The ASTRONET Roadmap: Strategic Planning for European ... - CNRS

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The Role of Existing FacilitiesThe role of existing and approved facilities is also considered in the Roadmap. In space, several current missions are sosuccessful that an extension of their operational lifetimes beyond those already approved is richly justified on scientificgrounds. In a constrained environment, the selection of the missions that can be extended within available funds shouldbe based on the scientific productivity of the mission and, for ESA-supported missions, the overall balance in the ESAprogramme.On the ground, the existing set of small to medium-size optical telescopes is a heterogeneous mix of national and commoninstruments, equipped and operated without overall coordination. This is inefficient and is an impediment to effectiveground-based support for space missions. ASTRONET has appointed a committee to review the future role, organisationand funding of the European 2–4-m optical telescopes within the context of the Roadmap, to report by September2009. Reviews of Europe’s existing mm-submm and radio telescopes will be undertaken shortly after, followed later by areview focusing on the optimum exploitation of our access to 8–10-m optical telescopes as we enter the era of the E-ELT.Together, these reviews will enable Europe to establish a coherent, cost-effective complement of mid-size facilities.The four 8-m telescopes of the ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT), on CerroParanal in Chile.Credit: ESO/H. H. Heyer8
TOWARDS A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR EUROPEAN ASTRONOMYTheory, Computing and Data ArchivingThe development of theory and computing capacitymust go hand-in-hand with that of observational facilities.Systematic archiving of properly calibrated observationaldata in standardised, internationally recognised formatswill preserve precious information obtained with publicfunds for future use by other researchers. It will also createa Virtual Observatory that enables new kinds of multiwavelengthscience and presents new challenges to theway that results of theoretical models are presented andcompared with real data. The Roadmap proposes that aEuropean Astrophysical Software Laboratory, a centrewithout walls, be created to promote and coordinate thisdevelopment, along with a number of other initiatives.Education, Recruitment and OutreachIn the end, the deployment of skilled humans determineswhat scientific facilities can be built and operated, aswell as the scientific returns that are derived from them.Conversely, astronomy is a proven and effective vehiclefor attracting young people into scientific and technicalcareers, for the benefit of society as a whole. The Roadmapidentifies several initiatives to stimulate European scientificliteracy and provide our science with the human resourcesit needs for a healthy future.Schoolchildren observing the SunCredit: Kevin Govender9
Page 1 and 2: TOWARDS A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR EUROPE
Page 3 and 4: InsuCOMMUNIQUE DE PRESSE I PARIS I
Page 5 and 6: Insul’optique. Enfin, la feuille
Page 7 and 8: ASTRONET: Towards a StrategicPlan f
Page 10 and 11: Science Vision Key QuestionsA: Do w
Page 12 and 13: The Role of theASTRONET RoadmapJ. A
Page 14 and 15: Who Pays forEuropean Astronomy?Nati
Page 16 and 17: The Role of theASTRONET Roadmap:To
Page 18 and 19: The ASTRONET RoadmapProfessor Micha
Page 20 and 21: How We Worked! Over 60 experts in a
Page 22 and 23: Ground-Based Medium Scale! European
Page 24 and 25: Medium Scale Space Missions! Gaia (
Page 26 and 27: Lab Astrophysics; Theory,Computing,
Page 28 and 29: Conclusions! To implement the full
Page 30 and 31: Background: The Global Scientific C
Page 32 and 33: Financial and Human ResourcesA usef
Page 34 and 35: Space MissionsAlthough important na
Page 38 and 39: Technology DevelopmentTechnological
Page 40: Designed and produced by ESO Septem

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