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Committee on Astronomy and Astrophysics A joint committee of the Space Studies Board and the Board on Physics and Astronomy.
Project Information
Committee Statement of Task The overarching purpose of the Committee on Astronomy and Astrophysics (CAA) is to support scientific progress in astronomy and astrophysics and assist the federal government in integrating and planning programs in these fields. The CAA scope spans the full range of astronomy and astrophysics research, including space- and ground-based observations. The committee's domain encompasses stellar, galactic, and extragalactic astronomy, particle astrophysics, cosmology, the search for extra-solar planets, and aspects of fundamental physics relating to astronomical objects. The CAA's scope also includes appropriate cross-disciplinary areas. The CAA provides an independent, authoritative forum for identifying and discussing issues in astronomy and astrophysics between the research community, the federal government, and the interested public. The CAA will also monitor the progress in implementation of the recommendations of the New Worlds New Horizons (NWNH) decadal survey--building on the survey that was tasked with "surveying the field of space- and ground-based astronomy and astrophysics and recommending priorities for the most important scientific and technical activities of the decade 2010-2020" and with formulating a decadal research strategy with recommendations for initiatives in priority order within different categories related to size of activities and their home agencies--and the consequences to NWNH and the research community of the changes in budget structure anticipated in the near future. The need for careful monitoring is underscored by the fact that some of the survey's recommendations are associated with a set of triggers and decision rules. Other developments that trigger the need for reassessment include cost growth and/or changes of scope in the project baseline. In fulfilling these responsibilities, the committee may formulate and oversee ad-hoc studies related to the implementation of the NWNH survey and on issues in astronomy and astrophysics more broadly, including: - The scientific quality and the potential for discovery in the field;
- The scientific impact of a change in the technical design, cost estimate, schedule, or programmatic sequencing of one or more of the decadal survey recommended activities;
- The impact of scientific advances on the technical design, schedule, or programmatic sequencing of one or more decadal survey recommended activities;
- The impact of changing budget priorities, especially those that challenge the fundamental assumptions of NWNH, on the implementation of decadal survey priorities and on astronomy and astrophysics research more broadly; and
- The potential impact on a recommended course of action at a decision point described in the decadal survey.
Upcoming Meetings and Events To be announced... Past Meetings and Events NRC Space Science Week
& CAA Meeting
March 6-8, 2013
Washington, DC
Download the Meeting Agenda
Download Presentations from the Meeting June 4-6, 2012
Keck Center of the National Academies
Room 101
Washington, DC
Download the Meeting Agenda
Download Presentations from the Meeting Committee Membership David N. Spergel (NAS), Co-Chair, Princeton University
Paul L. Schechter (NAS), Co-Chair, Massachusetts institute of Technology
Jeremiah K. Darling, University of Colorado, Boulder
Megan Donahue, Michigan State University
Debra Fischer, Yale University
Joshua A. Frieman, Fermilab and University of Chicago
Charles F. Gammie, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Timothy M. Heckman, Johns Hopkins University
Lynne Hillenbrand, California Institute of Technology
Robert P. Kirshner (NAS), Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Christopher F. McKee (NAS), University of California, Berkeley
Rene A. Ong, University of California, Los Angeles
Eve C. Ostriker, Princeton University
Marcia J. Rieke (NAS), University of Arizona
J. Craig Wheeler, University of Texas, Austin
Eric M. Wilcots, University of Wisconsin, Madison
A. Thomas Young (NAE), Lockheed Martin (Ret.)
View Member Bios NRC Staff David Lang, Program Officer
Lewis Groswald, Research Associate
Dionna Williams, Program Associate Past Meeting Presentations March 6-8, 2013*
Washington, DC - Overview and Kepler Update -- Dimitar Sasselov, Harvard/Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and Harvard Origins of Life Initiative
- Results from Radial-Velocity Surveys -- Debra Fischer, Yale University
- Exoplanet Demographics and The Future of the Field -- Scott Tremaine, Institute for Advanced Study
- Modeling Exoplanets -- Adam Showman, University of Arizona
- The Science of Exoplanets and Their Systems -- Linda Elkins-Tanton
- Update on JWST -- Eric Smith, NASA
- NASA current and future activities, FY14 and Beyond Outlook -- Paul Hertz, NASA/SMD
- NSF current and future activities, FY14 and Beyond Outlook -- Jim Ulvestad, NSF/AST
- DOE current and future activities, FY13 and Beyond Outlook -- Jim Siegrist, DOE/HEP
*CAPS-CAA-CSSP-CESAS Plenary Session presentations will be posted on the Space Science Week page June 4-6, 2012
Washington, DC - James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Update & Outlook -- Rick Howard, JWST Program Director, NASA
- New Developments in Astronomy and Astrophysics -- Paul Hertz, Associate Administrator for NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD)
- Implication of New Developments for the Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey -- Alan Dressler, Observatories of the Carnegie Institute
- NASA Astrophysics Current and Future Activities: FY2013 and Beyond Outlook -- Paul Hertz, Associate Administrator for NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD)
- The Future of Exoplanet Astronomy -- Jim Kasting, Pennsylvania State University; outgoing ExoPAG Chair (Exoplanet Exploration Program Analysis Group)
- The Future of Exoplanet Astronomy -- Scott Gaudi, The Ohio State University
- Dept. of Energy Current and Future Activities: FY2013 and Beyond Outlook -- Jim Siegrist, DOE/HEP
- National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Astronomical Sciences (AST) Current and Future Activities: FY2013 and Beyond Outlook -- Jim Ulvestad, Division Director, NSF AST
Related Report-writing Activities Related report-writting activities are listed below. Complete information on past astronomy and astrophysics decadal surveys can be found on the Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Surveys web page. - Assessment of a Plan for U.S. Participation in Euclid (2012)
- 2020 Vision: An Overview of New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics (2011)
- Implementing Recommendations from New Worlds, New Horizons Decadal Survey (2011)
- Panel Reports--New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophyiscs (2010)
- New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics (2010)
- NASA's Beyond Einstein Program: An Architecture for Implementation (2007)
- A Performance Assessment of NASA’s Astrophysics Program (2007)
- Review of the Science Requirements for the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (2005)
- The Review of Progress in Astronomy and Astrophysics toward the Decadal Vision (The Mid-Course Review) (2005)
- “Terrestrial Planet Finder Mission (TPF),” letter report (2004)
- "Review of USAF-Supported Astronomical Research" letter report (2004
- “Space Interferometry Mission (SIM),” letter report (2002)
- "Scientific Assessment of the Descoped Mission Concept for the Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST)," letter report (2001)
- U.S. Astronomy and Astrophysics: Managing an Integrated Program (2001)
- Astronomy and Astrophysics in the New Millennium (2001)
- Astronomy and Astrophysics in the New Millennium: Panel Reports (2001)
- Astronomy and Astrophysics in the New Millennium: An Overview (2001)
- Federal Funding of Astronomical Research (2000)
- “On Antarctic Astronomy,” letter report (1999)
- "On the National Science Foundation's Facility Instrumentation Program," letter report (1999)
- "On ESA's FIRST and Planck Missions," letter report (1998)
- A New Science Strategy for Space Astronomy and Astrophysics (1997)
- "On the Optimum Phasing for SIRTF", letter report (1996)
- A Strategy for Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy, Panel on Ground-Based Optical and Infrared Astronomy (1995
- "On the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) and the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA)," letter report (1994)
- "On the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF) and the Cassini Saturn Probe", letter report (1994)
- "On the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF)," letter report (1993)
- The Decade of Discovery in Astronomy and Astrophysics (1991)
- Astronomy and Astrophysics for the 1980’s, Volume 2: Reports of the Panels (1983)
- Astronomy and Astrophysics for the 1980’s, Volume 1: Report of the Astromony Survey Committee (1982)
- Astronomy and Astrophysics for the 1970’s (1972)
- Ground-Based Astronomy: A Ten-Year Program (1964)
Sponsor The committee is pleased to acknowledge support from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Science Foundation. |
