Community Workshop on Ground Based Solar Research

Background:

(Originating from a proposal from Bill Smith of AURA to the NSF)

Over the past several years, there has been a great deal of discussion over the organization for solar research within the NSF. Recently, the 2010 Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey, New Worlds, New Horizons, in commenting on this issue recommended that "The NSF should work with the solar, heliospheric, stellar, planetary, and geospace communities to determine the best route to an effective and balanced ground-based solar astronomy program that maintains multidisciplinary ties." Thus, some effort at finding the balance and relationships between the various NSF supported programs is warranted, and there is a direct implication that the community should provide input.

NSO and HAO are two institutions with long histories of distinguished scientific achievement and service. They both derive their primary financial support from the National Science Foundation, but through different sources. This separation has allowed NSF sponsored solar research to maintain a broad scope and support the study of the Sun as both an astrophysical object and as a terrestrial influence. Research conducted at these organizations spans the Sun from its core through its corona, extends to the influence of the Sun on the Earth's upper atmosphere, and includes observation of other stars in order to interpret solar processes in a wider context.

Scientists at HAO and NSO, like their counterparts at many FFRDCs, have the dual responsibility to provide scientific leadership and support to the university and scientific community. Community support is provided in a variety of ways; through scientific collaboration, facility operation, instrument development, numerical model development, data analysis tool development, undergraduate and graduate student mentoring, and scientific visitor programs, to name a few. Scientific leadership in the form of cutting edge research and instrument development has been demonstrated by the staff of these organizations throughout their histories. This record of achievement is extensively documented in scientific publications and recognized through invited presentations in national and international venues as well as awards for distinguished scientific achievement.

NSO and HAO sponsored a community based workshop to examine the present organization of solar research within the NSF and how the multidisciplinary activities of NSO and HAO can develop in the post-construction ATST era to be best configured to optimize scientific productivity for ground based solar research.

Goals of this workshop included providing input for a possible future solar science initiative within the NSF that would benefit NSO, HAO, and the research community. Themes examined included the following:

  • Defining the scientific basis for the initiative: Solar research is multi-disciplinary, the Sun is a—
    • Star
    • Factor in space weather, terrestrial impacts, climate, etc.
    • Laboratory for plasma physics, dynamics, etc.
  • Identifying the future research opportunities
  • Identifying scientific growth areas for university based solar related research, what are they, how can NSF and national organizations like NSO and HAO help

In order to provide a context for discussion, the workshop was based on:

  • An analysis of the solar grants portfolio presently administered by the NSF. What does it look like, what areas are fragile, what areas might grow, what role do these grants play in the overall research programs for typical grantees (e.g., what other grants are typically sought)
  • An analysis by NSO and HAO of their respective science strengths and connections, and multi-disciplinary ties

The workshop involved community members from a wide range of disciplines and stakeholders in ground based solar research. The product of the workshop will be provided to the NSF for planning purposes and to the Decadal Survey for Solar and Space Physics.

Proposed Work

This proposal seeks support for the conduct of a community based workshop that involves important segments of the solar community and NSF managers. 

Intellectual Merit:  This proposal would provide an important input to the upcoming Solar and Heliospheric Physics Decadal Survey by framing a unified NSF solar research initiative.  It would identify key science themes for the future, define how solar research relates to national needs, and examine the unique role played by the NSF.

Broader Impacts of the Proposed Activity:  The intent of this proposal is to engage the broadest spectrum of stakeholders in solar research.  In particular, attention will be paid to inviting young scientists, including members of underrepresented groups, who will use the future facilities. 

Principal Investigators:  The investigators for this proposal are comprised of the directors of the two major NSF research centers in solar research.  These individuals share a mission to promote the use of publicly available research facilities for the community.

  • Stephen L. Keil, Director of the National Solar Observatory since 1999
  • Michael Thompson, Director of the High Altitude Observatory

Other senior personnel who will carry out this proposal include the workshop steering committee. They are:

  • Mark Giampapa, Deputy Director of the National Solar Observatory
  • Steven Tomczyk, Assistant Director of the High Altitude Observatory
  • Dana Longcope, Professor, Department of Physics, Montana State University

Conduct of the Workshop: The Workshop was envisioned to examine the following—

  • Long range science and strategic plans of NSO and HAO
  • Plans of key private and university solar observatories, and key science frontiers that might be addressed
  • Major ground based initiatives including ATST, FASR, COSMO, and other US and international future facilities
  • Ongoing synoptic programs including SOLIS and the SOLIS network, GONG, PSPT, and University based synoptic programs both in the US and internationally.
  • Key interfaces between NSF funded research centers and university based programs, including synergies with themes that will be explored by the Decadal Survey.  These might include, for example, coronal magnetic field measurements with O/IR and radio frequency facilities and chromospheric vector field measurements
  • Community access to private facilities
  • Coordination with space-based solar facilities
  • Synergistic interactions between ground-based solar physics and
    • Solar-stellar astrophysics community
    • Space weather community
    • Heliophysics community
    • Solar-Terrestrial climate community
  • The role of theory and modeling
  • Future of data storage and dissemination, including
    • The Virtual Solar Observatory
    • Community data policy
  • Development of the future workforce for solar research including student programs and broadening participation

Budget

This proposal requests a total of $50,000. The following constitutes our present spending plan:

$10,000—Meeting accommodations, coffees
$20,000—Invited speakers, travel and per diem
$20,000—Travel and per diem scholarships for young scientists