meetingsandtelecons:nov8.07 [PPPDT Wiki]

This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong.
==== Discussion Topics for Telecon of Nov. 8, 2007 ====


=== Status of NASA Proposal ===

  * Steve - Status of workshops (leaders, dates, scope of work) 
  * Steve - Status of detailed studies (which ones, who leads, scope of work)
  * Feedback of PPPDT on current status (during telecon + by e-mail)

  * Anticipated management of work (after proposal is submitted)

---------------

== For Reference: Steve's November 2, 2007 email to Community ==

==Introduction==

The measurement and characterization of the polarization anisotropy of the CMB (CMBPol) could inform us about the physics of the inflationary era in the very early universe through the detection of primordial gravitational waves. A positive detection would have enormous scientific return with a reach across much of physics and astronomy. However, we are not yet at a point where we know what is needed to make the definitive measurement. We do know that detector research, instrument development and modeling, astrophysical measurement, theoretical research and simulation, and observation by some combination of ground-based, balloon-borne and space-based instruments will be needed.

The Weiss report, published in 2005, did a superb job of developing a road map leading to a polarization detection which included all of these needed elements. Timely implementation of the Weiss road map will require this community to continuously shepherd the CMBPol science and fiscal needs with the funding agencies and with the larger science community.

Currently, we are a year from the time when input to the next decadal survey of astrophysics will be needed. The influence of the survey on funding agencies, long term planning and relative positioning of projects, is large. We now have an opportunity to enhance what the decadal committee knows about the CMB polarization and the needs of the community. We need a vehicle to bring this to the attention of the decadal committees.

I believe that the message the community sends forward will be greatly enhanced if we speak with a single, coherent voice about how we intend to move towards an eventual successful high-precision CMB polarization measurement. We need to point out those techniques/technologies/instruments which are generally thought to be in hand now, those areas where the theoretical understanding is not really in question, and those systematic and instrument issues which are largely solved.  We need to enumerate the things where most researchers agree on the path to a successful measurement but work remains to carry it out. We also must make very clear where there is not general agreement in the community, what solutions are still unknown and what problems are still unsolved. This will be the basis for the research and the future funding we urgently need to do to develop the potential of the measurement.

== Outline of the study ==

NASA has issued an Announcement of Opportunity (AO) for an Astrophysics Strategic Mission Concept Study (link at bottom). The AO is flexible enough that a proposal to fund a study of the technology, modeling, and simulations that are needed to permit the future definition of a CMBPol mission is within the scope of the opportunity. The due date for the proposal is November 20.

The activities of the study are 1) to gather input from all interested parties in the community by organizing a number of workshops 2)  Carry out detailed studies on a number of measurement, foreground, and instrument systematics issues and 3) Carry out detailed costing exercises for generic template missions which would include a readiness assessment of many of the required technologies. It is the result of this work within the next year that will enable us the enhance the Weiss report.

== Details of the study plan ==

I was recently asked to initiate a community-wide joint response to the NASA AO by the Primordial Polarization Program Definition Team (PPPDT, link at bottom). To this end, I am asking the people for their interest in participating. This interest can be at a number of different levels which will be illustrated below. The first level will be a small group of proposal Co-Investigators. CoIs will lead and be responsible for either one of the workshops or one of the detailed studies. The second level of participation would be collaborators who agree to investigate a particular topic and to provide a presentation and written report at one of the workshops and participate in a workshop sub-group study. The third level is pr participation is for people with ideas to share but who cannot take on the commitment for a large responsibility in this study. Input will always be welcome from all.

== Workshops ==

There will be 3 workshops, all meeting in the summer of 2009. The workshop topics are be something like
   1. Theory, ancillary science and foregrounds
   2. Systematic errors, observing strategies and template missions
   3. Focal plane and optics technology definition and costs
The first of these would be at the end of May 2008 and the last in September 2008. Each workshop will be lead by a proposal CoI. They will be 4 to 5 days long with each day consisting of presentations in the morning followed by afternoon and evening subgroup meetings. Each subgroup has a topic or set of topics which they are to develop into a report which summarizes the topic.

Careful planning of the workshops is essential for their success and is the responsibility of the workshop lead. This includes determining the presenters, defining subgroup topics and convening the subgroups. Following the workshop, a proceedings including the written versions of the presentations, the subgroup written findings, and a workshop summary outlining the findings and results of the workshop will be compiled.

All presenters are responsible for a written version of their presentation (not just the slides) and the subgroups are responsible for developing a document that outlines a consensus or a number of alternative opinions about their topic. The workshop lead writes the workshop summary and compiles the proceedings.

All travel and room and board will be supported for contributing participants. The workshop lead will have control of a workshop budget which can include relevant support staff salaries and a month of summer support for the study lead or collaborator.

== Detailed Studies ==

A number of detailed studies will be undertaken. Each would lead to a presentation in a workshop ideally would be nearly complete by the time the workshop meets. Each study will be lead by a proposal CoI. The study will result in a report written by the study lead. There should be no restriction to otherwise publishing the results of these studies in journals. The only requirement here is that we get a report. The actual topics of the detailed studies is to be determined but at a minimum the following topics will be covered.
    1. Technology development costing studies. At
       least one for a system with a bolometric
       focal plane and one for an amplifier study.
       These studies must include cooler technology.
    2. Template Mission study. One for each 1 degree
       and 4 arcminute telescopes.
    3. Foreground method study. What are the effects
       of point sources, lensed point sources, galactic
       foregrounds. This will probably include simulations
       and new ideas.
     4. Scan method and systematic study for template mission.
I am hoping that two of the focal plane studies also takes on the study of one of the template missions. If that is so then there could be about 5 detailed studies. The costs of these studies, in addition to the NASA center Team X and IDC costs will include up to 6 months of support for a postdoc and a summer month salary or equivalent for the study lead or collaborator.

== Final Report ==

Starting the September 2008 with the reports from the studies and the workshops in hand, the final writing of the report would begin. The PI and the CoIs would be responsible for the final report. Everything in the study including the final report and the workshop and detailed study report will be public. It is my hope that the final report, the study and workshop reports and the workshop presentations will be a useful resource to the community following the completion of the report.

== Webpage ==

A webpage of the activities and progress will be maintained. It will contain the reports, the workshop proceedings and the drafts of the report as it develops. Access to the webpage will be open.

== Budget ==

Each CoI will have a subcontract from the PI institution to carry out CoI activity. The details of the budget will be the main work associated with the development of the proposal.

All travel costs to the workshops for the contributing collaborators will reimbursed.

== Statement of Work ==

Along with the budget, each CoI will develop a statement of work summarizing the work they will undertake and the responsibilities they agree to.

== Intellectual Property ==

Any work funded by this proposal must be made public on the study webpage and in the published final report. This is true for tghe detailed studies and the mission costing studies which will become public. The research, results, and the individual reports remain the intellectual property of the authors. Authors are free to otherwise publish the reports to publish papers derived from the work of the report.
User Tools

Page Tools
