NSF Program Update

1. NSF Program Update Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee Oct 11, 2005

2. Status of Decadal Survey Recommendations • Small Initiatives: • National Virtual Observatory (NVO) - Framework development funded; discussion with NASA planning long-term support through joint solicitation, currently in legal review; Cyber funds in ’06 and beyond?

3. Status of Decadal Survey RecommendationsUpdate • Moderate Initiatives: • Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (ATST) • Advanced to “Readiness” at last NSB meeting • VERITAS - • Awaiting outcome of NEPA and NHPA processes • Construction re-start ~December at earliest

4. Status of Decadal Survey Recommendations • Major Initiatives: • Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) – update tomorrow • Giant Segmented Mirror Telescope (GSMT) – joint technology development program proposal funding in process • Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) - $14M development award in place.

5. Status of Quarks to Cosmos recommendationsUpdate • CMB Research Task Force – Final report today • Interagency initiative on Physics of the Universe

6. Physics of the Universe Interagency PlanUpdate • Highest priority, ready • LSST • CMB Research Task Force – Final report this afternoon • Dark Energy Task Force formed under AAAC and HEPAP • Status report tomorrow

7. GSMT Planning • National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) Science Working Group has formulated a detailed science case. • Consortium formed to undertake an extensive technology development and site characterization effort. • Would result in a public-private partnership with private funds supporting approximately 50% of the $70M estimated cost; proposal to NSF for the remaining 50%. Public funds would support community effort in several major groups. • Current estimate is that this effort would take five to seven years.Proposal funding has begun. • NSF has met with consortium and with individual Boards to discuss timing and are continuing a constructive dialogue • Funds in FY2005 appropriation limited; similar for FY2006; Planned growth awaits outcome of Senior Review

8. LSST Planning • National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) Science Working Group formulated detailed science case. • LSST Corporation established. • Pan-STARRS underway in Hawaii with DoD funding. No operations money at all and insufficient resources for software. • NSF provided $1.3M in FY03 for detector development for LSST Camera; NOAO has been funding telescope design at roughly $1.7M/year. • DOE labs have expressed strong interest in participating in the project through provision of the camera. DOE science budget a problem? • Technology development program ($14M) underway in FY2005, FY2006 (Physics of the Universe)

9. The Advanced Technology Solar Telescope The ATST Project

10. The Telescope • Improvements over current state of the art: • Resolution – ~7X improvement • Light grasp – 10X improvement (solar physics is actually photon starved in some experiments) • Technical Specifications: • 4-m, off-axis Gregorian (all reflective), alt-az mount. • Integrated adaptive optics. • Hybrid enclosure with thermal control and dust • mitigation. • Wavelength sensitivity from 0.3-28 microns (near-UV • through thermal infrared). • Field of view: 3 arcminutes (5 arcminute goal). • Angular resolution < 0.03 arcsecond. • Polarization accuracy < 0.01%. • ATST will be the world’s flagship facility for ground-based solar physics observation and the first large US solar telescope constructed in the past 30 years.

11. Marching toward MREFC • ATST team had planned aggressively for an FY06 start of construction. This will not happen. • Additional funding will be required to pay marching army and produce final design (note that current MREFC rules preclude funding design from MREFC). AST will fund through FY06 (FY07). • The next steps: • ATST and AST craft development plan for FY06-7. • Site selection complete – environmental impact study underway. • Brought to MREFC panel in March 2005; advanced to readiness 9/05 • In-depth cost review endorsed costing models completed • Attempt to address critical path items – early procurement of primary mirror possible through AFOSR partnership • Let contracts for final design to design and engineering firms. • Complete Project Execution Plan. • Final design review in early 2006. • Construction begins in FY2008?

12. Planning(Activity Accelerating) • O/IR roadmap team convened by NOAO has posted report • Radio/mm/sub-mm convened by AUI has posted report • CMB Roadmap – this meeting • Dark Energy Task Force – end of 2005

13. Building a Sustainable Program • Promises to be transformational • Built on underpinnings of community involvement in planning, advice, advocacy and “formal” agency recognition of those structures • Realistic (ambitious is OK, but….) • Supportable by the astronomical community • Supported by the astronomical community (over the long haul – now 15 years) • Appeals to broader scientific community • “Understands” and meshes with agency processes (helping to shape them if possible)

14. CARMA ALMA GBT SKA LOFAR GBT LOFAR EVLA Phase II EVLA I NAIC OWL? VLA GSMT VLA CHARA LOI? Gemini Horizon Facilities GSMT ATST LSST Intermediate Term LSST Near Term

15. NSF and AST Developments • New Deputy Director – Dr. Kathie Olsen • NSF program officer, Deputy Div Dir • NASA Chief Scientist • OSTP Deputy Director for Science • New Positions in AST • Two facilities/large projects managers • Additional grants program rotator • Additional program officer for ESM (upgrade) • Upgraded administrative position – finance and project support

18. Operating budgets and grant increments to realize the Decadal Survey recommendations ___________________________________________

19. Astronomy Division Budget - FY2005

20. Astronomy Division Budget - FY2005 Facilities - $119.1 M National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) National Solar Observatory (NSO) Gemini Observatory National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) National Astronomy & Ionosphere Center (NAIC) University Radio Observatories $24.1 M $10.6 M (excludes TSIP, AODP) $15.5 M $47.0 M $10.5 M $11.3 M

21. Astronomy Division Budget - FY2005 • Astronomy Research & Instrumentation - $75.4 M • Astronomy & Astrophysics Research Grants (AAG) Particle Astrophysics Education & Special Programs (ESP) • CAREER, REU, Postdoctoral fellowships • Advanced Technologies & Instrumentation (ATI) • Technology Development & Design for future facilities Electromagnetic Spectrum Management (ESM) Science & Technology Centers (STC) • Center for Adaptive Optics (CfAO) NSF/MPS Priorities and programs • e.g. Cyberinfrastructure, Math Sciences

22. AST Budget FY1995-2006

23. Astronomy Division Budget Growth Annual budget has grown by 60% since 2000 ($73 M) But with $52M in directed appropriations in FY2001-2004 - $32M to NRAO - $4M to NAIC - $4M to NOAO - $5M to ‘grants’ - $7M to instrumentation Unable to plan for the increase and limited discretion over its use. Growth has stopped (FY2005 budget down by $2M from FY2004)

24. Astronomy Division Budget Growth Observatory budgets FY1990 - 2006

25. How can we afford it? • Proposals and studies will sharpen cost • Planning will provide phasing, decision points, down-selects • Overall plan must meet fiscal reality • How?