Developing a Science Vision for European Astronomy

1
Developing a Science Vision for European
Astronomy
Tim de Zeeuw

• Ambitious Plans
• ASTRONET an ERANET for Astronomy
• Science Vision as input for Roadmap
• SV Working Group and Panels
• Draft report, and Timeline

2
Ambitious Plans

• European astronomy plans through 2025
• Require several GEuro new investment/operations
• EU may fund maybe 5 (cf FP7)
• Bulk of the support to come from funding agencies
• Funding agencies want a comprehensive plan
• Covering all of astronomy, ground and space,
  including links with neighbouring fields
• Founded ASTRONET to develop this plan together
  with entire European astronomical community
• Prototype for equivalent of US Decadal Surveys

3
ASTRONET

• ERANET with FP6 funding from the EC
• PI Anne-Marie Lagrange
• Board Chair Johannes Andersen
• Participating agencies
• BMBF (Germany), CNRS/INSU (France), INAF (Italy),
  
• MEC (Spain), NOTSA (Nordic), NWO (Netherlands),
• PPARC (UK), PT-DESY (Germany), ESO
• Associate members
• MPG (Germany), ESA
• Others are joining

More information www.astronet-eu.org
4
ASTRONET Goals

• Develop Science Vision for European Astronomy
• Census of national strategic plans and
  infrastructure
• Science Vision Working Group
• Develop Infrastructure Roadmap for European
  Astronomy, and identify key technologies
• Targeted coordinated initiatives between partners

• Long-term planning towards achieving a
• world-leading position for European astronomy

cf L. Woltjer Europes Quest for the Universe
5
Census of Strategic Plans

• Web-based census structure (2006)
• Led by ESO
• Access via www.astronet-eu.org
• Available national strategic plans incorporated
• Denmark, France, Italy, Germany, Netherlands,
  Spain, UK
• All executive summaries will be provided in
  English
• Census of (inter)national European facilities
• Being completed

6
Developing the Science Vision

• Look broadly at key science questions in all of
  astronomy for the next two decades
• Observations, simulations, interpretation and
  theory
• Identify key facilities/actions needed to make
  progress
• Provides scientific input for the Roadmap (M.
  Bode lead)
• Make maximum use of available documents
• National strategic plans Cosmic Vision, ESA-ESO
  studies, science cases for new facilities
• Coordinate with ASPERA for astro-particle physics
• Broad cross section of science community
• About 50 people in Working Group and Panels
• Community input via web and Symposium

7
Developing the Science Vision

• Science Vision Working Group (2006-2007)
• Appointed by funding agencies
• Meetings in Leiden, March 10, October 6
• Four supporting panels (2 meetings, 2 telecons)
• Good distribution of expertise, gender,
  nationalities
• Four broad science questions
• A Do we understand the extremes of the Universe?
• B How do galaxies form and evolve?
• C How do stars and planets form?
• D How do we fit in?

8
Science Vision Working Group

• Members at large
• Michael Bode, Reinhard Genzel, Michael Perryman,
• Alvio Renzini, Rashid Sunyaev, Catherine Turon,
• Tim de Zeeuw (chair)
• Panel chairs and co-chairs
• A John Peacock, Claes Fransson
• B Jacqueline Bergeron, Robert Kennicutt
• C Leonardo Testi, Rafael Rebolo
• D Oscar von der Luhe, Therese Encrenaz

9
Panel A

• Do we understand the extremes of the Universe?
• How did the Universe begin?
• What is dark matter and dark energy?
• Can we observe strong gravity in action?
• What do compact objects tell us about strong
  gravity?
• How do supernovae and gamma-ray bursts work?
• How do black hole accretion, jets and outflows
  operate?
• What do we learn from energetic radiation and
  particles?
• Members
• John Peacock (chair), Claes Fransson (co-chair)
• Juan Garcia-Bellido, Francois Bouchet, Andrew
  Fabian, Bruno Leibundgut, Subir Sarkar, Peter
  Schneider, Ralf Wijers, Bernard Schutz

10
Panel B

• How do galaxies form and evolve?
• How did the Universe emerge from its dark ages?
• How did the structure of the cosmic web evolve?
• Where are the chemical elements through cosmic
  time?
• What is the cycling of stars, gas and dust in
  galaxies?
• How did the Milky Way form?
• Members
• Jacqueline Bergeron (chair), Rob Kennicutt
  (co-chair)
• Xavier Barcons, Frank Bertoldi, Andrea Ferrara,
  Marijn Franx, Amina Helmi, Guinevere Kauffmann,
  Ian Smail, Matthias Steinmetz

11
Panel C

• What is origin and fate of stars planetary
  systems?
• How do stars and stellar systems form?
• Is the initial mass function of stars universal?
• What do we learn by probing stellar interiors?
• What is the life-cycle of the interstellar medium
  and stars?
• How do planetary systems form and evolve?
• What are the demographics of planets in the
  Galaxy?
• How do we tell which planets harbour life?
• Members
• Leonardo Testi (chair), Rafael Rebolo (co-chair)
• Wolfgang Brandner, Jorgen Christensen-Dalsgaard,
  Ewine van Dishoeck, Stephane Guilloteau, Pavel
  Kroupa, Didier Queloz, Massimo Turatto,
  Christoffel Waelkens

12
Panel D

• How do we fit in?
• How can we use the Sun to explore fundamental
  astrophysical processes?
• What drives Solar variability on all scales, and
  how does it affect life on Earth?
• What is the dynamical history of the Solar
  system?
• What can we learn from Solar system exploration
  about its formation and evolution?
• Where should we look for life in the Solar
  system?
• Members
• Oskar von der Luhe (chair), Therese Encrenaz
  (co-chair),
• Willy Benz, Angioletta Coradini, Michelle
  Dougherty, Artie Hatzes, Richard Harrison,
  Christoph Keller, Hans Rickman, Tilman Spohn,
  Jose Carlos del Toro Iniesta

13
Style of Report

• Audience is diverse
• Road-mapping team
• Funding agencies, ministries
• Astronomical community
• Document
• Readable overview of future of entire field
  leading to recommendations for Roadmap, community
  buy-in, and agency support
• Level of Scientific American
• Figures to help convey excitement
• Glossary and references link to supporting
  material

14
Status of Draft Report

• Introduction and summary
• Astronomy and Society (MP)
• The Role of Technology (RG)
• Additional text by TdZ
• Panels A-D
• Comprehensive first drafts
• Being harmonized (with help from AR, CT, RS)
• Also
• Astronomy beyond 2025 not needed in first draft
• Glossary/List of Acronyms being worked
• Figures being collected ST-ECF help for final
  version

15
Timeline

• Draft Science Vision report public 1-12-2006
• Community input via web
• Science Vision Symposium, 23/25-1-2007
• Futuroscope, Poitiers
• Final report delivered in Spring 2007
• To be followed by Road-mapping, 2007-2008
• Implementation plan for development of
  infrastructures that enable European astronomy to
  deliver the Vision
• To incorporate plans of ESA and ESO

16
Symposium Future scientific challenges in
Astronomy

• 23 January
• Introduction of present status and plans
• Overview of science questions per panel and
  summary of external feedback received
• 24 January
• Discussion of science questions (per panel)
• Identification of possible missing elements
• 25 January
• Conclusions