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NRC Astrophysics Update

NRC Astrophysics Update. AAAC Feb 8-9, 2007 Brian Dewhurst BPA Staff. Ongoing Activities. Astronomy Science Centers (ASC) Beyond Einstein Program Assessment Cmte (BEPAC) NASA Astrophysics Performance Assessment (NAPA) Scientific Uses of the Radio Spectrum (Spectrum)

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NRC Astrophysics Update

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  1. NRC Astrophysics Update AAAC Feb 8-9, 2007 Brian Dewhurst BPA Staff

  2. Ongoing Activities • Astronomy Science Centers (ASC) • Beyond Einstein Program Assessment Cmte (BEPAC) • NASA Astrophysics Performance Assessment (NAPA) • Scientific Uses of the Radio Spectrum (Spectrum) • Next A&A Decadal Survey (Astro2010)

  3. ASC • A comparative review of current astronomy science centers in order to identify best practices and lessons learned and assess whether there are optimum sizes or approaches for science centers. • The study is not intended to be a performance review of current centers, but it is expected to provide an assessment to serve decision-making with regard to future centers. • Report to be released in 2Q 2007.

  4. BEPAC • See slides from yesterday for full discussion. • Report to be delivered to the agencies Sept 8, 2007.

  5. Ken Keller, JHU/SAIS chair Steve Battel, Battel Engineering Chuck Bennett, JHU Catherine Cesarsky, ESO Megan Donahue, Michigan State Rolf Kudritski, U. Hawaii Martha Haynes, Cornell vice-chair Steve Murray, CfA Bob Palmer Joe Taylor, Princeton Michael Turner, U. Chicago Rainer Weiss, MIT Chick Woodward, U. Minnesota NAPA Midterm “report card” for NASA Astrophysics, based on Decadal Survey and Quarks/Cosmos. Requested in 2005 NASA Authorization Act. Report released Wednesday, Feb 7th.

  6. NAPA (2) • Selected Findings and Recommendations: • “NASA’s 2003 Astrophysics program plan responded effectively to the recommendations made in the National Research Council reports Astronomy and Astrophysics in the New Millennium and Connecting Quarks with the Cosmos. In particular, the 2003 plan properly addressed the stated priorities and was well optimized across mission goals, types, and sizes. “

  7. NAPA (3) • “In a time of extraordinary potential for scientific discovery, the prospects have been substantially reduced for NASA’s contributing in the future to astrophysics over a diverse range of enterprises, and with the agility necessary to rapidly respond to opportunity.” • “NASA’s Astrophysics Division does not have the resources to pursue the priorities, goals, and opportunities outlined in the AANM and Q2C reports.”

  8. NAPA (4) • “NASA should optimize the projected science return from its Astrophysics Program by (a) ensuring a diversified portfolio of large and small missions that reflect the science priorities articulated in the 2001 decadal survey Astronomy and Astrophysics in the New Millennium and (b) by investing in the work required to bring science missions to their full potential: e.g., technology development, data analysis, data archiving, and theory.”

  9. NAPA (5) • How? • “[Reevaluate] the program’s mission balance, with the goal of restoring the Explorer line to the launch rate achieved in the early part of this decade.” • “[Identify] structural mechanisms (e.g., firewalls, cost caps, constraints on the concentration of resources in single programs) to protect small programs and mission-enabling activities such as technology development from cost growth in larger missions.”

  10. Spectrum • New study to identify the important scientific progress enabled by having portions of the radio spectrum set aside for scientific use • Radio astronomy and Earth remote sensing • Study is “forward-looking”

  11. Astro2010 • The Board on Physics and Astronomy (BPA) is taking the lead in planning for the next decadal survey of astronomy and astrophysics, in partnership with the Space Studies Board and the Committee on Astronomy and Astrophysics.

  12. Astro2010 (2) • Initial activities are to solicit community input. • Town Hall meeting at AAS-Seattle in January • Town Hall meeting at APS-Jacksonville in April • Astro2010@nas.edu

  13. Comments/Questions? bdewhurs@nas.edu 202-334-2998

  14. Backup Slides

  15. Town Hall Questions • How to gather input from the entire community • Committee/Panel Structure (science vs technique) • Committee/Panel membership… role of outsiders? • Cost estimates (can we do better?) • How to address uncompleted recommendations from previous surveys?

  16. Town Hall Questions (2) • International coordination? • Boundaries of the field? Where are the edges? • Flexibility, decision rules, etc. How will the survey be made robust? • Structure of the recommendations: prioritization across categories, major v moderate, space v ground.

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