April 28, 2019 Dr. France A. Córdova, Director National Science Foundation 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Suite 19000 Alexandria, VA 22314 Mr. James Bridenstine, Administrator Office of the Administrator NASA Headquarters Washington, DC 20546-0001 Mr. Richard Perry, Secretary of Energy U.S. Department of Energy 1000 Independence Ave., SW Washington, DC 20585 The Honorable Eddie Bernice Johnson, Chairwoman Committee on Science, Space and Technology United States House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 The Honorable Roger Wicker, Chairman Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Lamar Alexander, Chairman Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 Headquarters: 65-1120 Mamalahoa Highway, Kamuela, HI 96743 Phone (808) 885-7887 l Fax (808) 885-4464 Dear Dr. Córdova, Mr. Bridenstine, Secretary Perry, Chairwoman Johnson, Chairman Wicker, and Chairman Alexander: I am pleased to transmit to you the annual report of the Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee for 2018. As you are aware, this year’s report was delayed due to the partial government shutdown early in 2019. The Committee thanks you for your patience, and apologizes for the delay in sending the report. The Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee was established under the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 Public Law 107-368 to: (1) assess, and make recommendations regarding, the coordination of astronomy and astrophysics programs of the Foundation and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the Department of Energy; (2) assess, and make recommendations regarding, the status of the activities of the Foundation and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the Department of Energy as they relate to the recommendations contained in the National Research Council's 2010 report entitled New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics, and the recommendations contained in subsequent National Research Council reports of a similar nature; (3) not later than March 15 of each year, transmit a report to the Director, the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Secretary of Energy, the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation of the United States Senate, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the United States Senate, and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the United States House of Representatives, on the Advisory Committee's findings and recommendations under paragraphs (1) and (2). The attached document is the sixteenth such report. The executive summary is followed by the report, with findings and recommendations for NSF, NASA and DOE regarding their support of the nation’s astronomy and astrophysics research enterprise, along with detailed recommendations concerning specific projects and programs. If there are any matters your offices would like AAAC input on in addition to this report, I would be glad to provide you with a personal briefing. Sincerely yours, on behalf of the Committee, Dr. John O’Meara Chair, Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee cc: Representative Frank Lucas, Ranking Member, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, United States House of Representatives Senator Maria Cantwell, Ranking Member, Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, United States Senate Senator Patty Murray, Ranking Member, Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions, United States Senate Senator Jerry Moran, Chairman, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, United States Senate Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, United States Senate Senator Lisa Murkowski, Chairwoman, Committee on Energy & Natural Resources, United States Senate Senator Joseph Manchin, Ranking Member, Committee on Energy & Natural Resources, United States Senate Representative Bobby L. Rush, Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Energy Representative Fred Upton, Ranking Member, Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Energy Representative José Serrano, Chairman, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, United States House of Representatives Representative Robert Aderholt, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, United States House of Representatives Senator Lamar Alexander, Chairman, Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development Committee on Appropriations, United States Senate Senator Dianne Feinstein, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, Committee on Appropriations, United States Senate Representative Marcy Kaptur, Chairwoman, Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, United States House of Representatives Representative Mike Simpson, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, Committee on Appropriations, United States House of Representatives Dr. F. Fleming Crim, Chief Operating Officer, Office of the Director, National Science Foundation Dr. James Ulvestad, Chief Officer for Research Facilities, Office of the Director, National Science Foundation Dr. Anne Kinney, Assistant Director, Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences, National Science Foundation Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Mr. Dennis Andrucyk, Deputy Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Dr. Paul Hertz, Director, Astrophysics Division, Science Mission Directorate, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Mr. Gabriel Adler, Office of Legislative Affairs, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Dr. J. Stephen Binkley, Deputy Director for Science Programs, Office of Science, U.S. Department of Energy Dr. James Siegrist, Director, Office of High Energy Physics, Office of Science, U.S. Department of Energy Dr. Glen Crawford, Division Director, Research and Technology Division, Office of High Energy Physics, Office of Science, U.S. Department of Energy Dr. Kathleen Turner, Program Manager, Office of High Energy Physics, Office of Science, U.S. Department of Energy Dr. Yi Pei, Program Examiner, NSF, Office of Management and Budget Dr. Grace Hu, Program Examiner, NASA, Office of Management and Budget Dr. Avital Bar-Shalom, Program Examiner, DOE, Office of Management and Budget Dr. Deborah Lockhart, Deputy Assistant Director, Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences, National Science Foundation Dr. Richard Green, Division Director, Division of Astronomical Sciences, National Science Foundation Dr. Ralph Gaume, Deputy Division Director, Division of Astronomical Sciences, National Science Foundation Dr. Christopher Davis, Program Director, Division of Astronomical Sciences, National Science Foundation Ms. Amanda Greenwell, Head, Office of Legislative and Public Affairs, National Science Foundation Ms. Karen Pearce, Senior Legislative Affairs Specialist, Office of Legislative and Public Affairs, National Science Foundation Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee Members: Dr. Rachel Bean, Cornell University Dr. Andrew Connolly, University of Washington Dr. Ian Dell’Antonio, Brown University Dr. Scott Dodelson, Carnegie-Mellon University Dr. Dieter Hartmann, Clemson University Dr. Kelsey Johnson, University of Virginia Dr. Mansi Kasliwal, California Institute of Technology Dr. Brian Keating, University of California, San Diego Dr. Eliza Kempton, University of Maryland Dr. Shane Larson, Northwestern University Dr. Petrus Martens, Georgia State University Dr. John O’Meara, W.M. Keck Observatory Dr. Constance Rockosi, University of California, Santa Cruz Report of the Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee April 26, 2019 Image credit: Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration Table of Contents Report of the Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee 1 Executive Summary 3 Collected Findings and Recommendations 3 1. Introduction 10 2. Highlights of 2018 11 3. Overview of Interagency Coordination and Cooperation 16 3.1 Past and Current Coordination and Cooperation 16 3.2 Opportunities for Future Coordination and Collaboration 17 4. Implementation of Decadal Survey Recommendations 22 4.1 Priorities Addressed or Under Implementation 22 4.1.1 Space-based Projects 22 4.1.2 Ground-based Projects 29 4.1.3 Other Initiatives or Recommendations In Progress 34 4.2 Major Initiatives or Priorities Not Yet Started 36 4.3 Summary and Recommendations 38 5. GBS SubCommittee Report 39 6. Preparation for 2020 Decadal Survey 40 6.1 General preparation informed by past experience 40 6.2 Upcoming Mission Concept Development 42 6.3 Impact of the Decadal Survey Process 43 7. Budget Summary and Impact 44 Appendix A: Explanation of Acronyms 46 2 Executive Summary We list our complete set of findings and recommendations below. The findings and recommendations are developed and supported in the body of the report. Acronyms are introduced in the text and are listed in Appendix A. Collected Findings and Recommendations 1. Finding: The continuing US investment in fundamental research by DOE, NASA, and NSF has enabled important new discoveries in astronomy and astrophysics, and extended the access to this science through public data releases and outstanding