INAF-OACTDirector’s Talk

2004-2007

History

1445 – Foundation of the Catania University(To no Sicilians will it be permitted to study but in Catania…. King Alfonso

d’Aragona June 9 1445)

1788 – First “Cattedra di Astronomia” (VincenzoZuccarello)

1880 – Foundation of the Osservatorio VincenzoBellini (Etna 2940 m a.s.l. Pietro Tacchini)

1885 – Foundation of the city building (at the“Monastero dei Benedettini”)

1890 – First “Cattedra di Astrofisica”(Annibale Riccò)

Marcello Rodonò29 Jan 1941 - 23 Oct 2005

Directors 2004-2007

Santo Catalano 1/1/02-19/7/05Marcello Rodonò 20/7/05-23/10/05Santo Catalano 24/10/05-28/2/06Giovanni Strazzulla 1/3/06-today

The Catania Astrophysical Observatory (INAF-OACT) is one of the nineteenresearch centers of the Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF).

We have two centers. The main center, dedicated to A. Riccò, is inside theCatania University Campus, where research offices, library, laboratories, opto-mechanic workshops, and the solar observing station are located.

The second one, dedicated to M.G. Fracastoro, is a mountain observing stationon the south-west side of Mt. Etna at 1750 m a.s.l. (Ragalna, CT), where fivetelescopes and a guesthouse are located.

Today

Local collaborations

There is a complete integration with the Astrophysical section of theDepartment of Physics and Astronomy of the local University with commonresources (students, personnel, laboratories etc)

The Observatory is member of the “Consorzio ScuolaSuperiore di Catania” an excellence Universitary School

Other Local Collaborations:- National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN)- Some institutes of Italian CNR (ConsiglioNazionale delle Ricerche)

- Factories: ST-Microelectronics, HITECH

201666Res (non staff)

27292926Res Staff

41404044Tech/Adm

2007200620052004Personnel

Staff

40

16

29

Tech/adm non permanent res Research

40

6

29

Tech/adm non permanent res Research

44

6

26

Tech/adm non permanent res Research

2004 2005

2006 2007

41

20

27

Tech/adm non permanent res Research

• The total number of permanent staffpersonnel (2007) is 68: 27 researchers (ofwhich 6 women, 22%) and 41 techniciansand administrative (15 women, 37%). Thenumber of non staff research personnelduring 2007 has been 20 (7 women, 35%).

Permanent research staff

0

4

8

12

16

20

N

2004 2005 2006 2007

Full

Associated

Researchers

• Two researchers are permanently working at theTelescopio Nazionale Galileo (Canary Islands,Spain).

• In the next three years no retirements areforeseen for the scientific staff. One fullastronomer (Massimo Turatto) is waiting to beappointed being the winner of a publiccompetition.

• A competition for two junior positions shouldstart within this year.

Non-Permanent research staff

0

4

8

12

N

2004 2005 2006 2007

Researchers

Fellows

PostDoc

In addition about ten PhD students whose salary is provided by theUniversity, have as co-tutor researchers of the Observatory staff.

1310135510461149TOTAL (keuro)

1641Contracts

Industries

35353560Investment

210TRIGRID

Sicilian Region

292540UE- Virtual Observatory

380UE-MARIE CURIE

1363Projects

UE-European Union

360ASI- Project WSO/UV

35601ASI CONTRACTS

ASI-Italian Space Agency

250250COMETA PROJECT

200MUR PON INTRANET

20182020MUR Outreach

45170140PRIN MUR (competitive)

MUR Italian Ministry for University and Research

EXTERNAL

170INAF – UIT (competitive)

90PRIN INAF (competitive)

520540520485INAF-FFO

INTERNAL

2007200620052004Incoming Funds (kiloeuro)

NOTE: Part of the funds in red are for external contractors

INAF-OACT

Director

AdministrationServices

Library

ComputingCenter

TechnicalOffice

Storehouse

General

Laboratories R&D

ExperimentalAstrophysics

Detectors

HPC

Telescope

Automation

Optic/Electronic

Observationand researches

SolarObservations

Etnean ObservingStation

ResearchProjects

Outreach

Mt. Etna as seen from the “A. Riccò” Observatory headquarters inCatania. The location of the “M.G. Fracastoro” mountain station (1725m a.s.l.) is indicated by the red arrow. Due to the nearby small crater“Mt. Vetore” the “M.G. Fracastoro” station results out of sight fromthe Catania headquarters

Cassegrain reflector 91cm, f/15.Operating with:-Photometer: filters UBV, Stromgren; res0.1 sec-Spectrograph (FRESCO Fiber-optic ReoscEchelle Spectrograph of CataniaObservatory). The camera has beendeveloped and is maintained by the COLDteam.

Schmidt large field reflector, 61-41cm,f/4.5. Presently it is on maintenance.

APT-80/1, Automated PhotometricTelescope (AutoScope Co., Tucson AZ,USA) Ritchey-Chretien 80cm, f/10,equipped with a photoelectric photometer(UBV).APT-80/2, Automated PhotometricTelescope (Marcon) Cassegrain 80cm,f/8, equipped with a CCD camera.MEADE 40cm, f/10, for visualobservations (outreach)

The automation of the telescopes is home-made by a group of technicians.

Solar observations are performed in Catania since more than a century.Equatorial spar: Cook refractor (150/2230 mm) and 6 optical benches.Daily observations, made available through the web page, consist of:- photosphere white light observations, sunspot shape and sunspot group drawing;-Chromosphere imaging in Hα (band width 0.25-0.5 A) using a CCD (2048 x2048 pixel, dynamical range 16 bit) camera; digital images are collected every 15 minat the line center and every 60 min at the wings.

The CCD controller has been developed and is maintained by the COLD team.

Hα "center" Continuum

Venus transit on the solar disk - June 08, 2004

Sunspot Drawing

Library

- More than 10.000 volumes, 410Journals , 234 historical books-Access to online Journals- Historical archive (1718-1954)

- Astronomical National Catalogues :CUBAI (Catalogo Unico Biblioteche AstronItal)ACNP (Archivio Collettivo NazionalePeriodici)OPAC (Online Public Access Catalogue)

CEDComputer center of the Catania Astrophysical Observatory.

Researchers

Distributions in the five Macroareas

1st choice 2nd choice

1. Cosmology 1 3

2. Stars and ISM 13 9

3. Sun and SS 8 6

4. Relativistic 0 3

5. Technology 3 3

Tot 25 24

Research interests :

• Multi-wavelength researches on: Sun, Solar System, Stars,Interstellar Medium, External Galaxies, Cosmology

• Astrobiology and search for extraterrestrial planets

• Space Missions (WSO-UV, Solar Orbiter; SOHO, GAIA, Planck,HELAS, Kepler, COROT )

• Laboratory experiments on energetic processing of solid materials

• Technological activities on detectors and focal-plane instruments

• High performance computing and Virtual Observatory (includingGRID-computing)

Laboratory studies of solids and molecules of astrophysicalinterest

3. Sun & SolarSystem

4:40 pmPalumbo MariaElisabetta

Field Camera Unit for WSO-UV (World Space Observatory forUltraviolet)

2. Stars and ISM4:15 pmPagano Isabella

Pre-main sequence and young stars2. Stars and ISM3:50 pmFrasca Antonio

Asteroseismology across the HR diagram2. Stars and ISM3:25 pmBonanno Alfio

Cosmology and astrophysical software technology (theory,simulation and VO-data exploration)

1/5 Cosmology/Technology

3:00 pmBecciani UgoAntonuccio-DeloguVincenzo

Break 1:30 pm

Circumstellar environments: towards a new era full ofopportunities (ALMA, PLANCK, HERSCHEL, VLA, SKA)

2. Stars and ISM1:00 pmUmana Grazia

Solar physics research projects3. Sun & SolarSystem

12:35 amSpadaro Daniele

Magnetic activity and rotation in late type stars2. Stars and ISM12:10 amLanza AntonioF.

Innovative detectors for astrophysical applications5. Technology11:45 amBonannoGiovanni

TITLEMacro-AreaTime(17.12.2007)

Speaker

Publications

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

2004 2005 2006 2007

Refereed

Invited

Conferences

TechRep et al

Outreach

One of the drawings of the competition “Osservail cielo e disegna le tue emozioni” (Observe thesky and draw your feelings) we organized forstudents of primary schools

Outreach

The next three years2008-2010

We have only 0.6 Meuro

We need 4 Meuro!!

We are ready to build upa new building (1100sqm).

Connected questionsObjective

Infrastructures

The next three years2008-2010

Res: I have to make thechoices taking into accountdifferent inputs

Res: how to govern a careerprogression?

Non res: Which adminduties will be on charge tothe central office?

Non Staff: we need toregulate the number atnational level.

Res: 1-2 new units/year

Non res: Turn over

Non Staff: ??

Connected questionsObjective

Personnel

The next three years2008-2010

ASI Management ofcomplex missions

Reg funds for technol reswith industrial partners

INAF 0.6 (0.5)

MUR 1.0 (0.3)

MISE 0.3 (0.0)

ASI 2.0 (0.4)

EU 0.1 (0.04)

Reg 1.0 (0.1)

Ind 0.1 (0.02)

Tot 5.1 (1.4)

Connected questionsObjective (Today)

Funds (Meuro/yr)

The next three years2008-2010

ResearchWe will try to find more internal synergies and international collaborations.Examples:InternalWe believe that several researches from different groups could contribute to:

WSO, Solar Orbiter and UV astronomy Science in preparation of ALMA Exoplanets & Astrobiology & Young Stars

Technological research Innovative detectors HPC (including GRID)

International collaborationsIn addition to the many collaborations that staff members already have afundamental improvement will be to offer to our students and Post-doc to havesignificant work-experiences abroad. We have already some of them that havebeen or presently are at foreign institutions (ESO, France, Germany, Holland, USA,etc etc).

The method I suggest to overcomeany critical point is the

PET-therapy

Passion! Enthusiasm! Toughness!