The transition of operations of the NSF's Dunn Solar Telescope from the National Solar Observatory to the Sunspot Solar Observatory Consortium

NSF 邓恩太阳望远镜的运营从国家太阳观测站过渡到太阳黑子太阳观测站联盟

• 批准号: 1649052
• 负责人: R. T. James McAteer
• 金额: $ 119.2万
• 依托单位: New Mexico State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-09-15 至 2019-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1649052&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: transition; operations; NSF; Dunn; Solar

As our closest star, the Sun provides an important laboratory to study the processes that govern stars in our Galaxy. The Sun is also the primary driver for the space weather that impacts human life on Earth. Since 1976, the National Solar Observatory (NSO) has operated the Sacramento Peak Observatory located in Sunspot, New Mexico for the NSF as a premier solar research facility available to scientists in the U.S. and abroad. The primary research facility still in operation at the observatory is the Richard B. Dunn Solar Telescope (DST). The DST can study the Sun at high resolution in wavelengths ranging from the optical to the infrared. The NSF and the NSO are currently building the most powerful solar telescope in the world, the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST) atop Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii. While DKIST will render the DST redundant as a national user facility, the DST retains substantial value both as a scientific tool and as a training ground for the next generation of solar researchers. This award supports science and operations of the DST as it transitions from the NSO to a potential university-based consortium led by New Mexico State University (NMSU). During this transition, the proposers will begin an innovative science program of long-term, synoptic observations of solar magnetic fields while preparing the facility for consortium operations. This award supports science and operations of the DST for a period of 24 months bridging the gap between the departure of the NSO at the end of 2017 and the development of the NMSU-led Sunspot Solar Observatory Consortium (SSOC) as the primary operator beyond 2018. The development of the SSOC will depend on maintaining the telescope and its instrument suite, transferring critical knowledge, and reducing areas of identified risks. As the SSOC develops, its members will be provided with dedicated DST time in accordance with the member?s level of participation. During the bridge period covered by this proposal, the PIs will conduct a program of synoptic science concentrating on four key areas of interest: (1) solar filament magnetic field structure, (2) solar flare energy budgets, (3) quiet Sun magnetic canopy, and (4) solar prominence instabilities. In order to deliver the proposed synoptic science, specific knowledge of the facility will be transferred during the transition period overlapping the final year of NSO at Sunspot and the first year of SSOC operations. The proposers highlight three important objectives to be accomplished during the transition period: (1) Complete a critical synoptic science plan for the DST; (2) Hire consortium personnel for telescope and site knowledge transfer; and (3) Update and upgrade the telescope. In accomplishing these objectives through this award, the PIs aim to achieve the long-term goal of reinventing and reinvigorating the DST and the Sunspot facility.

作为离我们最近的星星，太阳提供了一个重要的实验室来研究银河系中恒星的运行过程。 太阳也是影响地球上人类生活的空间天气的主要驱动力。 自1976年以来，国家太阳观测站（NSO）一直为NSF运营位于新墨西哥州太阳黑子的萨克拉门托峰观测站，作为美国和国外科学家的首要太阳研究设施。 天文台仍在运行的主要研究设施是理查德B。邓恩太阳望远镜（DST）。 DST可以在从光学到红外的波长范围内以高分辨率研究太阳。 美国国家科学基金会和国家空间局目前正在建造世界上最强大的太阳望远镜--丹尼尔K。井上太阳望远镜（DKIST）位于夏威夷的哈雷阿卡拉山顶。 虽然DKIST将使DST作为国家用户设施变得多余，但DST作为科学工具和下一代太阳能研究人员的培训基地仍然具有重要价值。 该奖项支持DST的科学和运营，因为它从NSO过渡到由新墨西哥州州立大学（NMSU）领导的潜在的大学联盟。 在这一过渡期间，提议者将开始一项创新的科学计划，对太阳磁场进行长期的天气观测，同时为联合体的运作做好准备。 该奖项支持DST的科学和运营，为期24个月，填补了NSO在2017年底离开和NMSU领导的太阳黑子太阳观测联盟（SSOC）作为2018年以后的主要运营商之间的差距。 SSOC的发展将取决于维护望远镜及其仪器套件，转移关键知识，并减少已确定的风险领域。 随着SSOC的发展，其成员将根据成员？的参与程度。 在本建议所涵盖的过渡期内，PI将开展一项天气科学计划，重点关注四个关键领域：（1）太阳暗条磁场结构，（2）太阳耀斑能量收支，（3）平静太阳磁冠，（4）日珥不稳定性。 为了提供拟议的天气科学，将在过渡期内转移该设施的具体知识，过渡期与国家统计局在太阳黑子的最后一年和SSOC运行的第一年重叠。 提议者强调了在过渡期间要完成的三个重要目标：（1）完成DST的关键天气科学计划;（2）雇用望远镜和站点知识转让的联合体人员;（3）更新和升级望远镜。 在通过该奖项实现这些目标的过程中，PI旨在实现重塑和振兴DST和太阳黑子设施的长期目标。