Astronomy

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Astronomy Astrophysics Advisory Committee
(AAAC)12 October 2006
Astronomy and Astrophysics in Antarctica

• Scott Borg
• Head, Antarctic Sciences Section
• Office of Polar Programs
• National Science Foundation

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Antarctic Sciences Section

• USAP is a microcosm of NSF
• many flavors of science
• research that can only be done, or can be best
  done, in Antarctica
• A A is part of one of five diverse science
  programs
• LDB w/NASA at McMurdo
• South Pole Station supports several telescopes
• high competition for resources at Pole

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Antarctic Research Pathways

• OPP general announcement
• and/or joint consideration with other parts of
  NSF
• International Polar Year
• NSF Cross Directorate Opportunities
• Science and Technology Centers Competition
• Major Research Instrumentation
• Cyber-infrastructure opportunities
• Partnerships with other agencies or foreign
  Antarctic programs

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US Antarctic Program - Research

• Complex portfolio of research
• Single investigator to multi-institution
  collaborations
• Many science partnerships within NSF, with other
  agencies, with other countries
• Extensive support infrastructure, but long and
  complex logistics train
• Many support partnerships DoD for logistics
  transportation, NASA for communications

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Current and Planned USAP Astrophysics Activities

• Long Duration Ballooning (through 2009)
• Pilot support for 3 flights in FY07
• Recent Balzan prize for Boomerang work
• BICEP - Background Imaging of Cosmic
  Extragalactic Polarization (2005-2008)
• QUaD - QUEST and DASI Experiment (2005-2007)
• 10m South Pole Telescope - submillimeter surveys
  of SZE clusters, polarization, etc. (first light
  in 2007)
• IceCube km3 neutrino observatory (2004-2010)

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Major Projects at Pole FY07

• IceCube - 9 strings in 12 planned for 06/07
  plus IceTop
• 06/07 is a critical year for the construction
  project
• plans in development for transition to MO
• 10m South Pole Telescope SPT
• Test-build successful transport, build, and
  commission in 06/07
• First light in 07 winter but no ground shield
  (planned 07/08)
• South Pole Station Modernization not finished
  yet
• completion delayed following extensive
  readiness review of the science programs in
  July-August 2006

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Challenges

• USAP Support for Pole is at limit
• Berths/cargo/power/water/general utilities
• Recent major review of power usage gt stable plan
  for short term
• Traverse plans advancing
• Communications
• SPTR Phase 1 plans in place for completion for
  winter 07
• SPTR Phase 2 plans developed for
  execute/completion in 09
• Critical dependence on NASA partnership
• South Pole Station Modernization need to
  complete

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Questions?