This report was prepared by the Task Group on Ground-based Solar Research, which was formed in response to a request from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Given the intimate complementarity between ground- and space-based studies of the Sun, the task group's work was also supported by NASA. The original charge to the task group called for an assessment of the scientific and financial context in which ground-based solar research will be conducted in the coming decade, consideration of strategies and priorities for ground-based solar research, an evaluation of the posture and roles of solar observatories and other research institutions (with special attention to the mission and management of the National Solar Observatory; NSO), and an assessment of whether projected capabilities will be able to meet U.S. scientific and programmatic needs for ground-based solar research. (The complete statement of task for the study is presented in Appendix A).

The task group held three 3-day meetings over the course of the study and heard presentations from NSF and NASA officials, the directors of the National Optical Astronomy Observatories (NOAO) and the NSO, staff scientists based at the NSO (Kitt Peak and Sacramento Peak), and researchers based at Air Force and Navy laboratories and at universities. (Meeting agendas are presented in Appendix B; brief biographies of task group members are given in Appendix C.) Community input to the study was solicited at national meetings and in newsletters. In addition, the task group created a public discussion group that was posted on the World Wide Web.

As the study progressed, the task group concluded that issues related to future instrumentation for ground-based research were central to developing a strategy for dealing with current needs and future directions in solar research. Therefore, that aspect of the charge received particular attention, along with the attendant implications for the future role and structure of the NSO. Chapter 1 of the report addresses the scientific context for ground-based solar research. In Chapter 2, the current program is assessed from the perspective of a three-part strategic framework, and needs for the future are addressed. Chapter 3 then presents a strategy for ground-based solar research for the next decade and a set of prioritized recommendations to implement that strategy. Appendix D, Appendix E, Appendix F, Appendix G, Appendix H, Appendix I, Appendix J supply illustrative and supporting details, and Appendix K gives definitions for the acronyms used in the report.

This report has been reviewed by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the National Research Council's (NRC's) Report Review Committee. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the authors and the NRC in making the published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The contents of the review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following individuals for their participation in the review of this report:

Marshall H. Cohen, California Institute of Technology,

Harold K. Forsen, Bechtel Corporation (retired),

Peter V. Foukal, Cambridge Research and Instrumentation, Inc.,

Peter Goldreich, California Institute of Technology,

Martha P. Haynes, Cornell University,

Louis J. Lanzerotti, Lucent Technologies,

Jeffrey Linsky, University of Colorado,

Dimitri M. Mihalas, University of Illinois,

Sabatino Sofia, Yale University, and

Roger K. Ulrich, University of California, Los Angeles.

Although the individuals listed above have provided many constructive comments and suggestions, responsibility for the final content of this report rests solely with the authoring task group and the NRC.