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

作为离我们最近的恒星，太阳为研究银河系中恒星的运行过程提供了一个重要的实验室。太阳也是影响地球上人类生活的太空天气的主要驱动力。自1976年以来，美国国家太阳天文台（NSO）一直为美国国家科学基金会（NSF）运营位于新墨西哥州太阳黑子的萨克拉门托峰天文台，作为美国和国外科学家可使用的首要太阳研究设施。天文台仍在运行的主要研究设备是理查德·邓恩太阳望远镜（DST）。DST可以以高分辨率研究太阳，波长范围从可见光到红外线。美国国家科学基金会和国家天文台目前正在夏威夷毛伊岛的哈雷阿卡拉建造世界上最强大的太阳望远镜——丹尼尔·井上太阳望远镜（DKIST）。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立大学（NMSU）领导的潜在大学财团。在过渡期间，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，同时为联合运营准备设施。该奖项将为DST的科学和运营提供为期24个月的支持，填补了2017年底NSO离开和nmsu领导的太阳黑子太阳观测联盟（SSOC）在2018年之后作为主要运营商的发展之间的空白。SSOC的发展将取决于望远镜及其仪器套件的维护，关键知识的转移，以及减少已识别风险的领域。随着SSOC的发展，其成员将根据会员标准获得专门的夏令时时间。S的参与水平。在本提案所涵盖的桥梁期间，pi将开展一个天气科学计划，重点关注四个关键领域：(1)太阳灯丝磁场结构，(2)太阳耀斑能量预算，(3)太阳安静磁冠，(4)太阳日珥不稳定性。为了提供建议的天气科学，该设施的具体知识将在过渡期间转移，过渡期间重叠于NSO在太阳黑子的最后一年和SSOC操作的第一年。倡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)聘请联合体人员进行望远镜和现场知识转移；(3)对望远镜进行更新升级。为了实现这些目标，PIs的目标是实现重塑和重振DST和太阳黑子设施的长期目标。

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.