NSF Program Update

Astronomy and Astrophysics Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory CommitteeAdvisory Committee

February 15, 2005February 15, 2005

Update Topics

General InformationGeneral Information FY2005 Current Plan/FY2006 RequestFY2005 Current Plan/FY2006 Request Progress on previous recommendationsProgress on previous recommendations Planning activitiesPlanning activities Senior Review planningSenior Review planning Opportunities for FY2007 budget inputOpportunities for FY2007 budget input

General

Arden Bement confirmed as NSF DirectorArden Bement confirmed as NSF Director

DOE formally added to AAAC charter as of 15 DOE formally added to AAAC charter as of 15 MarchMarch

Membership rotation agreed among agenciesMembership rotation agreed among agencies

Rotation will occur post 15 MarchRotation will occur post 15 March

• FY2005 AST request level - $204.35M (increase of 4% over FY2004)

• “Final” AST number $195.1M (< FY2004 - $196.6M)

• FY2006 Request $198.64M (FY2005 + 1.81%)

• Planning level budgets for next ? years

• Closer coupling between NSF and NASA budgets in difficult years?

• Possible changes in appropriations structure

FY2005 Budget and Outlook

Progress on Recommendations

Status of Decadal Survey Recommendations

Small Initiatives:–National Virtual Observatory (NVO) - Framework development funded; discussion with NASA planning long-term support through joint solicitation; Cyber funds in ’06 and beyond?

–Laboratory Astrophysics program - funded in grants program, strongly represented in FY2004 proposals and awards; substantial co-funding with chemistry and physics divisions

–Theory support – MPS Theory Workshop; science opportunities, modes of support, education and training issues - ~30% of grants are for theory, no need for separate theory program in AST

GSMT Planning

National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) Science Working National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) Science Working Group has formulated a detailed science caseGroup has formulated a detailed science case. .

Consortium formed to undertake an extensive technology development Consortium formed to undertake an extensive technology development and site characterization effort. and site characterization effort.

Would result in a public-private partnership with private funds Would result in a public-private partnership with private funds supporting approximately 50% of the $70M estimated cost; proposal supporting approximately 50% of the $70M estimated cost; proposal to NSF for the remaining 50%. Public funds would support to NSF for the remaining 50%. Public funds would support community effort in several major groups.community effort in several major groups.

Current estimate is that this effort would take five to seven years.Current estimate is that this effort would take five to seven years. Proposal under review.Proposal under review.

NSF and consortium have met to discuss timing and begin NSF and consortium have met to discuss timing and begin constructive dialogueconstructive dialogue

Funds in FY2005 appropriation limited; similar for FY2006; Planned Funds in FY2005 appropriation limited; similar for FY2006; Planned growth awaits outcome of Senior Reviewgrowth awaits outcome of Senior Review

LSST Planning

National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) Science Working National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) Science Working Group formulated detailed science case.Group formulated detailed science case.

LSST Corporation established. LSST Corporation established. Pan-STARRS underway in Hawaii with DoD funding.Pan-STARRS underway in Hawaii with DoD funding. NSF provided $1.3M in FY03 for detector development for LSST NSF provided $1.3M in FY03 for detector development for LSST

Camera; NOAO is funding telescope design at roughly $1.7M/year. Camera; NOAO is funding telescope design at roughly $1.7M/year. DOE labs have expressed strong interest in participating in the project DOE labs have expressed strong interest in participating in the project

through provision of the camera.through provision of the camera. NSF-NASA discussions about data handling as part of overall NVO NSF-NASA discussions about data handling as part of overall NVO

effort.effort. Technology development program and possible architecture studies Technology development program and possible architecture studies

planned in FY2005, FY2006 (Physics of the Universe)planned in FY2005, FY2006 (Physics of the Universe)

The ATSTProject

The Advanced Technology Solar 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.

The Telescope

Recent and Upcoming Milestones

• A comprehensive and very successful conceptual design review held on August 25-28, 2003.

• Construction proposal under review.

• A set of preliminary design reviews will be held in late 2004 – early 2005, culminating in a systems review by late winter of 2005.

• Final site selection: Haleakala with La Palma as back-up.

• Planning for the environmental impact study has begun. RFP will go out ASAP. Note: this is a necessary component of the design process since final design depends on the details of the site.

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 FY05-6. Site selection complete – contract for environmental impact study Preliminary design reviews. Bring to MREFC panel in March 2005. Attempt to address critical path items – early procurement of primary mirror. Let contracts for final design to design and engineering firms. Complete Project Execution Plan. Final design review in early 2006. Construction begins in fall of 2006/2007.

Readiness – Second Rank Criteria Impact on scientific advances in related fields considering portfolio balance?

In the opinion of AST, the ATST Project is ready for consideration for promotion to “ready” status by the MREFC panel and the NSB.

Second Rank Criteria endorsed by MPS Advisory Committee

Opportunities to serve the needs of researchers in multiple fields or multi-disciplinary research?

Commitments from other agencies or countries?

Potential for education and workforce development?

Readiness for further development and construction?

Planning(Activity Accelerating)

O/IR roadmap team convened by NOAO O/IR roadmap team convened by NOAO well underwaywell underway

Radio/mm/sub-mm convened by AUI Radio/mm/sub-mm convened by AUI underway(separate report)underway(separate report)

CMB Roadmap (separate report)CMB Roadmap (separate report) Dark Energy Task force (separate report)Dark Energy Task force (separate report) Brinkman report response (separate report)Brinkman report response (separate report)

Near Term Intermediate

Term

Horizon Facilities

Gemini

GSMT

EVLA I

VLA

GBT LOFAR

EVLA Phase II

LSST

SKA

OWL?

LOI?

CHARA

ALMA

CARMA

VLA

GBT LOFAR

LSST

GSMTNAIC

ATST

AST Budget FY2004 - $196.55M

Res & Inst. $71.8M

Facilities $124.75M

ALMA $50.7 M

Astronomy Division Budget - FY2004

Astronomy Division Budget - FY2004

Facilities - $124.75 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 ===================================================================

Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA)

$34.4 M(excludes $4M for TSIP

$3M for AODP)

$14.27 M

$54.98 M (directed)

$10.54 M

$10.56 M _______________

$50.7 M

Astronomy Division Budget - FY2004

Astronomy Research & Instrumentation - $71.8 M

Astronomy & Astrophysics Research Grants (AAG)Particle AstrophysicsEducation & Special Programs (ESP)

CAREER, REU, Postdoctoral fellowships

Advanced Technologies & Instrumentation (ATI)Electromagnetic Spectrum Management (ESM)Science & Technology Centers (STC)

Center for Adaptive Optics (CfAO)

NSF/MPS Priorities and programs e.g. ITR, Math Sciences, Biocomplexity in the Environment

AST Budget FY1992-2004

AST Budget FY1992-2004

$0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

$250,000

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Fiscal Year

$ (

Th

ou

san

ds)

Total Facilities Res & Instr.

How can we afford it?

Proposals and studies Proposals and studies will sharpen costwill sharpen cost

Planning will provide Planning will provide phasing, decision phasing, decision points, down-selectspoints, down-selects

Overall plan must Overall plan must meet fiscal realitymeet fiscal reality

How?How?

NSF Budget Authority Projection

$4.40

$4.60

$4.80

$5.00

$5.20

$5.40

$5.60

$5.80

$6.00

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Fiscal Year

Bil

lio

ns

of

Do

llar

s

“Senior Review”

Responds to:Responds to: Decade Survey recommendation re: facilitiesDecade Survey recommendation re: facilities Calls for examination of balance in AST Calls for examination of balance in AST

portfolio (Committee of Visitors, Feb)portfolio (Committee of Visitors, Feb) Made imperative by:Made imperative by:

Budget outlookBudget outlook Ambitions of the communityAmbitions of the community AST budget growthAST budget growth

“Senior Review” AST retreatAST retreat

Established understanding of need and goalsEstablished understanding of need and goals Self-examination of balanceSelf-examination of balance Identified issues that NSF and community must addressIdentified issues that NSF and community must address First time this has been undertaken by ASTFirst time this has been undertaken by AST

AST retreat “conclusions”AST retreat “conclusions” IF significant progress is to be made on development of major recommendations, IF significant progress is to be made on development of major recommendations,

~~$20M of free energy in AST budget must be identified.~~$20M of free energy in AST budget must be identified. Implications for program may be profound Implications for program may be profound Balance: grants program (AAG) must be held sacrosanctBalance: grants program (AAG) must be held sacrosanct Free energy will come from non-AAG portion of AST portfolioFree energy will come from non-AAG portion of AST portfolio

Next StepsNext Steps AST exploring implications of all issues identifiedAST exploring implications of all issues identified Will frame options along with best understanding of consequences, positive and negativeWill frame options along with best understanding of consequences, positive and negative Will convene community representatives (mid-2005) to advise on best option(s) (or Will convene community representatives (mid-2005) to advise on best option(s) (or

identify others).identify others).

Opportunities for FY 2007 Budget Input in 15 March Report

Support for AST planning as part of NSF Facilities PlanSupport for AST planning as part of NSF Facilities Plan ATST ATST Roadmap EffortsRoadmap Efforts Senior ReviewSenior Review

Funding for pre-MREFC activityFunding for pre-MREFC activity Design and development (GSMT, LSST,…)Design and development (GSMT, LSST,…) Theory challenges (part of D&D)Theory challenges (part of D&D) Growth of grants program keyed to upcoming facilitiesGrowth of grants program keyed to upcoming facilities

Need for strong core program support with funds under Need for strong core program support with funds under division controldivision control