASI: XMM/EPIC PROG. PON & PRIN/COFIN ESO: FLAMES, XSHOOTER With Other INAF Res. Structures INAF Res. Struct. European Collab. Univ. Chicago: FLASH PROJECT CINECA/INAF: KEY PROJECTS COMETA CONS: PI2S2 INAF Res. Struct. & Community COFIN/PRIN INAF/PRIN MARIE CURIE UE Fellowhips INT PROGs.: COUP, N1893 (Chandra)‏ XEST, DROXO, ORION A (XMM) ESA/NASA/ASI: SOHO UVCS CFA/NASA: XRT/HINODE YOHKOH TRACE INAF Res. Struct. International Collaborations Context of OAPA Research Activities

  5. PERSONNEL: 2000 - 2007 2 Chair (Ordinari) [but one busy in Rome] 3 Senior (Associati), 8 “Junior” (Ricercatori) =>13 Support Personnel: 5 Administration, 2 Library, 3 Computer Services, 3 Laboratory Support, 4 Building Maintenance & Gen. Support => 17 INAF Associate : 1 Ordinario Prof., 2 Associati Prof. == > 3

  6. 2007: 3 Marie Curie Fellows, 2 OAPA Post-Docs, 2 UNIPA Post-Docs, 5 Grad. Students, 3 COMETA Contracts, 3.5 OAPA Contracts,1 assigned to OAPA for the Museum ==> 19.5

  7. Criticalities: -) Activities & Projects must “involve” temporary personnel or Graduate Students ... with too limited perspective to “stabilize” some of them and their competences -) Too few technical/scientific personnel to devote to key scientific/technological programs

  8. FURTHER CRITICAL ELEMENTS IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS ARE COVERED ONLY BY TEMPORARY STAFF OR ARE LEFT “UNCOVERED” (e.g. Secretary, Personnel Handling, etc.)‏ ADMINISTRATIVE LOAD TOO HIGH. VERY LIMITED (IF ANY) HELP FROM CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION. AS OF TODAY NO REAL CENTRALIZED SERVICE IS WORKING(for SALARIES, PENSIONS, CAREERS,ETC.). AT THE SAME TIME A “TOO STRINGENT” REMOTE “BUROCRATICAL” CONTROL HAS BEEN ATTEMPED CRUCIAL IS THE IMPOSSIBILITY TO PLAN THE USE OF FUNCTIONING (including “FREE RESEARCH”) RESOURCES OVER MORE THAN ONE YEAR STILL, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONTINUE TO WORK

  9. OAPA Organization - 2007 OAPA STAFF (& Associate DSF&A Prof.)‏ DIRECTION (without secretary)‏ Library (1.5 staff)‏ 3 YEAR PLAN & YEARLY BUDGET Machine Shop & Laboratories (3 staff + ~ 1 t.p.)‏ Administrative Office (1 Responsible, 4 staff +1 t.p.)‏ RESEARCH PROGRAMS 13 + 3 Researches, 5 + 2 Post-Docs, 5 Graduate Students General & Maint. Services (4 staff)‏ R E S P O N S I B L E S Computer System for Research & Administration (3 staff)‏ XACT: X-Ray Astrobiology Lab. Public Outreach (0.2 staff + 2 t.p. + other ext. supp.)‏ SCAN: Par. Calc.

  10. COMPUTER SYSTEM • Resources for ~ 20 support staff, 30 researchers, 10 students. Redundancy for high availability, extensive centralized services, and support. • “Standard” Computer System & HPC Parallel System (+ COMETA Parallel System)‏ • ~ 120 accounts, ~70 workstations, ~ 10 gen. purp. servers • State-of-art LAN

  11. Library • OAPA-INAF and DSFA-UNIPA books and journals jointly managed • Current and historical (up to 1960) sections • 1650 monographes (up to 1830), ~ 6000 monographes (from 1960), > 1000 “journal” titles (since 1740), ~ 70 current journals • OAPA Library grows at the rate of bigger INAF research structures (~100 monographes/year). Annual cost similar to that of Brera and Padua Observatories • Quite remarkable historical collection, and historical archive. • Most of info available through the OAPA WWW site

  12. XVI-XVII Century 150 • XVIII Century 860 • XIX Century 600

  13. Museo della Specola: Official Opening in March 2001

  14. Public Outreach and Museum related activities • Guided Visits, > 5000 visitors/year, 90% are students • Agreement with Town government for a program of free visits in 2006 • Exhibitions • Local Small/Charme Museum WEB Networks • Conferences

  15. Human Resources Distribution (in person-months) 8 Interconnected Research Lines or Projects + Public Outreach & Museal Activity Staff 11 month/year, Graduate Student 5 month/year, Associate Prof. 6 month/year

  16. Human Resources for Research Line/Project Where appropriate human resources include technicians

  17. Residuals due to planned, but not done expenses: mostly for expected salary increases CHANGE OF BUDGET STRUCTURE FUNDS: 2000 – 2007

  18. PERMANENT STAFF SALARIES ON “CENTRAL” FUNDS FUNDS: 2000 - 2007

  19. FUNDS: 2000 - 2007 ASI FUND CRISE EXPLAINS THE “2003 VALLEY”

  20. FUNDS: 2000 - 2007

  21. RESOURCE USE: 2000 - 2007

  22. TOGETHER WITH DSF&A ASTRONOMY SECTION TOGETHER WITH DSF&A ASTRONOMY SECTION SPACES: TODAY & TOMORROW People at OAPA (2007)‏ T.d. + T.i. ~ 45 Graduate Students ~ 5 Undergraduate ~ 4 Students in Stage ~ 4 Visitors ~ 2 TOTAL 60 “Office” Space 590 sq.m. AVERAGE PER PERSON ~ 9 sq.m. People in 201? (OAPA+IASF/PA)‏ T.D. + T.I. ~ 80 Graduate Students ~ 6 Undergraduate ~ 6 Students in stage ~ 6 Visitors ~ 4 TOTALE 102 “Office” Spaces 2000 sq.m. AVERAGE PER PERSON ~ 20 sq.m.

  23. MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS: 2004-2007 3 EU MARIE CURIE PROGRAMS MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS TO XACT (->PON-1)‏ MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS OF MACHINE SHOP (-> PON-1)‏ 1 TECHNOLOGICAL TRANSFER PROGRAM (-> PRISMA/MEF)‏ NEW PARALLEL COMPUTER FOR OAPA/SCAN (-> REG. SIC.)‏ BIG PARALLEL COMPUTER IN PALERMO (->PI2S2/COMETA) MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS TO INTERNAL NETWORK & COMPUTER SYSTEM (-> PON-2)‏ SOLAR & NIGHT OBSERVATION PROGRAM

  24. MAJOR SCIENCE PROJECTS PARTICIPATON TO CHANDRA/HRC (1988 -> )‏ PARTICIPATION TO EPIC of XMM-NEWTON (1989 -> )‏ SIMBOL-X (Hard X-Ray Imaging Mission) (2005 -> 2013+)‏ XEUS (2002 -> SELECTED ESA CV FOR STUDY -> 2020+ )‏ XSHOOTER x VLT (2002 -> 2008+)‏ HPC KEY PROJECTS INAF/CINECA (2003 ->)‏ PI2S2 (i.e. GRID/HPC) @COMETA (2005 -> 2008+)‏ PARTICIPATION SOHO-UVCS (1989 -> )‏ PARTICIPATION XRT/HINODE [Launch 2006] (2002->)‏ PARTICIPATION TO SOLAR ORBITER (2007 ->)‏ MICRO-CALORIMETERS for X-RAY Astronomy (1999 ->)‏ KEY CHANDRA & XMM-Newton Projects on Star Formation

  25. MARIE CURIE UE PROGRAMS • “Interplay between coronae and ...”: 3 Post Docs • ISHERPA: 3 Post Docs, 2 Sen. Scient. Ext. Visits • PHOENIX: 2 Post Docs • CONSTELLATION Network: 1 Post Doc • COMIS Network: 1 Graduate Student These programs are a key way for enlarging & strengthening OAPA research themes as well for reinforcing the European (& International) connections of OAPA scientists. We have recruited 2 from Spain, 1 from France, 1 from Germany, 1 from Argentina, 1 from Austria, 2 from USA, 1 from Russia, 2 from UK. More to come (we hope ...)

  26. INDICATORS OF “EFFICIENCY”/SCIENTIFIC IMPACT Yearly average over years 2004-2006 REFEREED PUBLICATIONS 38 INVITED TALK 7 Participation to Nat./Inter. Committee, TAC, etc.: 5 SPIE PUBLICATIONS 5 Non-FFO/FFO Funds 1,2 -- 3,5 Laurea Theses (with DSF&A, Informat., Engin.) 2,5 Ph.D. Theses (with DSF&A) 2,5 Stages (including non-Italian students) 6--8 Univ. Course (apart professors) 1,5

  27. OAPA - PLUSES Research Lines focussed along a well defined “field of view”, but with a reasonable articulation All the activities or projects are part of anItalian network (MIUR-PRIN, INAF-PRIN), European (e.g. XMM- Newton, X-Shooter, UE Marie-Curie) and International (e.g. Chandra, XRT/HINODE, XEUS, Key/Large Space Projects) Strong synergy among the activities of OAPA and those of the Astronomy Section of DSF&A of UNIPA. Interactions with IASF/PA researchers on projects of common interest (Simbol-X, Ultra-light X-ray Mirrors, PI2S2)‏ A very diffuse collaborative attitude Personnel of high professionalism

  28. OAPA - CRITICALITIES Lack of enough spaces to pursue all the activities in adequate operative conditions. Notwithstanding the ample synergy among the research lines, often activities are limited by available man-power (“fortunately” we have the Marie Curie Post-Docs). Workload on some sectors (administrative office, technical support to laboratories) is above the guard level. The lack of a well defined sharing of responsibility between center and structures and of qualified services by central administration is a serious problem. A crucial part of the strategic activities (R&D, technological projects) are seriously hampered by the lack of financial resources for covering running costs (since 2004) and new hardware costs (since 2006)

  29. ISSUES FOR THE NEAR FUTURE • Adequate Financial Resources to cover the growth of incompressible running costs, to the basal research, to “amplify” resources through participation to “co-funded” AOs • Space Astrophysics future and, more specifically, the future of R&D activities ? Typical 2 year funding programs not well suited for multi-annual (at least 4-5 year) R&D projects (Solution attempted: Italy-China FIRB Proposal for 5 years)‏ • Improvement/Increasing of Human Resources: FORMATION & RECRUTING PLAN, PEOPLE CAREARS • Realization of the new building, and moving of research activities there. • Upgrade of the agreement with UNIPA (within the new INAF-Universities national framework agreement). Special attention to young people education and Ph.D. program

  30. The End andThanks for all your effort

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