The ASTRONET Infrastructure Roadmap: A Strategic Plan for European Astronomy The ASTRONET Infrastructure Roadmap: A Strategic Plan for European Astronomy European for Plan A Strategic Roadmap: Infrastructure The ASTRONET The ASTRONET Infrastructure Roadmap This document has been created by the Infrastructure Roadmap Working Group and Panels under the auspices of ASTRONET, acting on behalf of the following member agencies: ARRS (SI), BMBF and PT-DESY (DE), IA CAS (CZ), CNRS/INSU (FR), DFG (DE), ESA (INT), ESO (INT), ESF (EE), FWF (AT), GNCA (GR), HAS (HU), SAS (SK), INAF (IT), LAS (LT), MICINN (ES), MPG (DE), NCBiR (PL), NOTSA (Nordic), NWO (NL), RSA (RO), SER (CH), SRC (SE), STFC (UK), UAS (UA). Editors: Michael F. Bode, Maria J. Cruz & Frank J. Molster ISBN: 978-3-923524-63-1 Acknowledgments: The ASTRONET project has been made possible via the generous support of the European Commission through Framework Programme 6. We gratefully acknowledge the tremendous amount of work that has been undertaken by the total of over 60 scientists and programme managers from across Europe who have given their time to the formulation of the Infrastructure Roadmap with dedication and enthusiasm. We acknowledge the help received from the ‘computergroep’ of the Leiden Observatory in setting up and hosting the web-based discussion forum. We also thank the Liverpool John Moores University Conference and Events team, Computing and Information Services department and the staff and students of the LJMU Astrophysics Research Institute who helped with the organisation and running of the Roadmap Symposium, and the astronomical community at large for their invaluable input to the whole process. Finally, we are grateful to ESO/ESA/ST-ECF for the design and production of this book. Copyright: ASTRONET, 2008 Reproduction is permitted, provided the source is acknowledged. Neither ASTRONET nor any person acting on behalf of ASTRONET is responsible for the use by others of the information contained in this publication or can be held responsible for any errors that may remain in the text. TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary 7 1 Introduction 13 1.1 Context 13 1.2 Astronomy in Europe Today 14 1.3 About this Document 19 2 Approach and Scope 21 2.1 How We Worked 21 2.2 Interrelationships 23 2.3 Boundaries and Information Gathering 24 2.4 Evaluation 25 3 High Energy Astrophysics, Astroparticle Astrophysics and Gravitational Waves (Panel A) 27 3.1 Introduction 27 3.2 High Priority New Projects 28 3.2.1 Ground-Based, Near-Term (–2015) 28 3.2.1.1 Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) 28 3.2.1.2 KM3NeT 30 3.2.1.3 A Comment Concerning the Future of Ultra-High Energy Cosmic-Ray Facilities 31 3.2.2 Space-Based, Near-Term (–2015) 32 3.2.2.1 Simbol-X 32 3.2.3 Space-Based, Medium-Term (2016–2020) 33 3.2.3.1 X-ray Evolving Universe Spectroscopy (XEUS) / International X-ray Observatory (IXO) 33 3.2.3.2 Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) 34 3.2.4 Ongoing Space Missions 35 3.2.4.1 XMM-Newton 35 3.2.4.2 INTEGRAL 36 3.2.4.3 Other Facility Continuations and Technology Preparation 36 3.2.5 Perceived Gaps and Technology Development for Future Facilities 36 3.2.5.1 National and Bilateral Missions 36 3.2.5.2 Specific Gaps Identified from the Science Vision 37 3.2.5.3 Technology Development 37 3.3 Conclusions 37 4 Ultraviolet, Optical, Infrared and Radio/mm Astronomy (Panel B) 39 4.1 Introduction 39 4.2 High Priority New Projects 41 4.2.1 Ground-Based, Near-Term (–2015) 41 4.2.1.1 Development of Wide-Field, Multiplexed Spectrographs for Large Optical Telescopes 41 4.2.2 Ground-Based, Medium-Term (2016–2020) 42 4.2.2.1 European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) 42 4.2.2.2 The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) 44 4.2.2.3 Timeline for the E-ELT and SKA Decision Process — Recommendation 46 4.2.3 Space-Based, Near-Term (–2015) 47 4.2.3.1 Gaia Data Analysis and Processing 47 4.2.4 Space-Based, Medium-Term (2016–2020) 48 4.2.4.1 EUCLID (formerly DUNE and SPACE) 48 4.2.4.2 Planetary Transits and Oscillations of Stars (PLATO) 49 4.2.4.3 Space Infrared Telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics (SPICA) 50 4.2.5 Space-Based, Long-Term (2020+) 51 4.2.5.1 Darwin and the Far Infrared Interferometer (FIRI) 51 4.3 Existing Facilities 53 4.3.1 2–4 m-class Optical Telescopes 53 4.3.1.1 Background 53 4.3.1.2 Science Vision 53 4.3.1.3 Towards a Pan-European Organisation of SMFs 54 4.3.1.4 Situation in the US 54 4.3.2 8–10 m-class Optical Telescopes 54 4.3.3 Millimetre and Submillimetre Telescopes 56 4.3.4 Radio Observatories 58 TABLE OF CONTENTS 4.4 Perceived Gaps and Technology Development for Future Facilities 58 4.5 Concluding Remarks 60 5 Solar Telescopes, Solar System Missions, Laboratory Studies (Panel C) 63 5.1 Introduction 63 5.2 High Priority New Projects 64 5.2.1 Ground-Based, Medium-Term (2016–2020) 64 5.2.1.1 European Solar Telescope (EST) 64 5.2.2 Space-Based, Near-Term (–2015) 66 5.2.2.1 Solar Orbiter 66 5.2.2.2 ExoMars 66 5.2.3 Space-Based, Medium-Term (2016–2020) 67 5.2.3.1 Cross-Scale 67 5.2.3.2 Marco Polo 68 5.2.3.3 Titan and Enceladus Mission (TandEM) 69 5.2.3.4 LAPLACE 70 5.2.4 Space-Based, Long-Term (2020+) 71 5.2.4.1 Probing Heliospheric Origins with an Inner Boundary Observing Spacecraft (PHOIBOS) 71 5.2.5 Ongoing Space Missions with Probable Applications for Mission Extensions 71 5.2.5.1 Cluster 72 5.2.5.2 STEREO 72 5.2.5.3 Hinode 72 5.3 Perceived Gaps 72 5.4 Concluding Remarks and Priorities 73 5.5 Recommendations 74 5.6 Laboratory Astrophysics 74 5.6.1 Introduction 74 5.6.2 Relation to the Science Vision 75 5.6.3 Recommendations 76 5.6.4 Costs, Training and Industrial Relevance 77 6 Theory, Computing Facilities and Networks, Virtual Observatory (Panel D) 79 6.1 Introduction 79 6.2 The Virtual Observatory (VO) 80 6.2.1 Future Development of the VO 82 6.2.2 VO Compliance 82 6.2.3 Computing within the VO 83 6.3 Impact of VO on Theory 83 6.4 Astrophysical Software Laboratory (ASL) 84 6.4.1 Collaborative Networks 84 6.4.2 ASL Structure and Role 85 6.5 Computational Resources 85 6.5.1 Major Computers 85 6.5.2 Data Networks and Data Grids 86 6.5.3 Grid Computing 88 6.5.4 Screensaver Science 89 6.6 Recommendations 90 7 Education, Recruitment and Training, Public Outreach (Panel E) 93 7.1 Introduction 93 7.2 Background 94 7.3 Education 94 7.3.1 University Education and Recruitment 94 7.3.2 Primary and Secondary Schools 95 7.4 Communication 99 7.4.1 Science Museums and Planetaria 99 7.4.2 Public Communication and Outreach 100 7.4.3 Relationships with Industry 103 7.5 Exploitation of Facilities and the Impact on Recruitment and Training 103 7.6 Summary and Implementation 104 TABLE OF CONTENTS 8 The Synthesised Roadmap 107 8.1 Introduction 107 8.2 Future Observational Facilities 108 8.2.1 Ground-Based, Large-Scale 108 8.2.2 Ground-Based, Medium-Scale 109 8.2.3 Ground-Based, Small-Scale 109 8.2.4 Space-Based, Large-Scale 110 8.2.5 Space-Based, Medium-Scale 112 8.3 Existing Observational Facilities 114 8.3.1 Existing Ground-Based Facilities and those in the Late Stages of Development 114 8.3.2 Ongoing Space Missions and those in the Late Stages of Development 116 8.4 Perceived Gaps and Opportunities in Europe’s Future Observational Capability 117 8.5 Laboratory Astrophysics 118 8.6 Theory, Computing Facilities and Networks, Virtual Observatory 119 8.6.1 Virtual Observatory (VO) 119 8.6.2 Astrophysical Software Laboratory (ASL) 119 8.6.3 High Performance Computing and Grids 119 8.7 Education, Recruitment and Training, Public Outreach, Industrial Links 120 8.7.1 Education 120 8.7.2 Communication 121 8.7.3 Exploitation of Facilities and the Impact on Recruitment and Training 121 8.8 Human Resources 122 8.9 Technology Development and Industrial Applications 123 8.9.1 Technology Development 123 8.9.2 Industrial Applications 124 8.10 Funding, Costs and Major Decision Points in Roadmap Implementation 126 8.10.1 Funding 126 8.10.2 Costs and Major Decision Points 127 8.10.2.1 Ground-Based Facilities 127 8.10.2.2 Space-Based Facilities 129 8.10.2.3 Overall Cost Profiles 129 8.10.2.4 Laboratory Astrophysics 132 8.10.2.5 Theory, Computing and Networks, Virtual Observatory 132 8.10.2.6 Education, Recruitment and Training, Public Outreach 132 8.10.2.7 Conclusions Regarding Funding 133 8.10.2.8 Other Issues 133 8.11 Conclusions and Next Steps 139 Appendix I Science Vision Goals 141 Appendix II Contributors 143 Appendix III Initial Terms of Reference 145 III.A Panels A–C 145 III.B Panel D 145 III.C Panel E 145 III.D Working Group 146 Appendix IV List of Facilities 147 IV.A Facilities Surveyed by Panel A 147 IV.B Facilities Surveyed by Panel B 147 IV.C Facilities Surveyed by Panel C 148 IV.D ASTRONET Questionnaire 148 Appendix V Appendices Relevant to Theory, Computing Facilities and Networks, Virtual Observatory (Panel D) 150 V.A The VO in Europe 150 V.B Computing Centres in Europe 153 V.C Software and Codes 156 V.D Networks and Consortia 157 V.E Examples of the Use of Grid Computing in Astronomy 157 V.F Example of the Use of Widely Distributed CPU 158 TABLE OF CONTENTS V.G Estimates of Manpower and Computing Power 158 V.H Costs and Budget for the Coming Years (National and Global) 159 Appendix VI Appendices Relevant to Education, Recruitment and Training, Public Outreach (Panel E) 161 VI.A Task Group Membership 161 VI.B University Education and Recruitment 161 VI.C Primary and Secondary School Education 162 VI.D Science Museums and Planetaria 165 VI.E Public Communication and Outreach 166 VI.F Relationships with Industry 167 List of Abbreviations 169 Executive Summary Background: The Global Context Astronomy is experiencing a golden era.