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AST Committee of VisitorsFebruary 2011

National Solar ObservatoryOverview Craig Foltz

Program Officer NSO

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National Solar Observatory

Kitt Peak National Observatory

McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope SOLIS

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National Solar Observatory

Kitt Peak National Observatory SOLIS Vector Spectromagnetograph

Data are routinely available at ftp://solis.nso.edu/synoptic/level3/vsm/x3d

This snapshot exhibits the magnetic field orientation of active region AR 10921 using VSM data observed on 3 November 2006

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National Solar Observatory

Sacramento Peak Observatory Sunspot, NM; elevation 9255 ft; adjacent to Apache Point Observatory [SDSS}

Dunn Solar TelescopeEvans Solar Facility

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National Solar ObservatoryGlobal Oscillation Network Group (GONG++)

6 facilities around the world

Data are routinely available at http://gong.nso.edu/

Big Bear Solar Observatory, CA

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Advanced Technology Solar Telescope

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National Optical Astronomy Observatory

National Solar Observatory NOAO/NSO cooperative agreement

Competed in 2001 AURA retained as the management

organization Sep 1, 2002 – Sep 30, 2007

Management Review Aug 2006 Based on the review AST recommended no recompetion; NSF & NSB

concurred CA extended to Mar 31, 2009

Decision made to split the joint CA into two, one for each observatory

Allows for separate management in the future. Gives NSO more visibility in the Federal budget.

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National Solar Observatory

Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy

AURA, Inc: not for profit corp. in DC; very small headquarters staff

AURA President Wm Smith reports to AURA Board of Directors

NOAO and NSO Directors report independently to AURA President

AURA receives advice from a community-based Solar Observatory Council – meets twice annually

Director receive advice from community-based User Committees – meet annually

AURA has solicited proposals for a new institutional home for NSO.

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National Solar Observatory NSF Management – key elements

2005-6 PM Craig Foltz 2006-9 PM Tom Barnes 2009-10 PM Jeff Pier 2010-present PM Craig Foltz

Annual Program Plan and Annual Report bundled. Annual Long Range Plan (5 year look ahead) Quarterly Reports: programmatic and financial

PO attendance at Council meetings, Users committees Current PO has overseen ATST since 2003

NSF discussing the programmatic home for solar research within the agency.

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National Solar Observatory NSF Budget Management

Funding flows through Cooperative Support Agreements (CSAs)

Individual SPOs keep the budgets and management distinct

Operations and Maintenance ATST Construction - ARRA ATST Construction - MREFC

ARRA and MREFC funds cannot be mixed.

NSO funding actions are typically administered on a quarterly basis.

Other funding actions (interagency transfers; e.g., AFOSR -> NSO) are asynchronous.

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National Solar Observatory

Budgets FY 2008/2009/2010

NSO: $7.85M; $7.83M; $9.10M (ATST D&D not

included; ~$2M per year) $1.40M from ARRA for infrastructure

improvements in FY09 Interagency funds add typically $1.5M / yr.

ATST Construction $7M of MREFC in FY 2009; $13M in FY 2010 $146M of ARRA in FY 2010

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National Solar Observatory

Some metrics for NSO facilities FY 2008/2009/2010

82/74/68 observing programs 97/80/61 external observers 131/108/93 observers including NSO and

NOAO Staff 24/16/19 PhD thesis observers GONG and SOLIS archive usage:

Products Distributed (Gbytes) 2015/2729/4201

Terabytes served (all archives) 2.9/3.7/5.3 150/134/163 publications based on NSO

facilities or archives

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National Solar Observatory NSO Education and Public Outreach

REU: 6/6/7 – Tucson and SPO RET: 0/2/0 Summer Graduate Assistantships: 7/6/6 Postdoctoral Fellows: 6/6/6 Fisk/Vanderbilt Bridge Program Partner through PAARE

program Project ASTRO partner Southwest Consortium of Observatories for Public

Education partner Akamai Workforce Initiative partner

SPO Visitors’ Center 13,867/15,218/14,191 visitors

Press releases http://www.nso.edu/press/ Image site http://www.noao.edu/current_images/