Astro2010 Panel on Particle Astrophysics and Gravitation (PAG)

Summary

As one of the four Astro2010 Program Prioritization Panels (PPP) the PAG panel is charged with recommending a prioritized, balanced, and integrated research program which includes a rank ordering of research activities and a balanced technology development program.  This panel will include all projects exploring areas at the interface of physics and astronomy such as gravitational radiation, TeV gamma-ray astronomy, and free-flying space missions testing fundamental gravitational physics. ”

Project Information

• Statement of Task
• Committee Members and NRC Staff
• Meetings
• Community Input
• Sponsor
• Astro2010 Survey Committee
• The National Academies' Current Projects System

Statement of Task

The Astronomy and Astrophysics 2010 Program Prioritization Panel on Particle Astrophysics and Gravitation (PAG) will identify and recommend a prioritized program of federal investment in research activities exploring areas at the interface of physics and astronomy such as gravitational radiation, TeV gamma-ray astronomy, and free-flying space missions testing fundamental gravitational physics. In formulating its conclusions, the PAG panel will draw on several sources of information: (1) the science forefronts identified by the Astro2010 science frontiers panels, (2) input from the proponents of research activities, and (3) independent cost and technical readiness assessments. The PAG panel's recommendations will be integrated into a program for all of astronomy and astrophysics by the Astro2010 Committee.

In particular, the Astronomy and Astrophysics 2010 Program Prioritization Panel on Particle Astrophysics and Gravitation will:

1. Report on the status of existing PAG research activities to set the context for future research activities, incorporating findings of the Study Groups.
2. Preview and compare proposed PAG research activities including those carried forward from previous surveys that have not been given a formal construction start.
3. State the relative importance of (a) smaller projects and generic research programs that involve competitive peer review and (b) programs that leverage public and private infrastructure investments, where appropriate.
4. Assess and describe best available estimates of the construction costs and lifetimes for each recommended research activity together with their full running costs (operations, science, and upgrades).
5. Identify particular risks for each research activity that would adversely affect the projected cost, technical readiness, or schedule of the activity. Identify those factors that could change an activity's priority and/or scope.
6. Informed by (a) the recommendations of the science frontier panels and (b) the panel's own research activity assessments, recommend a prioritized, balanced, and integrated research program which includes a rank ordering of research activities and a balanced technology development program. A preliminary recommended program will be used to identify activities that will be subject to an independent technical evaluation and cost estimate. The panel's final recommendation to the Survey Committee will include consideration of the results of the independent technical evaluation and cost estimate.

In completing this task, each PPP will provide the Astronomy and Astrophysics 2010 Committee’s Subcommittee on Programs with an interim internal and confidential summary report of its recommended program in the Fall of 2009 and complete its panel report thereafter.  The panel reports will be published following the release of the survey committee’s report in 2010.
 

Committee Members and NRC Staff

Jacqueline Hewitt, Chair, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Eric Adelberger, University of Washington
Andreas Albrecht, University of California at Davis
Elena Aprile, Columbia University
Jonathan Arons, University of California at Berkeley
Barry Barish, California Institute of Technology
Joan Centrella, NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center
Douglas Finkbeiner, Harvard University
Kathy Flanagan, Space Telescope Science Institute
Gabriela Gonzalez, Louisiana State University
Jim Hartle, University of California at Santa Barbara
Steve Kahn, Stanford University
Jeremy Kasdin, Princeton University
Teresa Montaruli, University of Wisconsin at Madison
Angela Olinto, University of Chicago
Rene Ong, University of California at Los Angeles
Helen Quinn, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center

NRC Staff

Don Shapero, Director BPA
Michael Moloney, Astro2010 Study Director
Jim Lancaster, Program Officer BPA
LaVita Coates-Fogle, Senior Program Assistant, BPA

Meetings

Meeting 1: May 12-13, 2009, Irvine, CA (This meeting is closed in its entirety.)
Meeting 2: June 8-11, 2009, Pasadena, CA
Meeting 3: September 17-19, 2009 Woods Hole, MA

Sponsor

The committee is pleased to acknowledge support from the NASA, the NSF, and the DOE.

The National Academies' Current Projects System

The National Academies' Current Projects System maintains the public record of a committees' activities compliant to Section 15 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act.  Visit the Astro2010 Panel on Particle Astrophysics and GravitationCurrent Projects page for more information.