prepublication copy - The Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics ...

3. Investment in new and upgraded instrumentation for privately operated telescopes, to
enhance the scientific potential of these facilities and to provide public access to a share of the time⎯via
TSIP, ReSTAR, MRI/ATI, and a mid-scale instrumentation program⎯currently around fifteen percent of
funds.
These reports also concluded, and this committee concurs, that following this path and investing
relatively little in future large projects will diminish further the U.S. presence in international OIR
astronomy. The challenge is to achieve a better balance that will enable significant federal participation
in LSST and GSMT, while retaining sufficient access to smaller telescopes in private or public hands, to
carry out the full science program. A good plan can present complementary benefits to the public and
private sectors. After considering various options, the committee finds that the scientific output of the
OIR System would be optimized by re-allocating more support to instrumentation on the newer
telescopes where the majority of high-impact science papers are produced 6 . If administered through the
TSIP and ReSTAR funding rules, in the case of private facilities, such investments would provide
increased public access to these existing telescopes.
CONCLUSION: Optimizing the long-term scientific return from the whole of the U.S.
optical and infrared system requires a readjusting of the balance of the NSF-Astronomy
program of support in three areas: (1) publicly operated national observatories—the
combined National Optical Astronomy Observatory and Gemini facilities that currently
dominate spending; (2) private-public partnerships—such as support for instrumentation at
and upgrades of privately operated observatories; and (3) investment in future facilities.
Among the newer OIR facilities are the two Gemini telescopes which can be appropriately
instrumented to provide the spectroscopic and near infrared imaging capabilities that are critical to reap
the scientific harvest from ALMA, JWST, and the future LSST. They can also provide some of the 8-10
meter class telescope capability that is needed to fulfill the major scientific initiatives of Astro2010 in
exoplanets, dark energy, and early galaxy studies. The telescopes are now equipped with multi-object
spectrographs, integral field spectroscopy capability, and both near and mid-infrared detectors with a
multi-conjugate adaptive optics capability imminent on Gemini-South; they are now poised to deliver the
scientific impact they promise. However, despite its high science potential, the Gemini program does not,
in practice, satisfy the requirements of the U.S. astronomical community. The ALTAIR report noted
general community dissatisfaction with the current instrument suite, the queue observing mode and the
governance of the observatory. The OIR panel found that the Gemini complex management structure
created to facilitate international operation prevents the U.S. National Gemini Office from serving as an
effective advocate for U.S. interests at a level commensurate with its partnership share. Furthermore, as
noted by the NSF-AST Senior Review, as well as internal Gemini Observatory reviews, Gemini
operations costs are higher than those at other comparable U.S. facilities. The committee has concluded
that the Gemini program as currently configured is not serving well the needs of the U.S. astronomical
community. The level of future investment in Gemini will presumably be assessable following the next
Senior Review.
The Gemini international partnership agreement is currently under re-negotiation, and the UK,
which holds a 25 percent stake, has announced its intent to withdraw from the consortium in 2012. This
presents an opportunity for the remaining partners to restructure the governance, simplify the
management and improve the responsiveness of Gemini. The goals are streamlined operations and
6 D. Crabtree, “Scientific Productivity and Impact of Large Telescopes,” in Observatory Operations: Strategies,
Processes, and Systems II, ed. R. J. Brissenden, D. R. Silva, Proc. SPIE, 7016, 70161A, 2008. J. P. Madrid & F. D.
Macchetto, “High-Impact Astronomical Observatories,” ArXiv eprint arXiv:0901.4552.
PREPUBLICATION COPY—SUBJECT TO FURTHER EDITORIAL CORRECTION
6-10