National Academies Press: OpenBook

On Antarctic Astronomy: Letter Report (1999)

Chapter: Report

Suggested Citation:"Report ." National Research Council. 1999. On Antarctic Astronomy: Letter Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12266.
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Page 1
Suggested Citation:"Report ." National Research Council. 1999. On Antarctic Astronomy: Letter Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12266.
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Page 2
Suggested Citation:"Report ." National Research Council. 1999. On Antarctic Astronomy: Letter Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12266.
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Page 3

Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.

Space Studies Board Jump to Top Search: NewsJump to Science in the Subscribe to our FREE e- Headlines newsletter! NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ENGINEERING INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL June 15, 2004 Current Operating Status Committee on Astronomy and Astrophysics On Antarctic Astronomy On August 19, 1999, Committee on Astronomy and Astrophysics Co-Chairs John P. Huchra and Thomas A. Prince sent the following letter to Dr. Hugh Van Horn, director of the National Science Foundation's (NSF's) Division of Astronomical Sciences, and Dr. Karl Erb, director of NSF's Office of Polar Programs. Dear Drs. Van Horn and Erb: Since its initial meetings in 1992, the Committee on Astronomy and Astrophysics (CAA) has followed with great interest the development of astronomy conducted at the South Pole. The CAA has heard presentations at several meetings since that time. As part of its continuing interest in the subject, the CAA, at its meeting on November 10-11, 1998, invited Antony Stark, Doyal A. Harper, and John Lynch to give presentations on recent results of astronomical research conducted in the Antarctic. The CAA was impressed with the work put into the evaluation and analysis of the astronomical potential of the South Pole, especially in the 3-5 micron and submillimeter bands, and appreciates the advantages of low water vapor levels, reduced sky background emission, and 24-hour coverage. It is clear that the Center for Astrophysical Research in Antarctica (CARA) has demonstrated in the last decade that good astronomy can be done from the South Pole and that the infrastructure is adequate to support a reasonable astronomical enterprise. The CAA strongly supports a peer-reviewed proposal process for the selection of astronomical research programs open to the U.S. community. This proposal process should stress the cost-effectiveness of the science conducted at the South Pole, the uniqueness of the science, and, of course, the quality of the science. CARA is the principal institution that supports and oversees work of this kind, and, over the coming year, the National Science Foundation plans to gradually phase down the program. The Astronomy and Astrophysics Survey Committee is, as part of its decadal priority-setting process, considering the role that Antarctic astronomy plays in astronomy overall. With this in mind, the CAA concluded that it would be desirable to continue the support of the Antarctic astronomy program until its http://www7.nationalacademies.org/ssb/antarcticltr.html (1 of 2) [6/15/2004 3:38:46 PM]

Space Studies Board priority ranking within astronomy has been determined and NSF can incorporate this information into its planning. The ranking should be available by mid 2000. cc: Morris Aizenman, NSF John Lynch, NSF Antony Stark, CARA Doyal A. Harper, CARA Christopher McKee, Co-Chair, AASC Joseph Taylor, Jr., Co-Chair, AASC Donald C. Shapero, Director, BPA Joseph K. Alexander, Director, SSB Robert L. Riemer, Senior Program Officer, CAA CAA Membership Last update 12/29/00 at 11:54 am Site managed by the SSB Web Group. To comment on this Web page or report an error, please send feedback to the Space Studies Board. Subscribe to e-newsletters | Feedback | Back to Top Copyright © 2004. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. 500 Fifth St. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001. Terms of Use and Privacy Statement http://www7.nationalacademies.org/ssb/antarcticltr.html (2 of 2) [6/15/2004 3:38:46 PM]

Space Studies Board Jump to Top Search: NewsJump to Science in the Subscribe to our FREE e- Headlines newsletter! NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ENGINEERING INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL June 15, 2004 Current Operating Status Committee on Astronomy and Astrophysics On Antarctic Astronomy MEMBERSHIP John P. Huchra, Co-Chair, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics Thomas A. Prince, Co-Chair, California Institute of Technology Eric E. Becklin, University of California at Los Angeles Todd A. Boroson, National Optical Astronomy Observatory Roger Chevalier, University of Virginia (reappointment pending) Neal J. Evans II, University of Texas at Austin Jacqueline N. Hewitt, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Robert C. Kennicutt, Jr., University of Arizona Richard F. Mushotzky, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Stanton J. Peale, University of California at Santa Barbara Deane Peterson, State University of New York at Stony Brook Blair D. Savage, University of Wisconsin at Madison David N. Spergel, Princeton University Observatory Ellen Gould Zweibel, University of Colorado at Boulder Robert L. Riemer, Study Director Anne K. Simmons, Senior Program Assistant Last update 12/29/00 at 11:55 am Site managed by the SSB Web Group. To comment on this Web page or report an error, please send feedback to the Space Studies Board. Subscribe to e-newsletters | Feedback | Back to Top Copyright © 2004. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. 500 Fifth St. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001. Terms of Use and Privacy Statement http://www7.nationalacademies.org/ssb/antarcticmem.html [6/15/2004 3:40:20 PM]

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