mergers and collisions, 2, 8, 11, 13, 18, 39, 42, 43, 45, 53, 74-75, 98, 136, 191, 192, 199, 200, 209, 228, 240, 262

Milky Way, 62, 228

neutron star collapse, 66

optical imaging, 62, 138

origin/first, 2, 11, 48, 49-50, 52-53, 190

and public engagement in science, 104, 113

pulsars and, 262

quasars, 11, 49-50, 79, 190, 203, 261

radio astronomy, 52-53, 262

simulations, 136, 138

spectroscopic analysis, 53

supermassive, 35, 42, 43, 52-53, 57-58, 59, 62, 63, 75, 246

supernovae and, 11, 13, 60, 66

UV astronomy, 63

X-ray astronomy, 13, 19, 49-50, 53, 59, 62, 63, 75, 192, 198, 200

Blanco Telescope, 165, 169, 170

BLISS (Background-Limited Infrared-Submillimeter Spectrograph), 218

C

CANGAROO (Collaboration of Australia and Nippon (Japan) for a Gamma Ray Observatory in the Outback), 97

CAREER awards, 109, 133

CARMA (see Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy)

CATE (see Cost appraisal and technical evaluation)

CCAT

complementary technology, 4, 25, 196, 202, 234

cost appraisal and technical evaluation, 6, 25, 234, 238, 251

design/capabilities, 190, 234, 235

laboratory astrophysics demands, 160

location, 25, 235

operational time frame, 25

partnerships, 6, 94, 234

priority, 4, 234-235, 251

recommendation, 6, 25, 234-235

science objectives, 6, 25, 190, 192, 196, 201, 202, 203, 204

technical risk, 6, 25

Ęerenkov Telescope Array, 7, 24, 25, 97, 233

Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, 89, 165

Chandra X-ray Observatory Center, 20, 59, 61, 62, 63, 71-72, 80, 81, 132-133, 140, 166, 215

CIP (see Community Instrumentation Programs)

Climate research, 28-29, 34, 114-115

CMB (see Cosmic microwave background)

COBE (see Cosmic Background Explorer)

Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy, 54, 92, 93, 169, 251

Community Instrumentation Programs, 152

Compact objects

(see also Black holes; Neutron stars)

binary systems, 18

general relativity around, 74-76

Computer technology, high-performance, 111, 132, 136, 141-142

Constellation-X, 97, 214

Core research program

augmentation, 4

data and software, 142-148

Explorer and suborbital programs, 149-151

individual investigator grants, 4, 25-26, 132-135, 140, 173, 201, 219, 222, 236

innovation, 151-153

laboratory astrophysics, 159-162

medium-scale activities, 148-154

recommended additions and augmentations, 219-222

technology development, 154-159

theory, 135-142

workforce development, 148-149

Cornell-Caltech Atacama Telescope (see CCAT)

COROT (Convection, Rotation and Planetary Transits), 40

Cosmic acceleration, 13, 16, 47, 48, 49, 60, 68, 70-71, 137-138, 196, 197, 200, 205, 206, 223, 227, 247, 261-262

Cosmic Background Explorer, 17-18, 80, 149

Cosmic microwave background

astrophysics, 99, 165, 173

COBE, 17-18, 80, 149

defined, 48

funding, 238, 241, 262-263

gravitational wave astronomy, 70-71, 197-198, 200, 217, 262-263