AST Supported Programs for Astronomical Instrumentation

Division of Astronomical Sciences

Program Officers:Andrew Clegg, Jeff Pier, Gary Schmidt

Instrumentation AST CoV 2011

Instrumentation Programs

ATI (Advanced Technologies and Instrumentation)OIR, AO, Computing, Radio/sub-mm

MRI (Major Research Instrumentation)OIR, AO, Computing, Radio/sub-mm

TSIP (Telescope System Instrumentation Program)

ReSTAR (Renewing Small Telescopes for Astronomical Research)

Dormant during 2008-2010:

PREST (Program for Research and Education with Small Telescopes)

AODP (Adaptive Optics Development Program)

Instrumentation AST CoV 2011

Just one highlight…

672-actuator adaptive secondary for 8m LBT achieves Strehl ratio of 84% at 1.6 m with natural guide star

(funded from MRI/ATI)

Instrumentation AST CoV 2011

Advanced Technologies and Instrumentation (ATI)

• Funds development of hardware/software technologies with application to astronomy, or the use of existing technologies for new astronomical applications

• ATI budget ~$10M per year

• Panels based on proposal pressure (all wavelengths; hardware and computing; solar and night-time)

• Panel review plus written specialist reviews (4-6 total). Some co-reviewed with AAG.

• Annual deadline November 1

• Also rapid-response, exploratory (SGER/RAPID/EAGER; $200-300K max), supplement and REU Proposals

Instrumentation AST CoV 2011

Program Management

• Instrument Programs differ from regular AAG Awards

– Complex management to bring an instrument from design to commissioning

– Delays lead to no-cost extensions and/or supplementary funding

• POs attend technical meetings to track technological innovations

• Crossover and repetition of proposal submission to different programs

Award Size Average Maximum # Active Awards

ATI

$882,000

(up from $506,000 2005-07)

$2,200,000 ($7M

exception)~40

MRI $1,060,000 $5,044,000 ~15

Instrumentation AST CoV 2011

Cumulative ATI Funding FY08-FY10(Includes approx $10M ARRA FY09)

19,292,528

6,052,072

12,949,642

939,55289,507 317,309643,364

$0

$5,000,000

$10,000,000

$15,000,000

$20,000,000

OIRAORadio/sub-mmComputingMeetingSupplementEAGER/RAPID

Instrumentation AST CoV 2011

ATI Proposal Trends FY08-FY10

22

5

10

2

12

3

18

5

8

3

14

6

21

5

15

2

15

3

15

13

19

0

5

10

15

20

25

2008 2009 2010 2011

OIR

OIR Funded

AO

AO Funded

Radio/sub-mm

Radio Funded

Success rates

2008 22.7%2009 33.5% (ARRA)2010 21.6%

3-yr rate: 26%

Nu

mbe

r of

pro

posa

ls

(Incl. ARRA)

Instrumentation AST CoV 2011

ATI Funding Directions

• Optical/IR detectors, imagers, and spectrographs (15 awards)– Wide field imaging– Optical and Infrared detector development– Reflective and nonreflective coating development– High-resolution spectrographs (prim. exoplanets)– Polarimeters

• Adaptive Optics, LGS technology and applications (7 awards)– Visible light applications (including solar)– Laser Guide Star Constellations

• Radio and sub-mm (12 awards)– Cameras (Focal Plane Arrays, TES, MKID detectors)– High frequency coherent receiver array development– High-speed correlator architecture– CMB (esp. B-mode polarimeters) and EOR (typ. 21 cm)

• Many of the directions pioneered by ATI were strongly advocated by Astro2010, but further pursuit is beyond ATI’s scope (mid-scale).

Instrumentation AST CoV 2011Instrumentation AST CoV 2011

Major Research Instrumentation (MRI)

• Funds instrument development and acquisition proposals for research and research training

– NSF-wide program (run by OIA – the Office of Integrative Activities)– Institutions may only submit up to 3 MRI proposals across all NSF disciplines– AST related proposals are reviewed through AST– Maximum funding has varied between $2M and $6M in FYs 2008-2010– 30% Cost sharing required for PhD granting and non-degree granting institutions– MRI requires set-aside for non-PhD-granting and minority-serving educational

institutions

• AST shares in Foundation-wide funds based upon proposal pressure. – After Foundation set-aside for Large (<$1M) proposals, typically 40%

– And after Directorate set-aside for remaining large proposals and “horse-trading”

• Typically 1 or 2 panels convened covering all AST proposal disciplines

• Usually 2 or 3 additional ad hoc reviews obtained from specialists– Co-reviews with other divisions when necessary

• Solicitation announces the Annual deadline: (usually 4th Thursday in January)

• Crossover of proposal topics with ATI

Instrumentation AST CoV 2011Instrumentation AST CoV 2011

Major Research Instrumentation (MRI)

Solicitation Awards Submitted % Success $M Awarded

2008 5 12 42 $3.8

2009-A 7 14 50 $6.0

2009-R^2 9 33 27 $12.5

2010 5 25 20 $5.2

Totals 26 84 31 $27.5

Some MRI Statistics 2008-2010:

Distribution Awards Percent $M Awarded $%

Comp* 2 8 0.5 2

OIR (AO) 17 (5) 65 (19) 17.3 (8.0) 63 (29)

Radio 7 27 9.7 35

Total 26 100 27.5 100

* Two major comp proposals ($1.5M + $2.3M) were co-reviewed by AST but funded elsewhere in FY10

Instrumentation AST CoV 2011Instrumentation AST CoV 2011

MRI Funding Directions• Spectrographs/IFUs

– Precision RV calibration systems (Laser Frequency Combs)– Stable/precise spectrographs/coronographs for exoplanet

detection/characterization– Gratings (silicon immersion; Volume-Phase Holographic)– High Resolution IR Spectrographs

• Adaptive Optics– Lasers– Multiple Beam Launch Systems– Deformable mirrors with large number of elements

• Radio Telescope Instrumentation– Sub-mm cameras (TES, MKIDS)– Phased array feeds– CMB B mode polarization

• High Performance Computing Clusters

Instrumentation AST CoV 2011Instrumentation AST CoV 2011

NOAO Managed Programs: (1)Telescope System Instrumentation Program (TSIP)

• Funding to develop new instrumentation, upgrade existing instruments for telescopes operated by non-federally-funded U.S. observatories with telescopes of 3-10m aperture.

• “system access” mechanism for direct exchange of telescope time for use by the community in exchange for operations funding.

• Proposals are solicited annually and are competitively reviewed. Review panel recommendations forwarded to AST for approval

• Awards made to– Keck– MMT– LBT– Magellan– WIYN (ODI)

• Funding Levels:– $32M over the past 9 years (FY02 FY10)– ($4M per year every year except that FY05 & FY06 were funded at $2M/yr)

Instrumentation AST CoV 2011Instrumentation AST CoV 2011

NOAO Managed Programs (2): Renewing Small Telescopes for Astronomical Research (ReSTAR)

• Funding for 2 5 meter telescope instrumentation (new or upgrades) in exchange for community access in response to the ReSTAR Report

• Can also fund direct exchange of telescope time

• First of three 3-phase proposals submitted FY08

• Each phase is for 3 years at approximately $10M

• Year 1 of Phase 1 awarded $3M (KOSMOS, Mosaic and Hydra upgrades, Hale telescope spectroscopic time)

• Year 2 awarded $3.9M (COSMOS and TripleSpec)

• Phase 2 solicitation released in December – inviting institutions to propose to partner with NOAO to develop/enhance capabilities that

– Are responsive to the ReSTAR report

– Balance System capabilities

AST Program Officer works closely with NOAO for both programs including attending the panel reviews and advising on funding decisions.