Science imperatives for 2020

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Science imperatives for 2020
NRAO Socorro Science Retreat
Socorro, NM, April 10, 2008

• Chris Carilli
• NRAO

• I will not define the science imperatives for
  NRAO in the next decade.
• I will present current landscape science cases
  in radio, optical, plus various committee
  reports.
• Goal Science-driven vision for (radio)
  astronomy in next decade. Where does NRAO fit?
  How do we approach DS2010?

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Documents considered

• Historical perspective -- pre-2020 review
• Reports Decadal Survey (McKee/Taylor),
  Quarks-Cosmos
• Science goals EVLA, ALMA
• Intermezzo Major advances in astrophysics since
  DS2000/EVLA
• Modern era -- post-2020 review
• Science goals SKA, JWST, TMT, LSST,
  Herschel, ConX
• Reports RMSPG, AUI-Futures (McCray),
  Chicago I,II,III
• Science cases can be
• Facility based/Technology driven
• Theme based
• Question based
• Project/experiment based

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Historical perspective

• DS2000 (McKee-Taylor) Facility based
• Broad-brush document -- too much so, unrealistic
  costing?
• EVLA, ALMA recommended highly
• Recommended both User grants and development
• Quarks-to-Cosmos -- supplanted DS2000? Question
  based
• What is dark matter? (HI studies)
• What is dark energy? (HI surveys)
• How did Universe begin? (CMB)
• Did Einstein have last word on gravity? (Pulsars)
• Neutrino mass and evolution?
• Cosmic accelerators? (AGN/SNR)

• Are protons stable?
• New states of matter at high den/temp? (Neutron
  stars)
• Are there extra dimensions?
• How are elements Fe -- U formed?
• Is new theory of matter/light needed at highest
  energies?

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EVLA science case

• Science theme based
• The Magnetic Universe -- obvious radio forte
• The Obscured Universe -- PPdisks, YSOs, QSO abs
  lines
• The Transient Universe -- GRBs, XRBs, Mdwarfs
• The Evolving Universe -- galaxy evolution
• Question was the science case generated before
  or after the technical case?

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ALMA science Project based

• Image molecular gas in z3 MW-mass galaxies gt
  A/T (64x12m)
• Image PP disks on AU scales gt 10km baselines _at_
  submm
• HST quality imaging gt ant, ACA TP

• Actively involved/energized User community
• Continuous refinement of ALMA science case,
  enabled by, but not dictated by, executives
• ASAC regional SACs eg. organized the DRSP
  observing proposals for ALMA from community to
  gauge demand and prioritize use cases
• Annual regional topical science meetings
• Regular international love fests

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Advances in modern astrophysics since DS00 and
EVLA

• Precision cosmology few knowledge of age,
  mass-energy content of Universe
• Probing epoch of first light (cosmic
  reionization) at z gt 6
• GRBs biggest explosions in Universe, massive
  star explosions to z 6
• MBH - Mbulge gt all spheroids have BHs with
  fixed mass ratio. BH and Galaxy evolution are
  causally connected
• ?Quasars AGN on 1e7 smaller scales
• double pulsars Glob Cluster pulsars, gravity
  waves -- unprecedented labs for tests strong
  field GR
• Extrasolar planets -- they are everywhere!
• Proto-planetary disks clear signatures of
  planet formation
• Kuiper-belt objects -- what is Pluto?
• Mapping Universe -- SDSS, FIRST, NVSS, COSMOS,
  UDF,

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• Three year process run by ISAC
• Experiment based Quantified experiments for
  future large area cm telescopes not just radio
  astronomy reviews nor root N science
• 50 chapters, 90 contributing authors, 25
  theorists, but minority of multiwavelength
  observers

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Key Science Projects (i) Address key questions,
(ii) Unique role of radio, or complementary but
critical, (iii) Excites broad community
Cosmic reionization and first light IGM
evolution through HI 21cm line gas/dust/SF/AGN
in first galaxies
Dark energy and galaxy evolution All sky HI (
continuum) survey
Origin and evolution of cosmic magnetism all sky
RM survey
Strong field tests of GR using pulsars
Cradle of Life protoplanetary disks on (sub)AU
scales astrobiology SETI
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• All require sensitivity A/T gt 1e4 m2/K
• Most require frequencies gt 10 GHz
• Many require gt 1deg2 FoV at 1.4 GHz
• Some require gt 1000 km baselines
• Some require multibeaming
• Downside -- still too broad to be practical for
  one facility

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SKA path-finders (spurred, in part, by SKA
science discussions)

• HI 21cm survey instruments
• ASKAP (Oz) -- 100M
• MeerKAT (SA) -- 100M
• PrepSKA (EU) -- 50M
• Apertif (WSRT FPA) -- 10M
• Reionization experiments
• LOFAR -- 100M
• MWA -- 10M
• PAPER -- 2M

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SKA phased approach

• Phase I SKA mid, 0.5 to 3 (or 10?) GHz, 10
  collecting area, some long baselines, tile arrays
  small dishes, large FoV
• Phase II Full SKA mid, plus full SKA low (70 --
  200MHz)
• Phase III up to 25GHz -- not specified as to
  how, or when, to get there (and why 25GHz vs.
  45GHz?)

Phase I
Phase II
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Optical/near-IR Telescope Science Priorities

• Thirty meter telescope Science themes, mostly
  spectra
• Spectroscopic exploration of First Light and
  reionization -- Pop III stars and first galaxies
• Exploration of galaxies and LSS in young
  Universe spectroscopy of galaxy assembly
• Investigation of massive black holes throughout
  cosmic time coeval formation gal/BH
• Exploration of planet formation processes and the
  characterization of extrasolar planets

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Optical/near-IR Telescope Science Priorities

• JWST science themes, mostly near-IR imaging
  spectra
• First light and cosmic reionization
• Assembly of galaxies and black holes
• Birth of stars and proto-planetary systems
  dusty disks in near-IR
• Planets and the origins of life imaging
  extrasolar giant planets KPOs

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Optical/near-IR Telescope Science Priorities

• LSST Project based
• Constraining dark energy and dark matter very
  large volume survey
• Taking an inventory of the solar system
• Exploring the transient optical sky
• Mapping the Milky Way

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FIR Space Telescopes

• Herschel Science theme based
• How galaxies formed and evolved in the early
  universe, and the nature of enormously powerful
  galactic energy sources.
• The formation, evolution, and interrelationship
  of stars and the interstellar medium in the Milky
  Way and other galaxies.
• Chemistry in our galaxy.
• Molecular chemistry in the atmospheres of Mars
  and our solar system's comets and giant planets,
  and the nature of comet-like objects in the
  Kuiper belt beyond Neptune.

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Xray Telescopes

• Constellation X Experiment based
• Black Holes Using black holes to test General
  Relativity (GR) and measuring black hole spin
• Dark Energy Improving the constraints on the
  key Dark Energy (DE) parameters by a factor of
  ten
• Missing Baryons Unambiguous detection of the
  hot phase of the Warm-Hot Intergalactic Medium
  (WHIM) at zgt0
• Neutron Star Equation of State Measuring the
  mass-radius relation of neutron stars to
  determine the Equation of State (EOS) of
  ultra-dense matter

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Common ground and radio contributions
Theme Telescopes
Radio role
Galaxy/Black hole evolution SKA, (ALMA), TMT, JWST, Herschel gas, dust, star form, dynamics, BHs
First light and reionization SKA, (ALMA), TMT, JWST IGM (21cm), gas, dust, star form, dyn, BHs
Planets and proto-planetary disks SKA, (ALMA), TMT, JWST Sub-AU imaging
Dark energy SKA, LSST, ConX Very wide field survey
Star formation (ALMA), JWST, Herschel gas, dust
Testing GR SKA, ConX, (LIGO) pulsars
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Other Radio Discussions

• RMSPG Haynes et al. Facility approach
• Written as radio input to senior review
• Excellent summary of existing facilities
• Chicago I, II, III NRAO/AUI/NAIC coordinated
  effort to consider scientific future of radio
  astronomy, in preparation for DS2010
• Engage broader community -- optical, theory,
  high energy (not connected to SKA)
• No clear consensus on science, although some
  support for HI surveys
• Working groups established produce WP for
  DS2010
• SKA low (Beasley chair)
• SKA mid (Lazio/Myers) -- RSST
• SKA high -- no current WG?

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AUI Futures of Radio Astronomy Committee Chair
D. McCray

• Science theme approach
• Beyond standard model of physics and cosmology
• Origin/evol galaxies
• Origin/evol stars/planets/life
• The high energy Universe
• Fundamental and extreme physics
• Current recommendations (likely to be much
  revised)
• Maintain a balanced and vigorous program in RMS
  science and technology development
• Develop, test, prototype and implement
  technologies leading to SKA-class facilities
• Nurture partnerships leading to SKA-class
  facilities

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• McCray Summary at Jan08 AAS
• Ensure proper operation of ALMA, EVLA, GBT
  ease of use for non-experts, grants gt leverage
  capital investment
• Maintain technical development and educational
  aspects at (some) UROs.
• Emphasize surveys -- FPAs, wide field imaging.
• SKA -- stay the course of TDP, not ready for
  100M investment.
• No specific statement on VLBA or Arecibo.

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Closing ruminations

• ALMA
• Development plan (10M/yr) science working
  groups and implementation opportunities provides
  natural forum for continued advancement of
  science case and instrument
• Should NRAO secure access to supporting
  facilities (LMT, CCAT)?
• EVLA re-energize the community (and staff!),
  led by SAGE
• Regenerate science case in modern context phase
  I, II, III (?)
• and/or DRSP for EVLA
• EVLA science meeting(s)
• Needed if want any chance of getting proper User
  support
• Might present path forward for DS2010

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Closing ruminations

• VLBA active staff participation in upgrade
  planning
• GBT clear near-term priorities for instrument
  development
• SKA and DS2010
• NRAO/AUI has conducted three major forums to
  determine the way forward for DS2010 Chicago
  meetings, AUI Futures Committee, Strategic
  planning retreats
• Thus far, no clear consensus has been reached in
  any forum.

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END