InFO: The Integrated Facilities Office

研究人员将开发流程和方法，以支持NSF非相干散射雷达（ISR）的有效集成。 国际空间站提供了对四十多年来用于空间科学研究的各种电离层和热层特性的观测。 最近对全球ISR网络进行的以社区为基础的评估建议更好地协调在各个地点开展的科学和技术活动。 综合设施办公室（InFO）将协调NSF设施的科学和技术活动，利用所有设施的全部可用技能。InFO将位于加州门洛帕克的SRI国际。该办公室将由一名在协调世界各地非相干散射雷达设施方面具有丰富经验的高级工作人员管理。 信息和基础设施活动将利用所有设施的专门知识和经验，以及社会责任研究所的其他技能和能力。协调办公室将组织分散的技能小组，其成员将留在各自的设施和机构，但共同努力解决所有雷达的共同问题。 最初，三个分散的技能小组将专注于数据分析、发射机技术和雷达实验的国际协调。InFO还将支持和指导一名博士后科学家，他将担任InFO和其他非相干散射雷达站点之间的联络人。 在授予合同的第一年，InFO将进行一项研究，评估在南极麦克默多建造先进模块化非相干散射雷达设施的成本和可行性。 2011年8月将举办一次讲习班，讨论南极设施的科学需求和规格。 最后，InFO将监督成功的AMISR暑期学校的规划和组织。暑期学校的特点是针对研究生和其他非相干散射雷达数据的初级用户进行为期一周的强化培训和实际操作雷达经验。

The investigators will develop processes and methodologies to support effective integration of the NSF incoherent scatter radars (ISRs). The ISRs provide observations of a broad range of ionospheric and thermospheric properties used in space science studies for more than four decades. Recent community-based assessments of the global ISR network have recommended better coordination of scientific and technical activities being undertaken at the various sites. The Integrated Facilities Office (InFO) will coordinate scientific and technical activities at the NSF facilities, taking advantage of the entire available skill sets across all facilities. InFO will be located at SRI International in Menlo Park, California. The office will be managed by a senior staff member with extensive experience in the coordination of incoherent scatter radar facilities worldwide. InFO activities will draw on the expertise and experience of all the facilities, as well as other skills and capabilities within SRI. The coordination office will organize distributed skills teams comprising members who will remain embedded in their home facilities and institutions, but work together to address common issues for all the radars. Initially, three distributed skills teams will focus on data analysis, transmitter technology, and international coordination of radar experiments. InFO will also support and mentor a postdoctoral scientist, who will serve as a liaison between InFO and the other incoherent scatter radar sites. In the first year of the award, InFO will conduct a study evaluating the costs and feasibility of building an Advanced Modular Incoherent Scatter Radar facility at McMurdo in the Antarctic. A workshop will be conducted in August 2011 to discuss the scientific needs and specifications for the Antarctic facility. Finally, InFO will oversee the planning and organization of the successful AMISR summer school. The summer schools feature one week of intensive training and hands-on radar experience aimed at graduate students and other beginning users of incoherent scatter radar data.