cooperative agreement with the Nati - NSO · NATIONAL SOLAR OBSERVATORY 1 NSO FY 2013 Annual Progress Report & FY 2014 Program Plan EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The National Solar Observatory

Submitted to the National Science Foundation under Cooperative Agreement No. 0946422

and Cooperative Support Agreement No. 0950946

This report is also published on the NSO Web site: http://www.nso.edu

The National Solar Observatory is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA) under

cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation

NATIONAL SOLAR OBSERVATORY

NSO FY 2013 Annual Progress Report & FY 2014 Program Plan

MISSION

The mission of the National Solar Observatory (NSO) is to provide

leadership and excellence in solar physics and related space, geophysical,

and astrophysical science research and education by providing access to

unique and complementary research facilities as well as innovative

programs in research and education and to broaden participation in

science.

NSO accomplishes this mission by:

providing leadership for the development of new ground‐based facilities that

support the scientific objectives of the solar and space physics community;

advancing solar instrumentation in collaboration with university researchers,

industry, and other government laboratories;

providing background synoptic observations that permit solar investigations from

the ground and space to be placed in the context of the variable Sun;

providing research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, helping

develop classroom activities, working with teachers, mentoring high school

students, and recruiting underrepresented groups;

innovative staff research.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

The broad research goals of NSO are to:

o Understand the mechanisms generating solar cycles – Understand mechanisms

driving the surface and interior dynamo and the creation and destruction of

magnetic fields on both global and local scales.

o Understand the coupling between the interior and surface – Understand the

coupling between surface and interior processes that lead to irradiance variations

and the build‐up of solar activity.

o Understand the coupling of the surface and the envelope: transient events –

Understand the mechanisms of coronal heating, flares, and coronal mass

ejections which lead to effects on space weather and the terrestrial atmosphere.

o Explore the unknown – Explore fundamental plasma and magnetic field

processes on the Sun in both their astrophysical and laboratory context.



TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................... 1

1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................... 5

2 FY 2013 SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS ................................... 6

2.1 Full‐Disk Nonlinear Force‐Free Field Extrapolation – Comparing SOLIS/VSM

and SDO/HMI Magnetograms .......................................................................................... 6

2.2 The Quasi‐Biennial Periodicity as a Window on the Solar Magnetic Dynamo

Configuration (the Sunʹs Two‐Year Period and Its Drivers) ......................................... 7

2.3 Active Regions with Superpenumbral Whirls and Their Subsurface

Kinetic Helicity ..................................................................................................................... 8

2.4 He I Vector Magnetometry of Field‐Aligned Superpenumbral Fibrils ........................ 8

2.5 1565 nm Observations of the Transit of Venus, Proxy for a Transiting Exoplanet ...... 9

2.6 Velocity and Magnetic Field Distribution in a Forming Penumbra ............................ 10

2.7 The Properties of Flare Kernels Observed by the Dunn Solar Telescope ................... 11

3 SCIENTIFIC AND KEY MANAGEMENT STAFF ..................................................................... 13

4 SUPPORT TO PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS AND THE SOLAR‐TERRESTRIAL

PHYSICS COMMUNITY ................................................................................................................ 16

4.1 Dunn Solar Telescope ......................................................................................................... 17

4.1.1 Adaptive Optics ................................................................................................................ 18

4.1.2 DST Instrumentation ....................................................................................................... 19

4.1.3 Replacements and Upgrades .......................................................................................... 21

4.1.4 Current and Future Use of the DST ............................................................................... 22

4.1.5 Divestiture Planning ........................................................................................................ 22

4.2 McMath‐Pierce Solar Telescope ................................................................................. 22

4.2.1 Diverse Observing Capabilities ....................................................................................... 23

4.2.2 Divestment or Closure of the McMP ............................................................................. 23

4.2.3 Impacts of Early Closure of the McMP .......................................................................... 24

4.2.4 Collaboration with the New Solar Telescope Cyra Development ............................. 24

4.2.5 Current Programs .............................................................................................................. 25

4.3 NSO Integrated Synoptic Program ................................................................................... 26

4.3.1 NISP Instrumentation ...................................................................................................... 26

4.3.2 NISP Data Products ........................................................................................................ 27

4.3.3 NISP Status ..................................................................................................................... 28

4.3.4 NISP 2014 Goals .............................................................................................................. 30

4.4 Evans Solar Facility ............................................................................................................. 31

4.5 Access to NSO Data ............................................................................................................ 31



5 INITIATIVES: THE ATST AND THE NEW SYNOPTIC NETWORK ................................... 34

5.1 Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (ATST) ............................................................. 34

5.1.1 ATST Science Working Group and Science Requirements ........................................ 36

5.1.2 ATST Project Engineering and Design Progress .......................................................... 38

5.1.3 Funding ..................................................................................................................... 41

5.2 A Multi‐Purpose Global Network .................................................................................... 43

6 EDUCATION AND PUBLIC OUTREACH AND BROADENING PARTICIPATION ....... 47

6.1 Goals and Metrics ............................................................................................................... 47

6.2 Recruiting a New Generation of Scientists ...................................................................... 50

6.3 Increasing Diversity ............................................................................................................ 51

6.3.1 Near‐Term Goals: .............................................................................................................. 52

6.3.2 Long(er)‐Term Goals: ....................................................................................................... 52

6.4 Public Outreach ................................................................................................................... 54

6.4.1 Visitor Centers ................................................................................................................... 54

6.4.2 Internet Resources and Public Web Pages .................................................................... 54

7 FY 2014 PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION ................................................................................... 55

7.1 NSO Organization ............................................................................................................. 55

7.1.1 Director’s Office ................................................................................................................ 55

7.1.2 NSO/Sacramento Peak ..................................................................................................... 55

7.1.3 NSO Tucson and NSO Synoptic Program .................................................................... 56

7.1.4 NSO ATST ..................................................................................................................... 57

7.2 Planning for the Future Organization of NSO ................................................................ 57

7.3 FY 2014 Spending Plan ....................................................................................................... 58

7.3.1 Total Budget ..................................................................................................................... 58

7.3.2 Work Package Break Out ................................................................................................ 61

7.4 Infrastructure Plan and Strategic Needs .......................................................................... 65

7.4.1 FY 2014 Unfunded Infrastructure Improvement Requests ....................................... 66

APPENDICES ......................................................................................................................................... 69

APPENDIX A:. NATIONAL SOLAR OBSERVATORY 2020–2025 VISION ......................... 70

APPENDIX B: OBSERVING AND USER STATISTICS .............................................................. 72

APPENDIX C: ORGANIZATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS ............................................................... 75

C1. Community Partnerships and NSO Leadership Role .............................................. 75

C2. Operational Partnerships .............................................................................................. 76



APPENDIX D: PUBLICATIONS (OCTOBER 2012 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2013) ............. 77

APPENDIX E: MILESTONES FY 2014 ............................................................................................. 90

APPENDIX F: STATUS OF FY 2013 MILESTONES ..................................................................... 94

APPENDIX G: NSO FY 2014 STAFFING SUMMARY ................................................................ 103

APPENDIX H: SCIENTIFIC STAFF RESEARCH AND SERVICE ........................................... 104

APPENDIX I: ACRONYM GLOSSARY ......................................................................................... 129


1 NSO FY 2013 Annual Progress Report & FY 2014 Program Plan

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The National Solar Observatory (NSO) is the primary provider of key ground‐based solar

facilities to the US solar community. NSO currently provides a range of assets that allow solar

astronomers to probe all aspects of the Sun, from the deep interior to its interface in the corona

with the interplanetary medium. NSO provides scientific and instrumentation leadership in

helioseismology, synoptic observations of solar variability, and high‐resolution studies of the

solar atmosphere in the visible and infrared.

Major components of the National Solar Observatory strategic planning include:

Developing the 4‐meter Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (ATST) on behalf of, and

in collaboration with, the solar community.

Development of the adaptive optics (AO), multi‐conjugate AO (MCAO), and infrared (IR)

technology needed for the ATST.

Operating the Dunn Solar Telescope (DST) and maintaining its competitiveness through

adaptive optics, MCAO and state‐of‐the‐art instrumentation until the ATST nears first

light.

Helping the scientific consortium that plans to assume operation of the McMath‐Pierce

Solar Telescope (McMP) in a timely fashion to meet the NSF mandate to divest or close

the facility.

Finding organizations (such as the Southern Rockies Education Centers or universities

with potential interest) to assume operation of Sacramento Peak and a logical transition

for the Dunn Solar Telescope.

Operating a suite of instruments comprising the NSO Integrated Synoptic Program

(NISP). This includes the Synoptic Optical Long‐term Investigation of the Sun (SOLIS)

and the Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG).

Establishing funding partners for the operation of NISP.

Developing partnerships to establish a multi‐station synoptic network.

Increasing diversity of the solar workforce.

An orderly transition to a new NSO structure, which can efficiently operate ATST and

NISP and continue to advance the frontiers of solar physics. This new structure will have

its headquarters collocated with the University of Colorado, Boulder and will integrate

the NSO staff currently divided between sites at Sunspot, New Mexico and in Tucson,

Arizona. Some of the programmatic highlights of the NSO program in FY 2014 include:

Continuation of ATST construction on Haleakalā.

Increasing the NSO footprint at the University of Colorado, Boulder (CU‐Boulder).



Delivery of several ATST key components such as the telescope enclosure and the high‐

order AO real‐time hardware.

Continue the Service Mode tests at the Dunn Solar Telescope and study possible ways to

improve user experience, providing help to the PIs with the data reduction pipelines.

Appointment of a new ATST Data Center Project Manager.

Appointment of a transition team and a single point of contact with CU.

A few of the major actions to advance solar physics that NSO will undertake in FY 2014 include:

Continuing the construction of ATST through the NSF Major Research Equipment

Facilities Construction (MREFC) program.

Developing a complete transition plan for NSO during the period 2015‐2017 that

describes the various steps and milestones needed to have the institution relocated to the

Boulder and Maui facilities.

Working toward the responsible divestiture of the McMath‐Pierce Telescope Facility and

Sacramento Peak.

Continuing early moves to Boulder by leasing office space at the CU‐Boulder Laboratory

for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP).

Providing specifications to LASP for the NSO needs in remodeling the 3rd floor of the new

LASP building.

Continuing to work with CU‐Boulder on faculty appointments.

Conducting additional testing of service‐mode observations at the Dunn Solar Telescope.

Finishing the SOLIS program by reaching full functionality of the vector spectromagneto‐

graph (VSM) guider and installing and calibrating the visible tunable filter (VTF).

Initiating the upgrade of the SOLIS VSM for chromospheric vector magnetic field

measurements as requested by the solar community

Figure 1 summarizes NSO’s FY 2014 program plans. In the President’s budget released in

February 2013, NSO’s FY 2014 budget remains flat at $8M. This will continue to put pressure

on current operations. Implementation of the NSF Portfolio Review made it clear that we

should work toward divestiture of current facilities by the end of FY 2017. Closure of the DST

before ATST is on line leaves a gap in US high‐resolution capabilities. We will work with the

Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO) and the European community to obtain access for the US

community to their facilities, and we will work with the NSF to understand how to pay for such

access. A DST Data Center that contains the observations compiled during the service‐ mode

activities is being studied as a possible way to offer the community access to high‐spatial

resolution data during the gap until ATST becomes fully functional. Early closure of the McMP eliminates NSO capabilities beyond ~2 microns, which will be an

important wavelength regime for the ATST. Until the advent of the ATST, these capabilities

will only be accessible to tha US community at the NJIT BBSO New Solar Telescope (NST).



The ATST project has begun construction on Maui and has contracts in place for all of its major

components. Rapid progress on the enclosure is being made. Its shipment is expected to occur

in 2014. Delivery of some items has begun. The Visible Broadband Imager (VBI), which serves

as a pathfinder for the other ATST instruments, had its final design review (FDR) and many of its

parts have been manufac‐tured and tested. Critical design reviews (CDR) for other ATST

instruments have been scheduled in 2014.

The NSO Integrated Synoptic Program was formed in July 2011, and combines the GONG and

SOLIS programs. These programs have similar scientific goals and share a number of technical

approaches; thus the merger has resulted in improved system efficiency and increased scientific

synergy. Bringing NISP from a budget level of over $4M to $2M will seriously reduce the level

of support NSO can provide this important program. Additional non‐astronomy funding is

being actively sought.

NSO’s FY 2014 spending plan (Section 7) attempts to accommodate the reduced budget while

still supporting the user community and an ATST operations model. To ensure that the next

generation that will form the core of ATST users is well trained, NSO will support the

resurgence of significant interest in producing high‐resolution images with existing facilities

using adaptive optics and new diffraction‐limited instruments. To support the importance the

Solar and Space Physics Decadal Survey placed on synoptic measurements, NSO will work with

other agencies to find the funding needed to support a robust NISP program.



NSO 2014 Program

ATST

o Continue construction on Haleakalā.

o Develop concepts for ATST data center.

Dunn Solar Telescope (all ATST related activities)

o Continue development of multi-conjugate adaptive optics (MCAO). o Test bed for ATST instrument development. o Conduct PI and service mode observations for the solar

community.

McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope

o Begin to implement transition to consortium of users.

o Continue IR observations.

o Continue synoptic sunspot magnetic field strength measurements.

NSO Integrated Synoptic Program (NISP)

o Operate SOLIS and GONG instruments.

o Develop partnerships for a synoptic network.

o Continue to seek outside operation funding.

Digital Library and Virtual Solar Observatory

o Begin transition of data storage to Boulder.

New NSO Directorate Site and Staff Consolidation

o Negotiate with the University of Colorado, Boulder terms for the lease of building space.

o Develop plans for relocation of staff.

Education and Outreach and Broadening Participation

o Train the next generation of solar astronomers (REU's, SRA's, thesis students, postdocs).

o Coordinate with the Akamai Workforce Initiative and University of Hawai‘i Maui College on workforce development on Maui.

o Increase outreach to underrepresented minorities.

Figure 1. Planned and ongoing programs and projects at NSO.



1 INTRODUCTION

While solar research continues to make progress in many areas of observation and theory, there

remains many unanswered questions about how solar activity and variability are driven. The

extreme difficulty of measuring and modeling the solar magnetic field underlies many of these

questions.

NSO remains on a path to achieve these objectives as outlined in its strategic Long Range Plan

(LRP). These include bringing the ATST on line, establishing a new NSO directorate site where

we can consolidate our scientific staff, and developing a robust synoptic program. This Annual

Progress Report and Program Plan highlights the progress during implementation of NSO’s FY

2013 program and plans for FY 2014. Part of our efforts in FY 2013 included the development of

a ten‐year Cooperative Agreement proposal.

Section 2 provides a brief description of both science and development highlights achieved with

NSO facilities and projects. Section 3 provides a description of scientific and key management

staff. Section 4 describes NSO tools and facilities and the support they provide the solar user

community. Section 5 describes our major initiatives and Section 6 presents the major aspects of

our Educational and Public Outreach (EPO) plan and our plan to increase diversity at NSO and

in the solar community. Finally, Section 7 lays out the FY 2014 organization and spending plan

needed to carry out the NSO program. The appendices contain user statistics, list of

publications, status of 2013 project milestones and milestones for FY 2014, a staffing table, and

descriptions of scientific staff research.



2 FY 2013 SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS

2.1 Full‐Disk Nonlinear Force‐Free Field Extrapolation – Comparing SOLIS/VSM and

SDO/HMI Magnetograms The magnetic field configuration is essential for understanding solar explosive phenomena, such

as flares and coronal mass ejections. To compensate for the unavailability of coronal magnetic field

measurements, which are extremely difficult to make, photospheric magnetic field vector data are

often used to reconstruct the coronal field by extrapolation. The use of full‐disk vector magneto‐

grams allows the extrapolation models to better represent the global magnetic connectivity

between separate active regions and to estimate free magnetic energy and large‐scale distribution

of electric currents—key parameters that characterize the flare potential of solar active regions.

T. Tadesse, T. Wiegelmann, B. Inhester, P. MacNeice, A. A. Pevtsov, and X. Sun (A&A 550, A14,

2013) used photospheric magnetic field measurements from the SOLIS Vector Spectromagneto‐

graph (VSM) and the SDO Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) to model the coronal field

above multiple solar active regions, assuming magnetic forces to dominate. They solved the

nonlinear force‐free field (NLFFF) equations by minimizing a functional in spherical coordinates

over a full disk and compared the models with the coronal images from the SDO Atmospheric

Imaging Assembly (AIA). Tadesse and colleagues found that magnetic field lines obtained from

nonlinear force‐free extrapolation based on VSM and HMI data show good agreement. The

average vector correlation between the NLFFF fields of HMI and VSM data is 0.94. There are some

differences, however. For example, extrapolated field lines from SDO/HMI magnetogram (Figure

2.1‐1) do not show transequatorial loops connecting trailing polarity of NOAA AR 11339 (west of

central meridian in northern hemisphere) and trailing polarity of AR11338 (southern hemisphere).

These transequatorial loops are well represented by NLFFF extrapolation based on SOLIS/VSM.

This difference can be attributed to presence of a patch of weak fields between two active regions

(in SDO/HMI data). With this weak field patch, SDO/HMI model tends to close field lines

originating in trailing polarity of AR11339, while SOLIS/VSM model extends them to AR11338.

Overall coronal connectivity observed in SDO/AIA images is well represented by both models.

Figure 2.1‐1. a) SOLIS (left) and b)

HMI (right) magnetograms using NLFFF

modeling. The gray‐scale color coding

shows radial component Br of magnetic

field on the photosphere (white/black

corresponds to positive/negative polarity).

Yellow lines represent closed field lines,

while field lines changing in color from

yellow to brown (from bottom to the top)

represent the open ones. The gray area

indicates the region where magnetic field

values are close to zero.



Reconstructed magnetic field based on SDO HMI data yield larger total magnetic energy and

about 14.4% more free magnetic energy as compared with SOLIS VSM data. The density of surface

electric currents is also larger for the model based on SDO HMI data. The disagreement in the

energy content and density of electric currents is attributed to stronger transverse fields in SDO

HMI measurements.

2.2 The Quasi‐Biennial Periodicity as a Window on the Solar Magnetic Dynamo

Configuration (the Sunʹs Two‐Year Period and Its Drivers)

Manifestations of the solar magnetic activity through periodicities of about 11 and 2 years are now

clearly seen in all solar activity indices. R. Simoniello, K. Jain, S. Tripathy, S. Turck‐Chièze, C.

Baldner, W. Finsterle, F. Hill, and M. Roth (ApJ 765, 2013) investigated the mechanism driving the

two‐year period by studying the time and latitudinal properties of acoustic modes that are

sensitive probes of the subsurface layers. Almost 17 years of high‐quality resolved data provided

by NISP/GONG have been used in this investigation to provide a better understanding of the solar

cycle related changes in p‐mode frequencies. For both periodic components of solar activity, the

origin of the frequency shift is found to be located in the subsurface layers with evidence of a

sudden enhancement in amplitude occurring in just the last few hundred kilometers. It is also

shown that, in both cases, the magnitude of the shift increases toward equatorial latitudes and

from minimum to maximum solar activity, in agreement with previous findings. The quasi‐

biennial periodicity (QBP), however, causes a weaker shift in mode frequencies and a slower

enhancement than that caused by the 11‐year cycle. These observational findings are compared

with the features predicted by different models to explain the origin of this QBP, and it is

concluded that the observed properties could result from the beating between a dipole and

quadrupole magnetic configuration of the solar dynamo.

Figure 2.2‐1. a) Temporal variation of mean frequency shifts (symbols). The errors in frequency shifts are smaller than the

size of the symbols. The solid line represents the dominant 11‐year signal of the solar cycle as calculated by applying a

boxcar filter of width of about two years. b) The top panel shows the residual shifts after removing the 11‐year signal, while

the bottom panel depicts the local wavelet power spectrum; white representing areas of little power, red with the largest

power. c) Global wavelet power spectrum. The dotted line is 90% confidence level.



Figure 2.3‐1. In this GONG H‐alpha image, NOAA

11092 is a medium region in the northern hemisphere

with a counter‐clockwise whirl.

2.3 Active Regions with Superpenumbral

Whirls and Their Subsurface Kinetic Helicity

R. Komm, S. Gosain, A. Pevtsov (SoPh Online

First (18 pp.), 2013) search for a signature of

helicity flow from the solar interior to the photo‐

sphere and chromosphere. For this purpose, they

study two active regions, NOAA 11084 and 11092,

that show a regular pattern of superpenumbral

whirls in chromospheric and coronal images.

These two regions are good candidates for com‐

paring magnetic/current helicity with subsurface

kinetic helicity because the patterns persist

throughout the disk passage of both regions. They

use photospheric vector magnetograms from the

SOLIS Vector Spectromagnetograph and SDO

Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager to determine a

magnetic helicity proxy, the spatially averaged

signed shear angle (SASSA). The SASSA parameter

produces consistent results, leading to positive values for NOAA 11084 and negative ones for

NOAA 11092, consistent with the clockwise and counter‐clockwise orientation of the whirls. They

then derive the properties of the subsurface flows associated with these active regions. They

measure subsurface flows using a ring‐diagram analysis of GONG high‐resolution Doppler data

and derive their kinetic helicity. The sign of the subsurface kinetic helicity is negative for NOAA

11084 and positive for NOAA 11092; the sign of the kinetic helicity is thus anticorrelated with that

of the SASSA parameter. As a control experiment, Komm and colleagues study the subsurface

flows of six active regions without a persistent whirl pattern. Four of the six regions show a

mixture of positive and negative kinetic helicity, resulting in small average values, while two

regions are clearly dominated by kinetic helicity of one sign or the other, as in the case of regions

with whirls. The regions without whirls follow overall the same hemispheric rule in their kinetic

helicity as in their current helicity with positive values in the southern and negative values in the

northern hemisphere.

2.4 He I Vector Magnetometry of Field‐Aligned Superpenumbral Fibrils

Atomic‐level polarization and Zeeman effect diagnostics in the neutral helium triplet at 10830 Å in

principle allow full vector magnetometry of fine‐scaled chromospheric fibrils. T. A. Schad, M.

Penn, and H. Lin (ApJ 768:111 (17pp), 2013) present high‐resolution spectropolarimetric obser‐

vations of super‐penumbral fibrils in the He I triplet with sufficient polarimetric sensitivity to infer

their full magnetic field geometry. He I observations from the Facility Infrared Spectropolarimeter

(FIRS) are paired with high‐resolution observations of the Hα 6563 Å and Ca II 8542 Å spectral

lines from the Interferometric Bidimensional Spectrometer (IBIS) at the Dunn Solar Telescope.

Linear and circular polarization signatures in the He I triplet were measured and analyzed with

the advanced inversion capability of the “Hanle and Zeeman Light” modeling code (HAZEL, A.

Ramos, J. Trujillo Bueno, & E. Landi Degl’Innocenti, E., ApJ 683, 542, 2008). Their analysis provides

direct evidence for the often assumed field alignment of fibril structures.



Figure 2.4‐1. Thirty‐nine fibrils

manually traced by inspection of the

entire observed He I spectral data

cube using CRISPEX. The fibrils

traced constitute curvilinear features

of greater absorption and account for

lateral variations of the Doppler shift

and width of the He I triplet.

Figure 2.4‐2. Photospheric magnetic field vector in local solar coordinates for the entire FIRS field of view derived from a Milne–

Eddington analysis of the Si I 10827.089 Å spectral line. The selected fibrils are also overplotted. The arrows denote the locations of

the photospheric magnetic field with opposite polarity with regard to the sunspot umbra.

The projected angle of the fibrils and the inferredmagnetic field geometry align within an error of

±10◦ (Figures 2.4‐1 and 2.4‐2). They describe changes in the inclination angle of these features that

reflect their connectivity with the photospheric magnetic field. Evidence for an accelerated flow

(∼40 m s−2) along an individual fibril anchored at its endpoints in the strong sunspot and weaker

plage in part supports the magnetic siphon flow mechanism’s role in the inverse Evershed effect.

However, the connectivity of the outer endpoint of many of the fibrils cannot be established.

2.5 1565 nm Observations of the Transit of Venus, Proxy for a Transiting Exoplanet

The transit of Venus in June 2012 provided a unique chance to view a well studied planetary

atmosphere as we might see that of a transiting exoplanet, through scattered and refracted

illumination of its parent star. This is the second time that the IR atmospheric transmission of

Venus has been measured during a transit; previous observations were made with the Tenerife

Infrared Polarimeter during the 2004 transit by Hedelt et al. (2011), who confirmed well



established isotopic abundances and atmospheric scale height. S. Jaeggli, K. Reardon, J. Pasachoff,

G. Schneider, T. Widemann, and P. Tanga (AAS SPD meeting #44, Bozeman, MT, 2013), performed

spectroscopy and polarimetry during the transit of Venus, focusing on extracting signatures of CO2

absorption. Observations were taken during the first half of the transit using the Facility InfraRed

Spectropolarimeter (FIRS) on the Dunn Solar Telescope. An average spectrum of the off‐limb arc,

or aureole, was taken while Venus was crossing onto the solar limb. The spectra in the figure were

produced by averaging over the aureole (top panel), the average off‐limb stray light spectrum was

subtracted and the residual solar spectrum was divided (middle panel), and a line spectrum was

made by averaging over the spatial extent of the arc (bottom panel). A synthetic spectrum of the

Venus model atmosphere provided by Pascal Hedelt was resampled and convolved with the FIRS

spectrograph profile determined from laser measurements by Jaeggli (2011) to produce the model

spectrum shown in violet. The strong agreement between the observed and model spectra is

highly encouraging for further analysis of this dataset. Polarimetry was performed after Venus

had moved onto the

solar disk, however no

polarization signal from

Venus is apparent even

in highly averaged data. The transit also pro‐

vided the opportunity

to characterize stray

light and other instru‐

mental properties of

FIRS. The off‐limb scans

during the transit

revealed that the ap‐

parent uniform stray

light background is

actually a faint and

spatially offset version

of the image, probably

due to a back‐

reflection upstream

from the spectrograph

in the telescope. The analysis of the Venus data also leads to further analysis of optical and digital

fringes due to the infrared optics and array detector respectively. More rigorous analysis and

removal of the fringe patterns will greatly improve analysis of this and other datasets from FIRS.

2.6 Velocity and Magnetic Field Distribution in a Forming Penumbra

The formation process of the penumbra in sunspots presents several aspects that are not yet well

understood because of the difficulty of observing this rather fast process, which has a duration of

a few hours, with high spectral, spatial, and temporal resolution. P. Romano, D. Frasca, S.

Figure 2.5‐1. Spectra produced by averaging over the aureole (top panel); the average off‐limb

stray light spectrum was subtracted and the residual solar spectrum was divided (middle

panel); a line spectrum (bottom panel) was made by averaging over the spatial extent of the arc.



Figure 2.6‐1. Snapshots of the emerging part of NOAA AR 11490 as seen in the broadband image (left panel), in the Ca II line

center image (middle panel), and in the circular polarization map (right panel) taken by IBIS at ~14:20 UT. North is at the top,

west is on the right. The contours indicate the edge of the pore as seen in the corresponding broadband image.

Guglielmino, I. Ermolli, A. Tritschler, K. Reardon, and F. Zuccarello, (ApJ 771, L3, 2013) present

results from the analysis of high‐resolution spectropolarimetric and spectroscopic observations of

the solar photosphere and chromosphere, obtained shortly before the formation of a penumbra in

one of the leading polarity sunspots of NOAA active region 11490. The observations were performed at the Dunn Solar Telescope on 28 May 2012, using the

Interferometric Bidimensional Spectrometer (IBIS). The dataset comprises a one‐hour time

sequence of measurements in the Fe I 617.3 nm and Fe I 630.25 nm lines (full Stokes polarimetry)

and in the Ca II 854.2 nm line (Stokes I only). Romano and colleagues performed an inversion of

the Fe I 630.25 nm Stokes profiles to derive magnetic field parameters and the line‐of‐sight (LOS)

velocity at the photospheric level. They characterized chromospheric LOS velocities by the

Doppler shift of the centroid of the Ca II 854.2 nm line. They found that, before the formation of

the penumbra, an annular zone of 3ʺ‐ 5ʺ width is visible around the sunspot. In the photosphere,

they found that this zone is characterized by an uncombed structure of the magnetic field,

although no visible penumbra has formed yet. They also found that the chromospheric LOS

velocity field shows several elongated structures characterized by downflow and upflow motions

in the inner and outer parts of the annular zone, respectively.

2.7 The Properties of Flare Kernels Observed by the Dunn Solar Telescope

A. Kowalski, L. Fletcher, G. Cauzzi, S. Hawley, and H. Hudson (presented by Fletcher at AAS

SPD meeting #44, Bozeman, MT, 2013), conducted a campaign at the Dunn Solar Telescope which

resulted in successful imaging and spectroscopic obser‐vations of a C1.1 solar flare on 18 August

2011 using the IBIS instrument and the Horizontal Spectrograph in a custom setup. The majority

of a flare’s energy is radiated in the optical and UV part of the spectrum, and the goal of the

campaign was to obtain the flare’s optical spectrum over a wide spectral range, to characterize

the continuum and search for evidence of a Balmer jump. This feature would indicate free‐bound



Figure 2.7‐1. Shown here are the finely structured ribbons observed

by IBIS in the continuum near H‐alpha, crossing into a sunspot

umbra. The arrow indicates the kernel where the HSG spectrum is obtained.

emission, one of the mechanisms

proposed for generating a flare’s

white‐light radiation.

The flare exhibited ribbons with

complicated fine structure at the

resolution of the DST/IBIS

instrument, and a number of bright

kernels with sizes comparable to the

smallest scales sampled by IBIS,

around 2‐4 pixels (0.ʺ3‐0.ʺ6) FWHM.

Kowalski et al. focus on these bright

kernels, describing their spatial

characteristics in the core and wing of

H‐alpha and Ca II 8542, and in the

UV and EUV with the Solar

Dynamics Observatory. Preliminary

broadband spec‐troscopy of the kernels shows clearly the presence of an optical continuum in

this small flare, as well as strong high‐order Balmer lines, although a clear Balmer jump is

entirely missing. Some of these characteristics are strikingly similar to the spectral behavior

observed during large flares on active M dwarfs, suggesting physical processes and atmospheric

conditions in common. Detailed calculations are required to fully understand the spectra which

will provide new plasma diagnostics of the ill‐understood lower chromospheric and

photospheric plasma response in solar flares.

Figure 2.7‐2. Shown here is the flare

minus pre‐flare excess spectrum in the

kernel indicated in Figure 2.7‐1, with the

positions of lines, and expected Balmer

jump (BJ). The spectral hump between 3600

and 3700 Å is one of the features observed

in M‐dwarf flares.



3 SCIENTIFIC AND KEY MANAGEMENT STAFF

The NSO staff provides support to users including observational support, developing and

supporting state‐of‐the‐art instrumentation to ensure that users obtain the best data, and

maintaining data archives and the means to accessing the data. Members of the scientific staff

are defining how ATST will be operated and how NSO will handle the data. In addition, both

scientific and engineering staff serve as mentors for undergraduate and graduate students and

postdoctoral fellows. They also organize community workshops on critical areas of solar

research and planning. Staff science and instrument development allows NSO to stay at the

forefront of solar physics and play a crucial role in fulfilling user support. The current NSO scientific and management staff, as well as affiliated scientific staff, are listed

below with their primary areas of expertise and key observatory responsibilities.

Scientific Staff

Christian Beck DST visitor and instrument support; solar magnetic fields and

convection; ATST operations development.

Thomas E. Berger Astronomer; ATST Project Scientist.; solar magnetoconvection; high‐

resolution observations.

Luca Bertello NISP/SOLIS Data Scientist; solar vector magnetic fields; helioseismology.

Serena Criscuoli DST visitor and instrument support; solar magnetic fields and

convection; ATST operations development.

David F. Elmore ATST Instrument Scientist; ground‐based spectrograph and filter‐

based polarimeter development.

Mark S. Giampapa Current NSO Deputy Director; stellar dynamos and magnetic activity;

asteroseis‐mology; astrobiology; Ch., NSO/KP Telescope Allocation

Committee; Ch., Scientific Personnel Committee.

Irene E. González

Hernández

Solar Interior Data Scientist; local helioseismology; seismic imaging;

ring‐diagram analysis.

John W. Harvey NISP; solar magnetic and velocity fields; helioseismology; instrumentation.

Frank Hill NSO Associate Director for NISP; solar oscillations; data management.

Stephen L. Keil Solar variability; convection.

Shukur Kholikov Helioseismology; data analysis techniques; time‐distance methods.

John W. Leibacher NISP; helioseismology; atmospheric dynamics.

Valentín Martínez Pillet NSO Director; solar activity; magnetic field measurements;

spectroscopy; polarimetry; astronomical instrumentation.



Key Management Staff

Craig Gullixson DST Technical and Project Manager.

Rex G. Hunter NSO budget management; ATST business support; Support Facilities

and Business Manager.

Joseph P. McMullin ATST Project Manager.

Priscilla Piano Administrative Manager: Director’s office and Tucson site support;

NSO grants and NSO budget management.

Kim V. Streander NISP Program Manager; NSO/KP Technical Program & Telescope Manager.

Postdoctoral Fellows

James Lewis Fox Imaging spectroscopy; spectropolarimetric studies of solar prominences.

Sanjay Gosain Spectropolarimetry; solar magnetic fields; instrumentation.

Brian Harker Stokes spectropolarimetry and inversion techniques; automated tracking

and classification of sunspot and active‐region structure; parallel

processing computational techniques for data reduction.

Dirk Schmidt Multi‐conjugate adaptive optics.

Fraser T. Watson Sunspot identification and evolution.

Matthew J. Penn Solar atmosphere; solar oscillations; polarimetry; near‐IR instrumentation;

ATST near‐IR; McMath‐Pierce Facility Scientist.

Gordon J. D. Petrie NISP; solar magnetism; helioseismology.

Alexei A. Pevtsov NISP/SOLIS Atmosphere section Program Scientist; solar activity;

coronal mass ejections; solar magnetic helicity, Sun‐as‐a‐star.

Kevin P. Reardon Data Center Scientist; high‐resolution solar data acquisition and analysis;

ATST data handling, storage and processing.

Thomas R. Rimmele NSO Associate Director for ATST; ATST PI and Project Director; solar

fine structure and fields; adaptive optics; instrumentation.

Alexandra Tritschler ATST operations development; solar fine structure; magnetism; Stokes

polarimetry.

Han Uitenbroek DST Program Scientist; atmospheric structure and dynamics; radiative

transfer modeling of the solar atmosphere; ATST Visible Broadband

Imager

Friedrich Wöger ATST Data Handling Scientist; ATST Visible Broadband Imager PI; high‐

resolution convection; solar fine structure; magnetic fields.



Thesis Students

Teresa Monsue (Fisk/Vanderbilt U.) Solar flares.

Matthew Richardson (Fisk University) Helioseismology.

Thomas Schad (University of Arizona) IR spectropolarimetry. Grant‐Supported Scientific Staff

Olga Burtseva Time‐distance analysis; global helioseismology; leakage matrix.

Kiran Jain NISP Interior Program Scientist; helioseismology; solar cycle variations;

ring‐diagram analysis; sub‐surface flows.

Rudolf W. Komm Helioseismology; dynamics of the convection zone.

Jose Marino ATST wavefront correction; image restoration.

Sushanta C. Tripathy Helioseismology; solar activity.

Name Adm/Mgt1 Research2 EPO3 Project Support

User Support

Internal Comm.

External Comm.

TOTAL

Beck, C. 52.7 13.5 33.8 100.0

Berger, T.E. 82.0 5.0 1.0 12.0 100.0

Bertello, L. 51.0 31.0 18.0 100.0

**Burtseva, O. 56.7 29.2 14.1 0.0 0.0 100.0

Criscuoli, S. 59.5 1.0 19.2 20.3 100.0

Elmore, D.F. 1.0 1.0 94.0 2.0 2.0 100.0

**Fox, L.J. 66.0 4.0 30.0 100.0

Giampapa, M.S. 57.0 37.7 0.4 0.2 1.6 3.1 100.0

González Hernández , I. 6.0 48.0 24.0 22.0 100.0

Gosain, S. 82.0 10.0 8.0 100.0

**Harker-Lundberg, B.J. 47.0 3.0 50.0 100.0

Harvey, J.W. 27.0 55.0 15.0 1.0 2.0 100.0

Hill, F. 42.0 15.7 3.0 37.0 1.3 1.0 100.0

**Jain, K. 6.0 39.0 55.0 100.0

Keil, S.L. 50.0 5.0 5.0 30.0 5.0 5.0 100.0

Kholikov, S.S. 63.0 23.0 14.0 100.0

**Komm, R.W. 85.0 10.0 5.0 100.0

Leibacher, J.W. 1.0 2.7 2.0 62.7 7.5 24.1 100.0

**Marino, J. 10.0 90.0 100.0xMartinez Pillet, V.

Penn, M.J. 48.6 31.4 12.4 3.0 0.5 4.1 100.0

Petrie, G.J.D. 62.0 8.0 30.0 100.0

Pevtsov, A.A. 48.3 1.7 43.9 1.3 1.0 3.8 100.0

Reardon, K.P. 22.1 51.8 26.1 100.0

Rimmele, T.R. 75.8 1.0 1.0 22.2 100.0

Schmidt, D. 10.0 90.0 100.0

**Tripathy, S.C. 75.0 2.0 20.0 2.0 1.0 100.0

Tritschler, A. 8.7 1.0 85.1 3.1 2.1 100.0

Uitenbroek, H. 47.5 1.0 13.5 16.8 10.8 10.4 100.0

Watson, F. 80.5 0.5 19.0 100.0

Woeger, F. 43.0 6.0 51.0 100.0

Table 3.1 NSO Scientific Staff Estimated Percent FTE by Activity (FY 2013)

x New NSO Director; started 01 Aug. 2013. **Grant supported staff.

1Administrative and/or Management Tasks. 2Research, including participation in scientific conferences. 3Educational and Public Outreach.



4 SUPPORT TO PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS AND THE SOLAR‐

TERRESTRIAL PHYSICS COMMUNITY

Fulfilling NSO’s mission of providing opportunities to the scientific community and training

the next generation of solar researchers for forefront observations of the Sun require that first‐

class ground‐based solar facilities remain available on a continuous basis. Thus NSO developed

Long‐Range Plans with the flexibility to transition from current facility operations to the period

when new facilities are in place without seriously impacting the US solar user community.

Through advancements in instrumentation and the implementation of adaptive optics at its

focal planes, NSO has maintained its telescopes at the cutting edge of solar physics. They play a

key role in the support of US and international solar research and research‐based training.

NSO telescopes remain extremely productive and are among the most accessed solar telescopes

in the world. Facility usage is given in Appendix B. We note that 25 US and 4 international

groups used the Dunn Solar Telescope (DST) in FY 2013 and 22 US and 2 international groups

used the McMath‐Pierce Solar Telescope (McMP). This indicates a strong ongoing interest in

high‐resolution and infrared solar observing. Although the major NSO telescopes are four or

more decades old, their advanced instrumentation enables the DST and McMP to continue as

key ground‐based facilities in support of US and international solar research. The NSO

telescope upgrade and instrument development program is guided by the scientific and

technical imperatives of the new ATST. Therefore, telescope and instrument upgrades and

operations are reviewed and supported on the basis that they serve as necessary preludes to the

ATST initiative, while concurrently serving the goals of the scientific community. Table 4

provides a list of the instruments available at NSO operated facilities.

Both as a necessary prelude to the ATST and as indispensable facilities for current research in

solar physics, NSO planned for the operation of the Dunn Solar Telescope and the McMath‐

Pierce Solar Telescope until the ATST is commissioned. NSF/AST, however, has stated that the

McMath‐Pierce Telescope should enter a minimal operations phase by the end of 2013 and the

DST should be divested in 2017, two years before the ATST is scheduled for commissioning.

Neither closure is optimal for maintaining and continuing to build a strong user community for

ATST.

These early closures make it imperative that we find organizational entities interested in

continuing the operation of these facilities, and we have started searching for such in earnest.

A workshop on Sac Peak/DST divestiture was held on 25 October 2012 and a similar workshop

for the McMP was held in February 2013. Divestiture of Sac Peak is crucial, since closing it and

restoring the site to natural forest would be very expensive (tens of millions of dollars), and

depending on how it is divested, there may be opportunity for joint calibration operations with

ATST. Until the ATST is online, the solar community relies on the DST for high‐resolution

spectropolarimetry and the McMP for high‐resolution spectro‐polarimetry and imaging

infrared observations beyond two microns. With closure of the McMath‐Pierce by 2017, the

latter capability will be lost for two years before ATST is on line. A gap of only two years



between divestiture of the DST and the commissioning of ATST is perhaps less serious for the

community, but still will impact high‐resolution users. While time may be available on the Big

Bear Solar Telescope (BBSO) New Solar Telescope (NST) and the European telescopes, those

will be “pay‐for‐use,” which most US solar users will be unable to afford.

The following sections describe status and plans for NSO facilities for FY 2014 and beyond.

4.1 Dunn Solar Telescope

The 76‐cm Richard B. Dunn Solar Telescope, located on Sacramento Peak, is a diffraction‐

limited solar telescope with strong user demand and excellent scientific output. The DST has

two identical AO systems—well matched to seeing conditions—that feed two different

instrument ports. These ports accommodate a variety of diffraction‐limited, facility‐class

instrumentation, including the Diffraction‐Limited Spectro‐Polarimeter (DLSP), the Spectro‐

Polarimeter for Infrared and Optical Regions (SPINOR), the Interferometric BIdimensional

Spectrometer (IBIS), the Facility Infrared Spectrograph (FIRS), the Rapid Oscillations of the

Solar Atmosphere (ROSA). This has made the DST the most powerful facility available in terms

of post‐focus instrumentation. In addition to supporting the solar community and the science discussed in Section 2, the DST

supports observations that will drive ATST high‐resolution requirements at visible and near‐

infrared wavelengths, and refine ATST science goals. The DST also supports the development

of future technologies such as multi‐conjugate AO (MCAO), and experimental wavefront

sensing on off‐limb targets in H‐alpha. The first successful on‐sky MCAO experiment was

performed in 2009 at the DST and further efforts are ongoing. The DST supports the US and international high‐resolution and polarimetry communities and is

often used in collaboration with space missions to develop global pictures of magnetic field

evolution. While competing European telescopes have emerged, they have not supplanted the

need for the DST. Many Europeans still compete for time on the DST and provide instruments,

such as IBIS (Italy) and ROSA (Northern Ireland, UK), that are available to all users. The DST

will continue to play the major role in supporting US high‐resolution spectropolarimetry and

the development of instruments needed for progress in this important field. Most DST

instruments will have higher resolution analogues in the ATST instrument suite.

The NSO instrumentation program is focused on the development of enabling technologies that

will be central to the ATST and a strong program of understanding solar magnetic variability.

The primary areas of instrumental initiatives at NSO are high‐resolution vector polarimetry in

the visible and near‐IR. In many ways instruments developed for the DST can be considered

prototypes for ATST first‐light instruments. For example, FIRS (Facility Infrared Spectro‐

polarimeter) and the new fiber‐optic spectrograph SPIES (Spectro‐Polarimetric Imager for the

Eneregetic Sun) implement and verify state‐of‐the‐art technologies that will be used for the DL‐

NIRSP (Diffraction‐Limited Near‐Infrared Spectropolarimeter) of ATST. SPINOR is a precursor

to ATST’s ViSP (Visible Spectropolarimeter) and ROSA implements and tests concepts that

drive the design of the ATST VBI (Visible Broadband Imager) and camera systems. IBIS, a

partner instrument provided to the DST by Italy is operated by NSO with support from the



Italian community. This collaboration does not only provide experience with the design,

operations, data handling and processing of such a complex instrument but also teaches

valuable lessons on making international partnerships work successfully and with mutual

benefit. IBIS can be regarded as a prototype for the Visible Tunable Filter (VTF), which will be

provided to ATST by an international partner as well. Instrument development and scientific

applications in these areas rely on the unique capabilities of the DST and its science, technical

and operations staff and strong collaborations with university and international partners. ATST operational concepts are tested at the DST with the DST Service Mode Operations (SMO).

Service mode is an operational mode in which the PI of the observing request does not travel to

the telescope. Instead, observations are ranked, scheduled and performed by a team of telescope

scientists at the DST. This mode of scheduling is more efficient, allows a flexible schedule that

maximizes adaptation to solar target availability and atmospheric conditions, and wastes less

time waiting for opportunities and changing instrumentation. It is expected that the ATST will

be run in Service Mode for a significant fraction of its operational time. Lessons that need to be

learned include how to rank proposals, how to plan and react to target availability, and how to

disseminate the acquired data. Two SMO experiments have been conducted for one month

each in January/February and October 2013. Both experiments saw high interest from the

community, with 21 and 19 observing requests, respectively.

4.1.1 Adaptive Optics

Adaptive optics is essential for the new generation of ground‐based solar telescopes because the

science is driven by the quest for the highest spatial resolution observations. AO and MCAO are

essential technologies for obtaining the full benefit from existing telescopes and are critical to

the operation of the ATST. The NSO is continuing AO and MCAO development in primary partnership with the New

Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and the Kiepenheuer Institute (KIS) in Freiburg, Germany.

A 357‐ actuator system (compared to the 97 actuators for the current system) for the 1.6‐m Big

Bear Solar Observatory New Solar Telescope has been developed jointly between NSO and NJIT

personnel and is now operational (funded by NSF‐AST‐ATI 0905279). In addition to providing

the highest resolution imagery to date (Figure 4.1‐1), this effort is also serving as a prototype for

scaling up the current 100‐actuator systems operated at the DST to a system that meets ATST

requirements (a 1900‐actuator system). The lab facility at Sacramento Peak (NSO/SP) has been

retrofitted with a clean‐room tent and a solar light feed to enable system integration and testing

of the sensitive and costly optical components needed for both the BBSO and ATST AO

systems. Essential laboratory space and test equipment can be provided to the ATST project at

NSO/SP in a very cost effective manner. The ATST high‐order AO (HOAO) system development is progressing on schedule. Major

components and subsystems are in production, or have been received, and have undergone

testing and requirements verification in the lab or at the DST. These include the wavefront

sensor camera, the field programmable gate array (FPGA) processor system prototype, the

tip/tilt mirror, the deformable mirror (in production), and various opto‐mechanical

components.



Figure 4.1‐1. A sunspot image taken at the BBSO NST with

the 357‐actuator AO system.

In addition to the ATST HOAO system

development, the development of MCAO is

progressing. The Sun is an ideal object for

the development of MCAO because solar

structure provides the “multiple guide stars”

needed to determine the wavefront

information in different parts of the field of

view. The NSO system was one of the first

successful on‐sky MCAO experiments (the

Kiepenheuer MCAO system being the other).

The NSO’s main goal, however, is to develop

MCAO technology for future implemen‐

tation at the ATST. Close collaborations

between NSO, NJIT and the Kiepenheuer

Institute exist. Dirk Schmidt, an NSO/ATST

postdoctoral fellow, is working at NSO, at

the BBSO NST and at the GREGOR telescope

on Tenerife on the implementation of MCAO systems. As of November 2013, final integration

and testing of MCAO is progressing at both the 1.5‐m GREGOR and the 1.6‐m NST and first

on‐sky results are expected very soon. The NSTʹs MCAO is strongly based on the concepts of

the MCAO system of the German GREGOR telescope which are the results of the pioneering

and continuous solar MCAO research at NSO and KIS. The MCAO work at BBSO is funded by

an NSF Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) grant (NSF‐MRI 0959187). The fruitful

collaboration between NSO, a university (NJIT) and an international partner (KIS), in addition

to providing MCAO at current large‐aperture solar telescopes, results in development of crucial

technology and prototyping for the ATST MCAO system that NSO expects to implement at the

ATST during the first few years of operations. Following the strong desire expressed by the community to have an AO system available that

can work on off‐limb structure, such as prominences and filaments, the NSO has begun a small

development effort at the DST. Making adaptive optics function using the faint prominence

structure that can be observed only with narrow‐band (0.5 Å) filters (e.g., H‐alpha) is a

challenge. A prototype system has recently been tested successfully at the DST. The project is

led by a New Mexico State University (NMSU) graduate student, who is supervised by Dr. T.

Rimmele. The ongoing AO efforts are educating and training the personnel needed to support these

efforts in the future. 4.1.2 DST Instrumentation

4.1.2.1 Diffraction‐Limited Spectro‐Polarimeter (DLSP)

The Diffraction‐Limited Spectro‐Polarimeter is fully integrated with one of the high‐order AO

systems (Port 2). In addition, a 1 Å K‐line imaging device and a high‐speed 2K 2K G‐band imager with speckle reconstruction capability as well as a slit‐jaw imager have been integrated



with the DLSP. A diffraction‐limited resolution mode (0.09 arcsec/pixel, 60 arcsec FOV) and a

medium‐resolution mode (0.25 arcsec/pixel, 180 arcsec FOV) are available. The Universal

Birefringent Filter (UBF) can be combined with the DLSP/imaging system. This full‐up

instrumentation set is available for users. The DLSP has been used to implement a “solar queue observing mode” at the DST. Predefined

observations, or observations of targets of opportunity, are carried out by the observing support

staff. Implementation of this mode allows for more efficient use of the best seeing conditions.

A similar operating model is envisioned for the ATST, and the DST/DLSP experience will be

crucial for developing an efficient operations strategy for the ATST.

4.1.2.2 Facility Infrared Spectropolarimeter (FIRS)

This is a collaborative project between the National Solar Observatory and the University of

Hawai‘i Institute for Astronomy (IfA) to provide a facility‐class instrument for infrared

spectropolarimetry at the Dunn Solar Telescope. H. Lin (IfA) is the principal investigator of this

NSF/MRI‐funded project. This instrument takes advantage of the diffraction‐limited resolution

provided by the AO system for a large fraction of the observing time at infrared wavelengths.

Many of the solar magnetic phenomena occur at spatial scales close to or beyond the diffraction‐

limited resolution of the telescope. Diffraction‐limited achromatic reflecting Littrow spectro‐

graph allows for the required diverse wavelength coverage. A unique feature of FIRS is the

multiple‐slit design, which allows high‐cadence, large FOV scans (up to four times more

efficient than SPINOR and DLSP), a vital feature for studying dynamic solar phenomena such

as flares. The high‐order Echelle grating allows for simultaneous multi‐wavelength

observations sensing different layers of the solar atmosphere, and thus enabling 3‐D vector

polarimetry. The two detectors are a 1K × 1K MgCdTe IR camera and a 2K × 2K camera with

Kodak CCD for the visible arm, both synced to their own liquid crystal modulator. FIRS has

been fully commissioned as a supported user instrument since 2009. FIRS also serves as a

prototype for the Diffraction‐Limited Near‐IR Spectro Polarimeter (DL‐NIRSP), a major ATST

first‐light instrument.

4.1.2.3 Spectro‐Polarimeter for Infrared and Optical Regions (SPINOR)

SPINOR is a joint HAO/NSO instrument that replaced the advanced Stokes polarimeter (ASP)

at the Dunn Solar Telescope with a much more capable system. The ASP has been the premier

solar research spectropolarimeter for the last decade. SPINOR extends the wavelength of the

former ASP from 450 nm to 1600 nm with new cameras and polarization optics, provides

improved signal‐to‐noise and field‐of‐view, and replaces obsolete computer equipment.

Software control of SPINOR into the DST camera control and data handling systems has been

completed and the instrument is fully commissioned as a user instrument.

SPINOR and IBIS, are the primary instruments for joint observations with Hinode, SDO, and

IRIS. They augment capabilities for research at the DST and extend the lifetime of state‐of‐the‐

art research spectropolarimetry at the DST for another decade. SPINOR is also the forerunner

of the Visible Spectro‐Polarimeter (ViSP) that is being developed by HAO for the ATST.



4.1.2.4 Interferometric BIdimensional Spectrometer (IBIS)

IBIS is an imaging spectrometer built by the solar group of the University of Florence in Arcetri,

Italy. IBIS delivers high spectral resolution (25 mA in the visible, and 45 mA in the infrared),

high throughput, and consequently high cadence. In collaboration with NSO and the High

Altitude Observatory, the Arcetri group has upgraded IBIS to a vector polarimeter. The

wavelength range of IBIS extends from the visible to near‐IR and allows spectroscopy and

polarimetry of photospheric and chromospheric layers of the atmosphere. NSO has a

Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Florence for continued operation and

support of IBIS at the DST. Two new identical Andor 1K × 1K cameras have replaced the

slower Princeton narrow‐band and Dalsa wide‐band cameras for improved data rates. IBIS has

been integrated into the DST SAN. IBIS and ROSA (described below) also serve as prototypes

for the Visible Tunable Filter (VTF) and Visible Broadband Imager (VBI) on ATST and are

providing experience in reducing the large data sets ATST will provide.

4.1.2.5 Rapid Oscillations of the Solar Atmosphere (ROSA)

ROSA is a fast camera system developed and built by Queens University (QU) in Belfast,

Northern Ireland. It consists of up to 7 1K 1K Andor cameras, including one especially blue‐

sensitive camera, and a computer system capable of registering up to 30 frames per second. The

computer system has an internal storage capacity of 20 Tb, enough for a few days of

observations, even at the extremely high data rates the system is capable of. Typically, the

cameras are fed through some of NSOʹs wide band filters in the blue, while the red light is fed

to IBIS. The DST observers have been instructed on operating ROSA and are capable of running

the instrument without assistance from QU.

4.1.3 Replacements and Upgrades

Critical Hardware

Given the finite time frame for DST operations, replacement and upgrades of hardware and

software are limited to the necessary minimum. The Critical hardware upgrade (CHU) is aimed

at reducing unscheduled downtime by replacing obsolete and unreliable hardware, such as the

vintage 1970s CAMAC, with modern hardware. Critical hardware is defined as follows:

hardware elements that fail repeatedly, and/or, hardware elements that cannot be repaired or

replaced without significant downtime or re‐engineering. Significant downtime (total) is

defined as more than two weeks per year. These upgrades will be limited to supporting

existing capabilities rather than offering enhanced capabilities.

Storage Area Network (SAN)

The high data volumes produced by existing and new instrumentation such as IBIS, SPINOR,

FIRS, and ROSA, an instrument to measure Rapid Oscillations in the Solar Atmosphere, require

an expansion in data storage and handling capabilities at the DST. The DST data handling

system is currently 4 Tb for storage of daily observations, and 20 Tb for long‐term (21 days or

more) storage. A 10 Gbs network switch allows instruments to write to the SAN at the

sustained high data rates required by high‐spatial resolution, high‐cadence spectropolarimetry.

Furthermore, the obsolete standard storage media, DLT tape, which was used to transfer data to



users, has been completely replaced by removable hard drive with the eSATA transfer protocol

for much higher throughput.

4.1.4 Current and Future Use of the DST

NSO users and staff will continue to vigorously pursue the opportunities presented by high‐

resolution, diffraction‐limited imaging at the DST, with a goal of testing models of magneto‐

convection and solar magnetism, while refining ATST science objectives and ensuring the

growth of expertise needed to fully exploit ATST capabilities. The advent of high‐order AO has

increased the demand for DST time and has given ground‐based solar astronomy the

excitement shared by space missions. Currently, part of DST scheduling is devoted to testing the main envisioned ATST operation

mode (often referred to as Service Mode), where PIs no longer visit the telescope, but rather

submit proposals that are then put in a queue that is executed by NSO staff, based on scientific

ranking, prevailing observing conditions, and solar conditions. These experiments will provide

important information on the adjustments the new observing mode requires of the proposal

submission process, the evaluation of proposals, scheduling, and change in staff roles,

compared to the PI driven and fixed scheduling that now is standard at the DST.

4.1.5 Divestiture Planning

When ATST is complete, the high‐resolution capabilities of the DST will be surpassed and NSO

will cease operations and either close the DST or, preferably, find a group or groups interested

in exploiting the unique capabilities of the DST for their own use. Because NSO plans to ramp down its operation of the DST over several years, we will seek (a)

group(s) willing to ramp up their presence in Sunspot over the same time frame. In order to

work out a divestment plan, a series of workshops will be held, bringing together interested

parties. The first workshop was held on 25 October 2012 with six groups present. Interest was

expressed in assuming operation of Sunspot as an education and training center by two of the

groups (Southern Rockies Education Centers (SREC) and CU‐Boulder). More recently, NMSU

has become interested in joinig the efforts to turn the DST into a training facility for the younger

generations of astronomers and engineers. The next step is to work out potential business plans

and to coordinate with NSF on legal issues.

4.2 McMath‐Pierce Solar Telescope

The McMath‐Pierce solar facility is a set of three all‐reflecting telescopes, with the main

telescope having a primary diameter of 1.6 m, and the two auxiliary telescopes (East and West)

with diameters of about 0.8 m. The McMP provides large‐aperture all‐reflecting systems that

can observe across nearly two orders of magnitude, from 350 to 23000 nm; the telescopes are

very configurable with light beams that can feed a number of large, laboratory‐style optics

stations for easy and flexible instrument setup. The McMP is unique since it is the only 1.6 m

aperture solar telescope fully available to any scientist, the only solar telescope with

instrumentation that routinely observes in the infrared beyond 2500 nm, and the only solar



facility in the world with instrumentation to observe the Sun at 12000 nm and beyond. Recent

joint observations in 2011 with the BBSO/NST illustrate the unique ability of the McMP to collect

longer time series observations (factor of 2 or longer) with a much wider field‐of‐view (covering

five times the area or more) than can be obtained by the NST. Consistent with the NSF budget

assumptions and the recommendations of the Portfolio Review, NSO has begun the process of

identifying potential community user groups that could take over the operation of the McMP. If

a suitable alternative is not identified, NSO will begin the process of shutting down operations.

4.2.1 Diverse Observing Capabilities

As recognized by the decadal report (NWNH, p. 34) solar physics research draws support from

diverse sources and the research recently conducted at the McMP uniquely encapsulates this

scientific diversity. Among this work are several infrared studies of the Sun, which range from

the long‐term (13 years of data) sunspot magnetic field strength observations to the studies of the

solar atmospheric dynamics of the cold chromosphere that span just several hours of

observations. Unique spectral observations of sodium emission from Mercury and the Lunar

CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) impact event as well as the ultra‐high

spectral resolution infrared measurements of the atmospheric temperature on Venus illustrate the

planetary astronomy applications of the McMP and its instruments. Measurements of terrestrial

HCl molecules have verified the effectiveness of the Montreal protocol. Finally the laboratory

determination of new spectroscopic parameters of the 13C14N molecule will enable better analysis

of cometary and cool star spectra, and point to the important contribution to fundamental

physics by the instrumentation at the McMP facility.

4.2.2 Divestment or Closure of the McMP

The NSF/AST requires NSO to ramp down NSO support for the McMP to minimum operations

by the end of 2013 with divestment to follow as soon as practically possible. In order to get from

the current level of 2 FTEs to the envisioned shutdown with minimal interruption of

observations, operations at the McMP have been streamlined by block scheduling to minimize

set‐up time and by modifying the pointing and guiding system in order to provide more

automation for observing programs.

Discontinuing NSO operations can be accomplished by divesting the McMP to other groups or

by mothballing or removing the facility. There are no agreements that we are aware of that

require removal of the facility. This would be a matter of negotiation between NSF and the

Tohono O’odom Nation. The cost of long‐term mothballing of the facility will be estimated.

NSO has recently awarded a contract to assess the environmental impact of the divestiture of our

facilities at Kitt Peak.

The best, and least costly, path is to find a group or groups willing to assume responsibility for

the McMP. To this end, NSO conducted a workshop in early 2013 to identify parties interested in

taking over the telescope facility and to discuss the costs and logistics of the transition. Currently,

the NSO has a few (e.g., NASA‐funded) users that contribute to the cost of operating their

experiments at the McMP. To smooth the transition and give other groups time to obtain

funding, NSO proposes allowing users that can provide funding and their own support to



continue using the facilities with a ramp‐down plan of NSO support through FY 2017.

Thereafter, it is expected that a consortium of users would assume full responsibility for the

operation of the McMP on Kitt Peak as a tenant observatory. This removes the McMP from the

NSO “books” and NSF funding, while providing interested parties more time to raise full

operational funding. We have a similar arrangement with the Evans Solar Facility at Sac Peak.

A number of issues will arise in negotiating with potentially new operating institutions. Some of

the costs of maintaining the McMP are contained in the Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO)

budget. These include a number of KPNO partial FTEs that provide maintenance and the McMP

footprint costs for overall mountain operations. NOAO’s long‐term plan for continuing mountain

operations is also a factor that any new operating institution must consider. In particular, the

NSF expects that the NOAO will not be operating telescopes on Kitt Peak (with the possible

exception of the Mayall 4‐meter) by the end of FY 2015. The NSO is in the process of negotiating

a ramp‐down of NOAO support of NSO Kitt Peak facilities contained in the shared resources

portion of the KPNO budget.

4.2.3 Impacts of Early Closure of the McMP

The McMP has been a model of Scientific Diversity. In addition to solar observations, it is used

for atmospheric and laboratory spectroscopy, planetary studies and observations of exoplanets

and stellar activity cycles. The NSO is currently involved with estimating the cost of a complete

removal of the McMP from Kitt Peak and is communicating with university partners who have

expressed an interest in operating the facility after NSO removes support. Unfortunately, an early

closure may preclude some of these groups from obtaining funds, or make it more difficult and

costly to operate if the McMP is forced to sit idle for an extended period.

As part of the ramp‐down, the FTS instrument was moved out of the McMP facility in early FY

2012 to the campus of a university. This resulted in the loss of NSOʹs ability to support ultra‐high

resolution spectroscopy for the laboratory, atmospheric and solar communities.

The research activities at the McMP have several unique applications to the future ATST facility.

Infrared spectropolarimetry tests of optics at 4667 nm have been performed at the McMP with

direct application to the ATST CryoNIRSP (cryogenic near‐IR spectropolarmeter) instruments.

Recent images at the McMP at 4667 nm have produced important design constraints for second‐

generation ATST IR imaging instruments. The low‐order adaptive optics system at the McMP

recently had its first solar application at 4667 nm wavelength, verifying that daytime wavefront

corrections made in the visible improved image quality on measurements across a wavelength

range of nearly a factor of ten. These capabilities are lost with closure of the facility.

4.2.4 Collaboration with the New Solar Telescope Cyra Development

The McMath‐Pierce is currently the only solar telescope that is equipped to observe the Sun at

wavelengths longer than 2.5 microns. During the development of the NJIT/BBSO New Solar

Telescope Cryogenic Infrared Spectrograph (Cyra), the McMP is playing an important role in the

testing of optical elements and the design of the Cyra observations.



In early 2012, narrow‐band filters for isolating solar spectral lines from 3600‐4200 nm were

ordered for Cyra, and these were installed in the NSO Array Camera (NAC) at the McMP and

tested. In 2013, a polarimeter system consisting of a rotating quarter‐wave retarder and linear

polarizers was obtained by the Cyra program and tested at the McMP using the NAC. While the

McMP main spectrograph is at room temperature, resulting in a large background at these

wavelengths, the NAC was able to make the first spectropolarimetric maps of a sunspot at 4135

nm during observations in Fall 2013.

Observing programs to be run on the Cyra instrument are currently being tested on the McMP

using the NAC. While the Cyra observations will benefit from a greatly reduced thermal

background, exploratory observations at the McMP with the warm spectrograph will have

important scientific results. Several strange molecular transitions with negative effective Landé

g‐factors have already been observed, the curious linear polarization signals seen in an

unidentified atomic spectral line at 4136 nm have been recorded, and observations of the

polarimetric signals at CO 4666 nm were achieved. Initial observations of the infrared

chromospheric lines in this region are planned for 2014. The 3 – 4 micron region observed with

the NAC and the McMP have revealed spectral diagnostics arising from the photosphere,

chromosphere and corona with magnetic sensitivies that are five to ten times greater than

corresponding features in the visible. Thus, the McMP is demonstrating the tremendous

potential of the mid‐IR for solar magnetic field measure‐ments at the highest sensitivities.

With the exploratory NAC observations come experiments designed to enhance the signal to

noise of the observation procedure, and important tests of background subtraction and gain

correction techniques at this wavelength. These all will be applied to the Cyra observation

procedure at the NST, and should result in observations of the magnetic fields in the quiet Sun

with unprecedented magnetic sensitivity.

4.2.5 Current Programs

Synoptic observations from W. C. Livingston (NSO) using the McMath‐Pierce have revealed a

secular decrease in the mean sunspot magnetic field strength during solar cycles 23 and 24. If

this decline continues, it has enormous implications: a weak cycle 24 is one outcome, and an even

weaker, or non‐existent cycle 25 might also occur. No analogous observations have been made at

any other facility, and this data‐set alone shows the enormous value of the McMath‐Pierce and its

infrared capability. Extension to this data‐set using imaging spectropolarimetry at 1565 nm with

the new NAC system is currently underway. We have started an intercalibration program

between McMath‐Pierce and DST‐FIRS instrument to further understand these secular changes.

Much of the infrared spectrum is still barely explored, especially in flares, sunspots, and the

corona. The McMath‐Pierce Telescope and the NAC have begun to address these questions with

new observations of a powerful X1.8 flare and the magnetic structure of the sunspot

superpenumbra using the infrared He I line at 1083 nm, and new observations of the CO lines at

2330 nm and at 4667 nm. Full‐disk scans of the Mn I line at 1526 nm, which show sensitivity to

low magnetic fields with hyperfine structure, have been made for the first time at the McMath‐



Pierce. Further studies will be used to develop techniques and science questions that will

continue to refine the ATST IR capabilities.

As part of the ATST project, observations of telescopic scattered light are being made at the

McMP. After the ATST selected Haleakalā as the site for the ATST, it became clear that the

coronal observation of the ATST would be limited by telescopic rather than atmospheric

scattered light. The state‐of‐the‐art laboratory experiments in telescopic scattered light from dust

do not probe the small angle regime nor the wavelength regime where ATST coronal

observations are proposed. Direct measurements of these angles and wavelengths are possible

using the McMP telescope. Preliminary observations at 1565 nm are different from the model fits

using 10‐micron laboratory data, which have been used to predict ATST dust scatter. Further

observations in the 1‐12 micron wavelength region, particularly at 1075 and 3934 nm where the

ATST will measure solar coronal emission lines, will be done at the McMP, and the results will be

used to further refine the predicted ATST scattered light values as well as the cleaning program

for the ATST primary mirror.

4.3 NSO Integrated Synoptic Program

NISP (the NSO Integrated Synoptic Program) was formed in July 2011, and combines the Global

Oscillation Network Group (GONG) and the Solar Long‐Term Investigations of the Sun (SOLIS)

programs. These two programs have similar scientific goals and share a number of technical

approaches, so the combination of the two has resulted in improved system efficiency and

increased scientific synergy.

When ATST is completed, the combination of the ATST and the NISP will provide a complete

view of solar phenomena on a range of spatial scales from tens of kilometers to the full disk, and

on time scales from milliseconds to decades. In particular, NISP is a long‐term and consistent

source of synoptic solar that observes the Sun as a whole globe over solar‐cycle time scales.

While space missions, such as SOHO and SDO, also observe the entire solar disk, they cannot

match the long‐term coverage provided by NISP, which started in 1974 with the advent of the

Kitt Peak magnetograph, Sac Peak flare patrol, and spectroheliograms. In addition, space

missions are vulnerable to the effects of solar flares and CMEs, cannot be repaired, and are

extremely expensive. These qualities make NISP invaluable as a source of data for national space

weather needs. The recent National Academy report on Solar and Space Physics: A Science for a

Technological Society strongly supported synoptic solar physics as an essential component of the

science needed for space weather.

4.3.1 NISP Instrumentation

The NISP/GONG component is an international, community‐based program that studies the

internal structure and dynamics of the Sun by means of helioseismology—the measurement of

resonating acoustic waves that penetrate throughout the solar interior—using a six‐station,

world‐circling network to provide nearly continuous observations of the Sun’s five‐minute

oscillations. The instruments obtain 1K × 1K 2.5‐arcsec pixel velocity, intensity, and magnetic

flux images in the photospheric Ni I 676.7 nm line of the Sun every minute, with an



approximately 90% duty cycle, enabling continuous measurement of local and global

helioseismic probes from just below the visible surface to nearly the center of the Sun. Near‐real‐

time continuous data, such as 10‐minute cadence, high‐sensitivity magnetograms, seismic images

of the far side of the Sun, and 20‐second cadence 2K × 2K H‐alpha intensity images are also

available. These real‐time data are used by the US Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA), and

NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) for space weather forecasts. AFWA provides

NSO with funding towards GONG operations.

NISP/SOLIS has three main instruments: a vector spectromagnetograph (VSM) capable of

observing full‐disk vector and line‐of‐sight magnetograms in the photosphere and chromosphere,

a full‐disk patrol (FDP) imager, and an integrated sunlight spectrometer (ISS) for observing the

high‐resolution spectra of the Sun as a star. The VSM produces 2K × 2K longitudinal and vector

magnetograms constructed from full Stokes polarization spectra at a resolution of 200,000 in the

Fe I 630.15/630.25 nm line pair, and longitudinal magnetograms in the Ca II 854.2 nm line core

and wings. This allows the VSM to provide simultaneous photospheric and chromospheric

magnetic field measurements, a powerful combination for understanding the structure of

magnetic fields in stellar atmospheres. The VSM also produces chromospheric intensity

(equivalent width) images in He I 1083.0 nm, which are used for identification of coronal holes.

The FDP can take observations with a temporal cadence as short as 10 seconds in several spectral

lines including Hα, Ca II K, He I 1083.0 nm, continuum (white light), and photospheric lines. The

ISS observations are taken in nine spectral bands centered at the CN band 388.4 nm, Ca II H

(396.8 nm), Ca II K (393.4 nm), C I 538.0 nm, Mn I 539.4 nm, Hα 656.3 nm, Ca II 854.2 nm, He II

1083.0 nm, and Na I 589.6 nm (D line) with a resolution of 300,000. The ISS can observe any other

spectral lines within its operating range.

Hardware for the guider in the VSM was installed in early June 2013, completing the SOLIS hardware

project. The software for the VSM guider is under development and will be completed by the end of

calendar year 2013. The VSM will operate as usual during this period.

With the move to Boulder and the divestment of the McMP, NSO will seek a superior site to locate

SOLIS. Under consideration are Big Bear Solar Observatory in California, Haleakalā on Maui, and

Mauna Loa on Hawai’i (or Big Island). The final choice will balance cost and performance.

4.3.2 NISP Data Products

The NISP provides a large number of data products to the community. In addition to the

products mentioned above, data processing pipelines produce global helioseismic frequencies,

localized subsurface velocity fields derived from helioseismic inversions, synoptic maps of the

solar magnetic field, potential field source surface extrapolations of the magnetic field in the

corona, vector magnetic field maps of active regions produced from inversions of the Stokes

profiles, and the total global magnetic flux. These data products are important for understanding

the Sun and its activity cycle and related space weather. They also can be used for understanding

the impact of stellar activity on habitable planets. In addition, the experience of NISP in

pipelining a large number of data products, and in performing inversions, can be applied to the

development of the ATST data processing and analysis system.



NISP scientists use insights from their own research to monitor and improve the quality of NISP

data and to develop new data products. Most recent examples include error estimates for

synoptic magnetic maps, synoptic maps of vector fields, and sunspot field strengths derived from

separation of Zeeman components of spectral line profiles. Within the next few years, NISP is

expected to provide vector magnetic field observations in the chromosphere using the Ca II 854.2

nm line. This will provide a much fuller picture of the structure of the magnetic field in the

middle solar atmosphere, where the field direction changes from primarily vertical to horizontal

as it forms the magnetic canopy. This transition takes place in the solar atmosphere near the

location where the solar wind is accelerated. These future chromospheric vector magnetic field

observations would be extremely important not only for understanding the origins of space

weather for planets in our solar system, but also for testing the theories of the generation of

stellar winds and their consequences for the habitability of planets around other stars. A

combination of the ISS and VSM data would allow us to deconvolve the solar‐disk average

characteristics of the Sun in terms of activity across the disk. The latter would bring a new

understanding of stellar disk‐integrated parameters. It is also expected that progress will be

made on a new synoptic network with instrumentation capable of providing both vector

magnetic field and Doppler data in multiple wavelengths by 2020.

Research into the use of local helioseismology to detect active regions before they emerge is

continuing. In addition, helioseismic measurements of subsurface vorticity as a forecast of flare

activity are being developed. Both of these approaches hold out considerable promise of success,

but also have proven to be challenging. Global helioseismology has been tracking the evolution

of large‐scale flows, including the north‐south meridional flow and the zonal flow known as the

torsional oscillation. These flows are intimately connected with the dynamo mechanism that

produces the solar magnetic field and associated activity. For example, the timing of the

migration of the zonal flow has proven to be a good indicator of the future behavior of sunspot

activity. Current observations suggest that the next activity cycle, number 25, may be even

weaker than the current cycle.

4.3.3 NISP Status

4.3.3.1 NISP/GONG Component

The NISP/GONG component continues to operate nominally with the usual maintenance issues

concerning the turret and power supplies. A fire occurred at the Udaipur site in August 2010,

which delayed the deployment of the final H‐alpha instrument there. The data acquisition

system (DAS) is being upgraded and replaced with a PC‐based system similar to that used in the

SOLIS component; this is an example of the improved efficiency that NISP provides. In addition,

GONG has now stopped returning data on tapes, and is now obtaining data in near‐real time

from five of the six sites (Learmonth will be done by the end of CY 2013). This development will

save funds on tape supplies and maintenance, but at the added expense of Internet access fees.

The removal of the tapes has reduced the latency between data acquisition and reduction of the

helioseismology products. A long standing maintenance issue has been the degrading entrance

windows on the turrets. An alternative to the problematic 100 layer coating was recently

designed and the new entrance windows will be installed in FY14.



4.3.3.1.1 NISP/GONG Operations Support

NISP has been receiving substantial support from the US Air Force Weather Agency since 2009, when

AFWA provided $650K to develop and install H‐alpha filters in the GONG shelters. AFWA

subsequently provided $800K of operational funds for two years, but has been forced to cut that

support by 50% in 2013 due to the Federal Sequestration Act. The immediate consequences of this cut

to NISP were the loss of three FTE technical support positions and the need to drastically lower site

operational costs at Big Bear and Mauna Loa. It is expected, however, that our relationship with

AFWA is good for the long term since In addition AFWA has informally stated that they expect

GONG to replace their aging Solar Optical Observing Network (SOON) on a long‐term basis. AFWA

however, would like to have long‐term commitment for NISP support from the NSF.

NISP is also providing data to the Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder. SWPC is funded

by NOAA and uses GONG and SOLIS data as input to drive a predictive model of terrestrial geo‐

magnetic storms. Discussions have indicated that SWPC recognizes the value of the data and the

need for support, but a firm commitment is on hold until the SWPC director position is filled.

We note that NOAA SWPC declared GONG data essential during the recent Government

shutdown episode. While it is unlikely that SWPC will be able to directly supply funds, NOAA

should be able to supply the resources as an in‐kind contribution, such as assigning NOAA staff

to NSO or operating the Mauna Loa GONG site. Similarly, NISP data are used to drive models

hosted by NASA’s Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC), and all of the NASA

solar space missions use NISP data for context and supporting observations. A proposal to

NASA’s recent opportunity for Heliophysics Infrastructure and Data Environment Enhance‐

ments has been submitted (July 2013).

Using helioseismology, NISP produces estimates of the magnetic field on the farside of the Sun

that is turned away from the Earth. The estimates provide a signal that new active regions have

emerged that will appear on the Earth‐facing side up to two weeks in advance. Research at the

US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has shown that the assimilation of farside data into the

construction of synoptic magnetic field maps greatly improves the quality of the maps as it

reduces the errors at the edge of the map that would otherwise contain older data from 28 days

earlier. In September 2012, the AFRL data assimilation system, known as ADAPT, was installed

at NSO/Tucson and will be used by NOAA/SWPC to drive the geomagnetic storm prediction

system discussed above.

4.3.4.2 NISP/SOLIS Component

The NISP/SOLIS component is nearing full operational status. The last instrument, the Full‐Disk

Patrol (FDP), was installed at Kitt Peak in July 2011. The data from the FDP are available on the

Web, but needs additional flat‐field development. The cameras in the VSM were installed in

December 2009, and have been performing well. The guider hardware for the VSM has been

installed, and is expected to be fully operational in early 2014. The temporary H‐alpha filter will

be replaced with the tunable filter that is currently under construction. This will allow NSO to

declare the SOLIS hardware phase as finished by mid FY14. The data processing system for

SOLIS is being revamped. The data are no longer being processed on Kitt Peak, but instead are



now transferred down to Tucson and reduced in the NISP Data Center. This removes what has

been the most problematical SOLIS system, and exploits the pipeline expertise developed in the

GONG program. This is another example of the improved NISP efficiency.

4.3.4.3 NISP Data Center

There have been several developments in the NISP Data Center. Substantial progress has been

made in creating a standardized synoptic map pipeline to process both SOLIS and GONG data.

A multi‐wavelength, multi‐resolution synoptic map pipeline is now in place. The SOLIS

processing now occurs in Tucson (instead of Kitt Peak), in a centralized NISP infrastructure

isolated from SOLIS legacy hardware dependencies. The entire Level‐1 VSM code has been

revamped and rewritten. Significant improvements to 85421 and 6302v processing algorithms

have been made. A new, very fast vector inversion code based on the Instituto de Astrofísica de

Canarias (IAC) system that is also being used for the HMI instrument on SDO has been

implemented. The utilization of near‐real‐time NISP data products by space weather forecasters is increasing.

The hourly GONG magnetic field synoptic maps are now routinely used by NOAA/SWPC to

drive their forecasts of the solar wind and geomagnetic storms. The H‐alpha images from GONG

are used by the US AFWA for flare monitoring. AFWA also uses the high‐cadence GONG

magnetograms, and the AFRL receives a special ten‐minute GONG magnetic field data product

tailored for ingest by their ADAPT data assimilation system to predict the surface solar magnetic

field. Both NOAA and the AFRL use the maps of the far‐side magnetic field produced from

GONG helioseismic data.

4.3.4 NISP 2014 Goals

NISP goals in FY 2014 will be dominated by the transition to Boulder. For NISP/GONG

operations, the main issue will be the relocation of the two GONG engineering instruments to

Boulder. Since the network sites themselves are geographically independent of Tucson, their

operation and the resulting supply of space weather data should not be interrupted. Note that

the data reduction for the AFWA H‐alpha images is already located in the Cloud, and a prime

Data Center task is to transition the NOAA/SWPC magnetic field processing into the Cloud as

well. For NISP/SOLIS, the challenge will be to relocate the instrument suite with as little

downtime as possible. We are developing plans for temporarily relocating SOLIS to Tucson to

expedite upgrades and develop a modularized, automated observing system. A major decision

will be made as to the permanent location for NISP/SOLIS at either Big Bear, Tenerife, Haleakalā,

or Mauna Loa. The time frame for permanent relocation is expected in 2015. For the NISP Data

Center, the near‐term goals are to move all mission‐critical pipelines in support of space weather

to Cloud‐based computing platforms, continue to streamline and automate legacy GONG and

SOLIS reduction pipelines, develop the NSO Data Center plan for Boulder, and create a space‐

weather data oriented Website to cater to the growing user‐base of those products.



4.4 Evans Solar Facility

The Evans Solar Facility provides a 40‐cm coronagraph as well as a 30‐cm coelostat. The Evans

Facility is the most thoroughly instrumented coronograph in the world. The Air Force group

(AFRL) at Sacramento Peak provides support for and is the primary user of the ESF 40‐cm

coronagraph. SOLIS and ISOON have replaced the spectroheliogram capability of the ESF with

full‐disk imaging. The AFRL also provides funding for a part‐time observer and a postdoctoral

fellow to support operations and data processing, as well as funds for minimal maintenance. The

High Altitude Observatory has installed an instrument for the ESF for measuring prominence

magnetic fields.

4.5 Access to NSO Data

4.5.1 Digital Library

In addition to its dedicated telescopes, the NSO operates a Digital Library that provides synoptic

datasets (daily solar images from SOLIS, GONG data, and a portion of the Sacramento Peak

spectroheliograms) over the Internet to the research community. Current NSO Digital Library

archives include the Kitt Peak Vacuum Telescope (KPVT) magnetograms and spectroheliograms;

the Fourier Transform Spectrometer transformed spectra, the Sacramento Peak Evans Solar

Facility spectroheliograms and coronal scans, and solar activity indices. In addition, NISP

archives comprise GONG and SOLIS instrument datasets. GONG data include full‐disk

magnetograms, Doppler velocity and intensity observations, local and global helioseismology

products, and near‐real‐time H‐alpha, far‐side, and magnetic‐field products.

The near‐real‐time products are automatically disseminated to various agencies, including

AFWA, AFRL, and NOAA/SWPC for space weather prediction applications. The SOLIS data

archive includes the VSM, ISS and FDP. In 2012, about 14 TB of combined NISP and Digital

Library data were exported to over 1,200 users. Additional data sets from ISOON, the DLSP, and

the remainder of the NSO/SP spectroheliograms (being digitized at NJIT) will be included in the

future. We will also be hosting some non‐NSO data sets such as the Mt. Wilson Ca K synoptic

maps and the AFRL Air Force Data Assimilative Photospheric flux Transport (ADAPT) magnetic

field forecasts. The Digital Libray will also host the data sets form the DTS Service Mode

observing runs.

Since the inception of the Digital Library in May 1998, more than 54 million science data files

have been distributed to about 149,000 unique computers. These figures exclude any NSO or

NOAO staff members. The holdings of the NSO Digital Library are currently stored on a set of

disk arrays and are searchable via a Web‐based interface to a relational database. The current

storage system currently has 125 TB of on‐line storage. The Digital Library is an important

component of the Virtual Solar Observatory (VSO).

4.5.2 Virtual Solar Observatory

In order to further leverage the substantial national investment in solar physics, NSO is

participating in the development of the Virtual Solar Observatory. The VSO comprises a



collaborative distributed solar‐data archive and analysis system with access through the WWW.

The system has been accessed approximately a million times since Version 1.0 was released in

December 2004. The current version provides access to more than 80 major solar instruments and

200 data sets along with a shopping cart mechanism for users to store and retrieve their search

results. The interface has now expanded and in addition to the graphical user interface (GUI),

there is an interactive data language (IDL) and a Web service description language (WSDL)

interface (e.g., Python programmers). These two new interfaces currently make the bulk of the

volume in the VSO.

The overarching scientific goal of the VSO is to facilitate correlative solar physics studies using

disparate and distributed data sets. Necessary related objectives are to improve the state of data

archiving in the solar physics community; to develop systems, both technical and managerial; to

adaptively include existing data sets, thereby providing a simple and easy path for the addition

of new sets; and eventually to provide analysis tools to facilitate data mining and content‐based

data searches. None of this is possible without community support and participation. Thus, the

solar physics community is actively involved in the planning and management of the Virtual

Solar Observatory. None of the VSO funding comes from NSO; it is fully supported by NASA.

For further information, see http://vso.nso.edu/. Recently, the major effort in the VSO has been

the construction of remote mirror nodes for the data set produced by NASA’s SDO mission. This

effort is now complete, with one of these nodes is now located at NSO. SDO downloads via the

VSO are currently close to a 1TB/day, where the NSO provider is an important download node.

With the completion of the SDO mirror nodes, VSO is resuming the development of spatial

searches. Currently, almost all of the data accessible through the VSO is in the form of full‐disk

solar images. A spatial search capability will allow the user to locate data in a specific area on the

Sun delineated by heliographic coordinates. The returned data could be either observations of a

restricted area on the Sun, or full‐disk data covering the required Carrington longitudes. The

spatial search capability requires information on the location of the observational instruments,

since current NASA missions such as STEREO are not located near the Earth. In addition to the

spatial search capability, the VSO will soon provide access to another 6‐12 data sets that have

requested to be included.

In the time frame covered by NSO’s 2012‐2016 Long Range Plan, NSO will continue to be a

central component of the VSO.



Table 4. Telescope and Instrument Combinations FY 2014 Key: DST = Dunn Solar Telescope ESF = Evans Solar Facility GONG = Global Oscillation Network Group HT = Hilltop Telescope KPST = Kitt Peak SOLIS Tower McMP = McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope McMPE = McMath-Pierce East Auxiliary Telescope Instrument Telescope Comments/Description

NSO/Sacramento Peak – OPTICAL IMAGING & SPECTROSCOPY

High-Order Adaptive Optics DST 60 - 70-mode correction (two systems, Port 2 and Port 4)

Interferometric Bidimensional Spectrometer (IBIS) DST Spectroscopy/Polarimetry, 25-45 mÅ resolution, 550 nm-860 nm Diffraction-Limited Spectro-Polarimeter (DLSP) DST 6302 Å polarimetry, 0.09 arcsec and 0.25 arcsec/pixel

Universal Birefringent Filter (UBF) DST Tunable narrow-band filter, R < 40,000, 4200 - 7000 Å

Horizontal Spectrograph (HSG) DST R < 500,000, 300 nm - 1.0 m

Universal Spectrograph ESF Broad-spectrum, low-order spectrograph, flare studies

Littrow Spectrograph ESF R < 1,000,000, 300 nm - 2.5 m

Spectro-Polarimeter for Infrared & Optical Regions (SPINOR) DST HSG based Spectro-Polarimeter, 450-1700 nm

Rapid Oscillations in the Solar Atmosphere (ROSA) DST Imaging system, 350-660 nm

40-cm Coronagraph ESF 300 nm – 2.5 m

Prominence Magnetometer ESF Spectro-Polarimetry, 587.6, 656.3, 1083.0 nm

Coronal Photometer ESF Coronal lines: 5303 Å, 5694 Å, 6374 Å 6374 Å

NSO/Sacramento Peak –O/IR IMAGING & SPECTROSCOPY

Horizontal Spectrograph (HSG) DST High-resolution 1- 2.5 m spectroscopy/polarimetry, R < 300,000 Facility Infrared Spectropolarimeter (FIRS) DST Spectro-Polarimetry; 630.2, 1083.0, 1564.8 nm

Littrow Spectrograph ESF Corona and disk, 1 - 2.5 m spectroscopy/polarimetry

NSO/Kitt Peak – O/IR IMAGING & SPECTROSCOPY

SOLIS Vector Spectromagnetograph (VSM)

KPST

1083 nm: Stokes I, 2000 1.1 arcsec, 0.35-sec cadence 630.2 nm: I, Q, U, V, 2000 1.1 arcsec, 0.7-sec cadence 630.2 nm: I & V, 2000 1.1 arcsec, 0.35-sec cadence 854.2 nm: I & V, 2000 1.1 arcsec, 1.2-sec cadence

SOLIS Integrated Sunlight Spectrometer (ISS) KPST 380 – 1083 nm, R= 30,000 or 300,000

SOLIS Full-Disk Patrol (FDP) KPST High temporal cadence filterograms at 656.28 and 1083 nm

Vertical Spectrograph McMP 0.29 - 12 m, R < 106

NSO Array Camera (NAC) McMP 1 - 5 m, 1024 1024, direct imaging, and full Stokes polarimetry from 1- 2.2 m

CCD Cameras McMP 380 - 1083 nm, up to 2048 2048 pixels, high-speed IR Adaptive Optics McMP 2 – 12 m

Planetary Adaptive Optics McMP 0.4 - 0.7 m, planetary or stellar sources down to ~3rd magnitude at the stellar spectrograph

Stellar Spectrograph McMP 380 – 1083 nm, R < 105

Image Stabilizer McMP Solar, planetary or stellar use to 7th magnitude for use with the vertical or stellar spectrograph Integral Field Unit (IFU) McMP 6.25" 8" field, 0.25" per slice, producing a 200" long-slit. Optimized for 0.9 -5.0 µm on the vertical spectrograph

Wide-Field Imager McMPE Astrometry/Photometry, 6 arcmin field

NSO/GONG – GLOBAL, SIX-SITE, HELIOSEISMOLOGY NETWORKHelioseismometer & Magnetograph

H Intensity Images

California, Hawai῾i, Aus-tralia, India, Spain, Chile

2.8-cm aperture; imaging Fourier tachometer of 676.8 nm Ni I line; 2.5 arcsec pixels; 1-min. cadence.

Full Disk, 1 arcsec pixels; 20-sec. cadence



5 INITIATIVES: THE ATST AND THE NEW SYNOPTIC NETWORK

The introduction of novel, post‐focus instrumentation and adaptive optics has greatly enhanced

the capabilities of the solar telescopes of NSO, thereby enabling whole new areas of scientific

inquiry, especially in high‐resolution and infrared observations of the Sun. These new results,

combined with improved modeling, have shown that advances in spatial, temporal, and spectral

resolution are required to accurately measure fine‐scale, rapidly changing solar phenomena and

to test the advances in our theoretical understanding. Increasing the number of photons collected

over the short evolutionary times of solar features is needed for making accurate polarimetric

observations. Meeting these challenges requires a new, large‐aperture solar telescope.

5.1 Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (ATST)

The 4m Advanced Technology Solar Telescope will be the most powerful solar telescope and the

world’s leading ground‐based resource for studying solar magnetism that controls the solar

wind, flares, coronal mass ejections, and variability in the Sun’s output. The strong scientific case

for the ATST was made in two previous decadal surveys (Astronomy and Astrophysics in the New

Millennium (2001) and The Sun to the Earth—and Beyond (2003)). The recent NSF sponsored

Community Workshop on the Future of Ground‐based Solar Physics (2011) reemphasized the “game

changing” science ATST will enable. The detailed science drivers for ATST are discussed in

numerous publications including the science requirements document (http://atst.nso.edu/library). The science drivers lead to a versatile ATST design that supports diffraction‐limited imaging,

spectroscopy and, in particular, magnetometry at visible and near‐ and far‐infrared wavelengths,

and infrared coronal observations near the limb of the Sun.

A primary scientific objective of the ATST is to precisely measure the three‐dimensional structure

of the magnetic field that drives the variability and activity of the solar atmosphere. The energy

released in solar flares and coronal mass ejections was previously stored in the magnetic field.

The magnetic field is structured on very small spatial scales and understanding the underlying

physics requires resolving the magnetic features at their fundamental scales of a few tens of

kilometers in the solar atmosphere. The large 4‐m aperture of the ATST, which represents a

transformational improvement over existing solar telescopes, opens up a new parameter space

and is an absolutely essential feature to resolve structures at 0.”025 (20 km on the Sun) at visible

wavelengths.

New technologies developed at existing NSO facilities, such as the high‐order adaptive optics

(HOAO) system, are incorporated into the ATST design to deliver a corrected beam to the initial

set of state‐of‐the‐art, facility‐class instrumentation located in the coudé lab facility. At near‐

infrared wavelengths, the HOAO will enable space quality observations of high Strehl for a vast

majority of the available clear time. Magnetically sensitive spectral lines in the infrared will be

used to reveal and study in detail the elusive internetwork magnetic fields that cover the entire

solar disk. The impact and significance of these fields are not yet understood. These fields may

contain more than 80‐90% of the solar magnetic energy that would interact with the solar

dynamo and heating of the upper solar atmosphere and irradiance variations. The ATST will

provide high‐precision polarimetric measurements of these fields, sometimes referred to as



hidden or dark magnetic energy, by using combined visible and infrared diagnostics enabled by

the powerful and sophisticated ATST first‐generation instrumentation. The 4‐m aperture will for

the first time provide sufficient spatial resolution at near‐infrared wavelengths (60 km at 1.6

micron), where spectral lines are found that can provide the critical sensitive diagnostics needed

to precisely measure the properties of the weak internetwork fields. The science requirement for

polarimetric sensitivity (10‐5 relative to intensity) and accuracy (5 x 10‐4 relative to intensity) place

strong constraints on the polarization analysis and calibration units, making ATST a high‐

precision magnetometer.

A large photon collecting area is an equally strong driver toward large aperture as is angular

resolution. Observations of the chromosphere and, even more so, the faint corona are inherently

photon starved. The solar atmosphere is structured on small spatial scales and is highly

dynamic. Small structures evolve quickly, limiting to just a few seconds the time during which

the large number of photons required to achieve measurements of high sensitivity can be

collected. Measurements of the weak coronal magnetic fields are essential to understand the

physics of, for example, coronal mass ejections, and aid space weather prediction efforts.

Measurements of the coronal magnetic field are desperately needed to make progress but are also

extremely difficult. The coronal intensity is only 10‐5 to 10‐6 of the disk intensity. The polarimetric

signal ATST aims to detect is only 10‐3 to 10‐5 that of the coronal intensity. This means that

contrast ratios are of the order of 10‐8 to 10‐11 and, thus, are not too different from what planet

detection efforts are facing. The large collecting area and low scattered light properties of the

ATST are essential to achieve the chromospheric and coronal science requirements. The magnetic

sensitivity of the infrared lines used to measure coronal fields and the dark sky conditions in the

infrared are important motivations to utilize the ATST for exploring the infrared coronal

spectrum. The off‐axis design was motivated by the coronal science requirements as well as by

technical considerations.

A main driver for a large‐aperture solar telescope is the need to detect and spatially resolve the

fundamental astrophysical processes at their intrinsic scales throughout the solar atmosphere.

Modern numerical simulations have suggested that crucial physical processes occur on spatial

scales of tens of kilometers. Observed spectral and, in particular, Stokes profiles of small

magnetic structures are severely distorted by telescope diffraction, making the interpretation of

low‐resolution vector magnetograms of small‐scale magnetic structures difficult to impossible.

Resolving these scales is of utmost importance to be able to develop and test physical models and

thus understand how the physics of the small‐scale magnetic fields drives the fundamental global

phenomena. An example is the question of what causes the variations of the solar radiative

output, which impacts the terrestrial climate. The Sunʹs luminosity increases with solar activity.

Since the smallest magnetic elements contribute most to this flux excess, it is of particular

importance to study and understand the physical properties of these dynamic structures.

Unfortunately, even the most advanced and newest current solar telescopes, such as the 1.6‐m

New Solar Telescope (NST) or the 1.5‐m GREGOR, cannot resolve such scales because of their

limited aperture size (Figure 5.1‐1).

The European Association for Solar Telescopes (EAST) has recently and independently

developed science requirements for the European Solar Telescope (EST) to be located on the



Figure 5.1‐1. Complex line profiles from a quiet Sun MHD simulation. The panel shows a

simulation of convection (far left) and the resulting Stokes V profiles along the line shown on the

simulation (column labeled Sim). The other columns show the effect of observing the profiles with

various apertures (the 4m ATST, the 1m Swedish Solar Tower, and the 0.5m Hinode Solar Optical

Telescope.

Canary Islands. It is interesting to note that the EST requirement for aperture size is also 4m,

indicating that this is an aperture size that optimally enables addressing the science drivers.

Science operations, including data handling and dissemination, will be much more efficient

compared to the operations of current NSO or similar facilities. ATST operational concepts have

been developed and will be refined during the construction phase. These concepts build on the

lessons learned from recent spacecraft operations such as TRACE, Hinode and SDO. Efficient

operational modes such as Service Observations will make more efficient use of the available

observing time. The NSO Data Center at NSO Headquarters in Boulder will provide science‐

ready ATST data products to the solar physics community. An open data policy allows for

maximum science productivity.

5.1.1 ATST Science Working Group and Science Requirements

The Co‐Investigator institutions of the ATST project are the University of Hawaiʻi (Dr. J. Kuhn), the University of Chicago (Dr. R. Rosner), New Jersey Institute of Technology (Dr. P. Goode) and

the High Altitude Observatory (Dr. M. Knoelker). Monthly Co‐I meetings ensure that the Co‐

Investigators are kept apprised of project progress and that scientific and programmatic concerns

of the university and broader user community are considered. Several of the Co‐Investigator

institutions are actively involved in teaching a graduate education in solar physics course that

was initiated by the University of Colorado (Dr. M. Rast). The Kiepenheuer Institute in Freiburg,

Germany is contributing one of the first‐light instruments, the Visible Tunable Filter (VTF).

Additional collaborations are being pursued with the UK (science detector development) and

Spain (polarimetric analysis).



The ATST Science Working Group (SWG) provides scientific oversight and advice concerning all

aspects of the project, including operations planning. The SWG works closely with the Project

Scientist in establishing and tracking science requirements for the telescope and its instruments.

The SWG actively participated in developing the ATST Science Requirements Document (SRD),

the formal specification document from which all designs flow. The SWG has guided and

reviews the Operations Concept Document (OCD), which lays out efficient operational modes for

the facility. The SWG is leading the definition of the Critical Science Plan (CSP). The CSP

includes high priority science observations that the community desires to accomplish during the

first 18 months of operations. These CSP observations will be performed in service mode.

Observations proposed by principal investigators and facilitated by the regular proposal

submission process will also be performed during this early operations phase. All data produced

will be made available to the community though the NSO Data Center at NSO Headquarters in

Boulder. In addition, an important goal for the early operations phase is to optimize instrument

and overall system performance and to refine and optimize service‐mode operational procedures.

The split between service‐mode and PI‐mode operations will also be established during this

phase based on input and feedback from the community and considering budgetary constraints.

The SWG has broad participation from the US and international community and includes

members from the fields of stellar and planetary physics, heliospheric physics, geophysics, the

space weather community, space sciences and other interdisciplinary fields. The group includes

members from the university community, national labs, NASA, Air Force, and international

partners, and demonstrates the strong collaborative spirit of the international solar community as

well as being an indicator for the broad societal impacts of solar astronomy.

The SWG meets at least once a year and issues formal findings and recommendations. In 2013, a

two‐day meeting was held just after the AAS/SPD meeting in July in Bozeman, Montana. The

meeting covered issues ranging from the instrument design review progression to operations and

Data Center design progress.

Since the ATST project design phase is ramping down and construction is underway, the SWG

will undergo a shift in focus and in composition for 2014. The SWG focus will shift to the

definition of the critical science plan (the science programs to be undertaken in the first year of

commissioning and operations) and supporting operations and Data Center design. The

composition of the SWG for 2014, including new members, is shown in Table 5.1‐1.

To support the ramp up of operations software and Data Center designs, the SWG will form two

sub‐working groups. The Operations sub‐working group will be chaired by Dr. Craig DeForest

(SWRI) and will consist of 4‐5 SWG members familiar with complex facility operations. The Data

Center sub‐working group will be chaired by Dr. Neal Hurlburt (Lockheed Martin Solar and

Astrophysics Laboratory) and will consist of SWG members versed in data center design and

operations.

The critical science plan (CSP) of the ATST will comprise approximately 20‐30 key science topics

that will be developed and supported by teams of community scientists, one of whom will be



resident on the ATST SWG at any given time between now and first‐light operations. The topics

will be grouped into major themes such as “magnetoconvection”, “atmospheric heating and

dynamics”, “eruptive phenomena”, and “spectral surveys”. The CSP will be a living document

published in the ArXiv facility so that the entire solar physics community can track its progress

and offer to contribute in its development if they so choose. Topcis in each theme will be defined

by the Spring of 2014 with preliminary writing assignments completed by SWG members by the

next annual meeting in November of 2014.

Table 5.1-1. ATST Science Working Group

Nazaret Bello-Gonzales* Kiepenheuer Institute, Germany Wenda Cao New Jersey Institute of Technology Gianna Cauzzi Arcetri Observatory, Italy Steve Cranmer* Harvard Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Craig DeForest Southwest Research Institute Yuanyong Deng National Astronomical Observatory, China Lyndsay Fletcher University of Glasgow, United Kingdom Neal Hurlburt Lockheed Martin, Solar & Astrophysics Laboratory Philip G. Judge High Altitude Observatory Yukio Katsukawa* National Astronomical Observatory of Japan Piet Martens* Montana State University Scott McIntosh High Altitude Observatory Clare Parnell University of St. Andrews, Scotland Jiong Qiu Montana State University Mark Rast (Ch.) University of Colorado Luis Bellot Rubio Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia, Spain Eamon Scullion* Queen's University, Belfast Hector Socas-Navarro Instituto de Astrofisica, Spain Stein Vidar Haugen* University of Oslo, Norway

*New member (2014)

5.1.2 ATST Project Engineering and Design Progress

The ATST is an all‐reflecting, 4‐m, off‐axis Gregorian telescope housed in a co‐rotating dome.

The ATST delivers a maximum 300‐arcsec‐diameter circular field of view. Energy outside of this

field is rejected from the system by a heat stop located at prime focus, allowing manageable

thermal loading on the optical elements that follow. The telescope also includes a sophisticated

wavefront control system, including active optics (aO) for figure control of the primary, active

alignment of the critical optical elements, such as primary and secondary mirrors, and an

integrated high‐order adaptive optics system designed to provide diffraction‐limited images to

the focal‐plane instruments at the coudé observing stations. The basic telescope parameters and design for the ATST and its subsystems have been described

in detail in a number of recent publications to which we refer the reader for design details and

perfor‐mance analysis (see http://atst.nso.edu/library/pubs). Additional information can be found

on the ATST Web site, http://atst.nso.edu. The most important capabilities of the ATST are

summarized in Table 5.1‐2.



Table 5.1-2. ATST Capabilities Telescope Property Specification or Reason for Property

Aperture 4 meters Diffraction-Limited Resolution λ = 430 nm 0.022 arcsec λ = 1 µ 0.05 arcsec λ = 4 µ 0.2 arcsec λ = 12 µ 0.60 arcsec Gregorian Off-Axis Unobstructed Aperture No Spider Diffraction Clean Point-Spread Function High Strehl Alt-Az Mount High-Order Conventional Adaptive Optics MCAO-Ready Optical Design Internal Seeing Control Thermal Control of Optics and Structure Dust Control for Low Scattered Light Coronal Observations Polarimetric Sensitivity >10-5 Polarimetric Accuracy 5 x 10-4 Wavelength Coverage 300 nm to 28 micron Facility-Class, First-Light Instruments

5.1.2.1 Construction Phase Status and Milestones

The project followed the Project Execution Plan established and reviewed at the NSF‐conducted

Final Design Review. Commencement of site construction on Haleakalā, however, was tied to

the “all permits in place” milestone. After the Record of Decision (ROD) was signed by the NSF

Director, the project submitted an application for a Conservation District Use Permit (CDUP), as

required by Hawaiian statute. The Hawaiʻi Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) voted

and approved the CDUP on December 2, 2010. A contested case was immediately filed. The

contested challenge was re‐solved in November 2012, followed by a judgment in the project’s

favor with regard to the existing legal challenges. Full access to the site was granted on

November 29, 2012 and a ceremonial groundbreaking occurred on November 30, 2012.

Construction began on December 1, 2012.

Construction contracts for the major sub‐systems of the telescope and instrumentation systems

(e.g., M1 blank and polishing, enclosure, telescope mount assembly (TMA), M1 assembly, instru‐

ments, support facilities final design), have been issued and are proceeding according to a revised

baseline schedule (see Section 5.1.3). Major subsystems milestones are shown in Table 5.1‐3.

5.1.2.2 Current Design Activities

The current ATST design is shown in Figure 5.1‐2. The design includes the coudé instrument

area and feed arrangement. Preliminary instrument design efforts and other activities have

continued with the Co‐PI teams and partners. The following efforts are underway:

High Altitude Observatory (Visible Spectro‐Polarimeter).

University of Hawaiʻi (Diffraction‐Limited Near‐IR Spectro‐Polari‐meter Design; Cryo IR

Spectro‐Polarimeter.

NSO/ATST (Red‐ and Blue‐Visible Broadband Imager).

Kiepenheuer Institut für Sonnen‐physik (Visible Tunable Filter).



Table 5.1-3. ATST Major Systems Milestones

Support Facilities 2014-Jun 2014-Jun 2016-May 2016-Jun 2017-May

Support & operations (S&O) building foundations complete. Lower telescope pier complete. Support & operations building Beneficial Occupancy Date. Coating and cleaning facilities available on site. System interconnects for S&O/mount installed; IT infrastructure complete.

Optical Systems 2015-Sep 2015-Dec 2015-Apr 2015-Jun 2015-Jun 2015-Nov 2016-May

Primary mirror (M1) polishing complete. Delivery of M1 to site. M1 cell assembly acceptance testing complete. Delivery of M1 cell assembly to site. Top end optical assembly (TEOA) acceptance testing complete. Delivery of TEOA to site. Delivery of feed/transfer optics to site. Telescope Mount Assembly

(TMA) 2014-Oct 2015-Apr 2016-Apr 2017-Feb 2017-Aug

TMA fabrication complete. TMA available for site assembly. Coudé structure installation complete. TMA coudé acceptance testing complete. TMA mount installation complete.

Enclosure 2014-Sep 2014-Oct 2016-May

Enclosure ready for site assembly and testing. Enclosure AZ track installation, assembly and testing complete. Enclosure site fabrication, assembly and testing complete. Facility Thermal Systems

(FTS) 2015-May 2016-Apr 2017-Apr 2017-May 2017-Aug

Facility plant equipment inspection & acceptance on site. Facility control system site assembly begins. Facility management systems fabrication, site assembly & testing complete. Facility control system site assembly and testing complete. F ilit th l b t f b i ti bl d t ti l t Wavefront Correction (WFC) 2014-Apr

2015-Sep 2016-Nov 2017-Jun 2017-Dec 2018-Oct

High-order AO real-time hardware delivered. Deformable mirror (DM) acceptance testing complete. Context viewer control assembly, integration & testing complete. Low-order wavefront system assembly, integration and testing complete. WFC lab installation begins. WFC coudé installation complete.

Software 2014-Jul 2016-Feb 2016-Mar 2016-Jun 2016-Jul 2017-Nov

Data Storage System testing complete. Observatory Control System site acceptance testing complete. Data Handling System & data processing pipeline testing. Instrument Control System software delivered. Camera Software delivered. Global Interlock System installation and testing complete.

5.1.2.3 Schedule and Milestone Summary

For the schedule development, the engineer responsible for each Work Breakdown Structure

(WBS) element has developed detailed plans, including schedules and budgets, for the

construction phase. The project manager and the systems engineering team have integrated

these details into the overall project schedule (the Integrated Project Schedule).

The top‐level ATST construction schedule is shown in Figures 5.1‐3 and 5.1‐4. Current planning

targets calendar year 2019 for obtaining the first scientific data with an ATST instrument. At the

end of the commissioning phase each instrument will be tested for its compliance with key



science performance specifications (e.g. spatial, spectral resolution, polarimetric sensitivity).

Training of operations staff will occur during the extended Integration, Test and Commissioning

(IT&C) phase. A short science verification period performed by the instrument partner and

operations teams will demonstrate the scientific validity of delivered data products. With the

conclusion of instrument science verification the facility will be handed over to operations.

The NSO is engaging in the planning of science operations, including telescope operations on Maui

and science operations and data‐center management at NSO headquarters at CU in Boulder.

NSO is already applying significant resources to the effort and will begin the ramp up to final

operations staffing in 2015. Table 5.1‐3 shows the staffing plan for ATST operations ramp up.

5.1.3 Funding

In FY09, funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) was made

available to the project at the level of $146M. Funding from the MREFC was made available to

the project at the level of $151,928,000. Figure 3.5‐1 shows the funding currently planned by NSF.

The first MREFC increment of $7M was awarded on February 12, 2010 (FY)(funds) with

subsequent award amounts of $13M on June 15, 2010, $5M in August 2011, $10M in 2012, and

$25M in 2013. These values have been significantly lower than the anticipated funding profile

(set at FDR),

Figure 5.1‐2. Current ATST facility.



Figure 5.1‐3. Top‐level construction schedule.

Figure 5.1‐4. Summary schedule illustrating key critical path construction and major (off‐site development) milestones.



Figure 5.1‐5. ATST funding by fiscal year.

principally due to the site access delays; the changes have created contracting challenges to the

project with some schedule impact. Most significantly, the overall multi‐year delay in site access

has had a profound impact on both the project schedule and the project budget. During 2012, the

project performed an internal re‐baseline of the project execution plan, considering the

unanticipated delays and unanticipated costs incurred by the project (in the permitting and

associated legal process). At the lowest granularity of the project work packages, every item was

re‐evaluated for cost (updating all basis‐of‐estimates on labor/material resources needed to

complete that area), schedule (updating the completion based on the modified integrated project

schedule, adjusting for the site access delays), and risk (updating a factored risk assessment

based on the cost, schedule and technical performance risk remaining). In October 2012, the NSF

convened an external panel‐of‐experts to review the project’s revised baseline. This process

concluded in March 2013, with the panel endorsing the project’s baseline development. The

baseline proposal was subsequently further reviewed and audited internally within the NSF and

then submitted to the National Science Board. The NSB authorized the NSF Director to approve

the revised baseline, including both the updated milestone schedule as well as a revised funding

profile and total cost of $344.1M. Figure 5.1‐5 summarizes the re‐baseline funding and spend

profiles by fiscal year.

5.2 A Multi‐Purpose Global Network

Synoptic data is vital both for the success of the ATST and for society in general. Both the aging

of GONG and the single‐site nature of SOLIS has led the solar physics research community to call

for a new improved synoptic network. While NSO has previously proposed for a network of

three VSM instruments similar to the one currently on SOLIS, it is now thought that a better

solution would comprise a new multi‐purpose network. Such a network would open new realms



of scientific research, and provide input data that are vital for space weather operational

forecasts. Since the NSF/AST Division Portfolio Review recommends a substantial reduction in

NISP support, the funds for developing and operating a new network will need to have major

support from the space weather community, including agencies such as AFWA, NASA and

NOAA.

There are a number of new scientific research directions in solar physics that motivate the desire

for a new ground‐based network. For example, there is a growing need for multi‐wavelength

measurements to provide observations of wave propagation and the vector magnetic field as a

function of height in the solar atmosphere. For helioseismology, we now know that inclined

magnetic fields in the solar atmosphere convert the acoustic waves into various types of MHD

modes and change the apparent phase of the waves, which produces incorrect inferences of the

sub‐surface structure below active regions. For magnetic field measurements, it is essential to

know the direction and strength of the field above the photosphere for accurate coronal field

extrapolations, and to reliably remove the azimuthal ambiguity. Our understanding of the

generation, transport, and evolution of the solar magnetic fields would make significant progress

with the availability of continuous long‐term multi‐wavelength observations. Simultaneous

helioseismic and magnetic observations will also bring a better understanding of propagation of

acoustic waves in the presence of magnetic fields, thus bringing us closer to forecasting the

subphotospheric properties of magnetic fields. In addition, irradiance measurements such as

those provided by the Precision Solar Photometric Telescope (PSPT), which are important for

climate research, would be improved with additional spectral bands and more continuous

coverage.

It is important to note that existing and future space missions often propose to combine

helioseismic observations made from different vantage points to better map layers inside the Sun

such as the tachocline. While we have long benefited from continuous Earth line‐of‐sight

helioseismic observations from space that could be combined with observations made from a

different perspective, the best way to secure in the long run such observations is through a

ground‐based network similar to GONG. The ESA/NASA Solar Orbiter mission (launch 2017)

will provide helioseismic observations made from a variety of perspectives including from out of

the ecliptic. These observations will be made at particular mission orbits that are of interest for

the study of the meridional flows near the poles and will occur well into the last phases of the

mission (late next decade). Combining such data with observations made from the Earth line‐of‐

sight will bring new insights about fundamental ingredients of the dynamo problem. Similarly,

the combination of magnetic field observations from different perspectives allow disentangling

complex projection effects that occur when observing crucial locations of the Sun such as the

solar poles. SOLIS‐like synoptic vector observations and Solar Orbiter similar measurements can

be combined to clarify the distribution and strength of the magnetic fields at the solar poles. We

thus remain convinced that these opportunities will surely enhance the value of a ground‐based

synoptic network such as the one proposed here by NSO.

In addition to the research role of a network, space weather operational forecasts rest on the

foundation of synoptic solar observations. Agencies such as AFWA and NOAA/SWPC need

reliable and continuous sources of solar data, and are already using NISP facilities as a source of



surface magnetic fields, H‐alpha intensity, and helioseismic far‐side maps. A new network that

provides multi‐wavelength observations would increase the quality of information available for

space weather and is an efficient and cost‐effective solution to a multi‐agency requirement.

There is considerable international community interest in establishing a new network, as

demonstrated by a workshop that was held in Boulder in April 2013 to discuss and gather input

on science requirements, capabilities and instrumentation. About 60 scientists and engineers

either attended the meeting or expressed interest, representing space weather agencies, solar

physics research institutes, observatories, government agencies, and international organizations.

Most of the presentations, along with the participant list, can be found at

https://www2.hao.ucar.edu/docs/2013‐synoptic‐network. An article reporting on the workshop has

been published in Space Weather (Hill, Thompson, and Roth SpWea 11, 2013). The International

Astronomical Union (IAU) has recognized the importance of synoptic observations of the Sun by

creating a special Working Group that is chaired by a scientist from NSO (A. Pevtsov).

The instrumentation in a new network should not be a single device to provide all observations,

but should comprise individual specialized instruments on a common pointing platform. This

approach has several advantages:

Fewer compromises for scientific requirements within a single instrument;

More flexibility in funding and schedules;

Ability to have different instrument suites at different sites to exploit specific

observing conditions (e.g., coronal, radio observations);

Relaxation of stringent scientific requirements for space weather forecast data;

Lower initial costs – need pointing platform, infrastructure and one instrument.

The NSO, with HAO and the Kiepenheuer Institut für Sonnenphysik in Germany, is developing a

white paper on the idea, and KIS has obtained funding through the SOLARNET program to carry

out an evaluation of instrumental concepts. A possible configuration is shown in Figure 5.2‐1.

NSO, along with partner institutions, will develop a full proposal for a new network in the next

year or two. It will likely be proposed that the NSF lead the development through its recently

announced Mid‐Scale Instrumentation Program (MSIP). Additional agency partners are likely to

be AFWA, NOAA/SWPC, and NASA. In addition, the Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences

(AGS) Division of the Geosciences Directorate in the NSF supports space weather research, which

necessarily uses solar synoptic data as inputs for models.

NSO is participating in the European SPRING (Solar Physics Research Integrated Network

Group) effort, which is currently seeking to fill a position at KIS to evaluate instrument concepts

for the network. An approximate timeline of the network effort is:

2013: Work with KIS and HAO to develop concept.

2013 – 2014: Advocacy for agency, international, and research partnerships.

2014: Submit baseline infrastructure and initial instrument proposal for the

NSF MSIP opportunity.



2015 – 2018: Assuming success, begin development of infrastructure and first‐light

instrument hardware.

2015 – 2018: Continuing advocacy with AFWA, NOAA, NASA, NSF/AGS, etc.

2019: Initial deployment.

2020 – 2024: Operations, and additional instrumentation development.

Figure 5.2‐1. A possible instrumental configuration for a new synoptic solar observing network.



6 EDUCATION AND PUBLIC OUTREACH AND BROADENING

PARTICIPATION With the decrease in NSO base funding in FY 2013 NSO had to reduce its Education and Public

Outreach (EPO) efforts in FY 2013. We recently lost our EPO officer because of lack of sufficient

funds to support his position. We, however, remain committed to undergraduate, graduate, and

postdoctoral training, areas in which NSO has been most effective. We will support other

outreach areas as funding and staff time permit. NSO is also committed to increasing the diversity of the solar work force. We focus our efforts on

expanding participation by underrepresented groups in our student and teacher research

programs as well as staff recruitment. To this end, we participate in the Fisk‐Vanderbilt Masters‐to‐

PhD Bridge Program, the Akamai Workforce Initiative (AWI) on Maui, two Partnerships in

Astronomy & Astrophysics Research and Education (PAARE) programs, and with New Mexico

State University graduate programs. In addition, we are working closely with the University of

Colorado, Boulder (CU) in the program they recently implemented to enhance the number and

training of solar graduate students.

6.1 Goals and Metrics

The primary NSO EPO objectives and goals in priority order are:

To help train the next generation of scientists and engineers through support for under‐graduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and close collaboration with

universities and the ATST consortium.

Continue our successful REU program.

Each REU student provides a program assessment, gives a talk on their work and

writes a final report (which can be viewed at http://eo.nso.edu/).

o Metrics –

(1) Number of excellent students persuaded toward solar research.

(2) Number of students helped toward a science/engineering/computer career.

(3) Increased diversity in the REU program.

Strengthen our Summer Research Assistantships (SRA) for graduates program.

Our involvement in the Akamai Workforce Initiative Program has increased the

number of mentors by including engineers. The metrics are the same as above.

We have made more of our indirect earnings and carryover funds available for

student and postdoctoral support.

Increase the number of thesis students and postdoctoral fellows working at NSO.

The move of the NSO directorate site to the CU campus will strengthen this area

by giving access to more top notch graduate students and by providing an

attractive locale for postdoctoral fellows. NSO continues to be involved in the

training of postdocs and graduate students. We currently have five postdoctoral



research associates: Sanjay Gosain, Lewis Fox, Brian Harker, Fraser Watson, and

Dirk Schmidt. Watson and Schmidt joined the NSO staff in FY 2013. After

spending five years as a postdoc with the NSO adaptive optics program, Jose

Marino was promoted to Assistant Scientist in July 2013 and continues to focus on

AO and MCAO, including ATST wavefront correction. Students who have

defended their PhD thesis in 2013 with NSO advisors include Thomas Schad (U.

Arizona) with Matt Penn, and Michael Kirk (New Mexico State U.) with K.S.

Balasubramaniam (NSO/AFRL) and Irene González Hernández. Greg Taylor

(New Mexico State U.) is currently working on his thesis with Thomas Rimmele on

adaptive optics. Sarah Jaeggli received her PhD in 2011 from the University of

Hawaiʻi (Haosheng Lin, thesis advisor); she was an REU student with Matt Penn

in 2003, worked as a visiting grad student at NSO/SP with Han Uitenbroek for part

of her dissertation research which included commissioning of the Facility Infrared

Spectro‐polarimeter (FIRS) on the DST. She is now a postdoc at Montana State U.

and continues to collaborate on NSO instrumentation projects. Teresa Monsue

(Fisk‐Vanderbilt Masters‐to‐PhD Bridge Program) completed her master’s thesis

and started on her PhD this fall using GONG data; Frank Hill and Keivan Stassun

(Vanderbilt U.) are her advisors.

o Metrics –

(1) Number of students who successfully complete their PhD based on NSO data.

(2) Number of successful postdoctoral fellows pursuing careers in solar science.

(3) Increased diversity in these programs.

Continue collaboration with the Workforce Initiative Program on Maui for

workforce development.

This effort is going very well. The Akamai Workforce Initiative is a program

started by the Center for Adaptive Optics and provides students and graduates in

Hawai‘i with technical training, then places them in internships. We have

sponsored four workshops on Maui for Akamai program graduates—the most

recent in November 2012 and in November 2013. Since 2010, nine Akamai

graduates have participated in NSO programs and one was hired on the ATST

project staff (James Linden, 2011). Five of the students have worked on ATST

projects, including one Native Hawaiian. In summer 2013, there were two

Akamai students, one in Tucson (male working on digitizing solar images) and

one at Sac Peak (female working on implementing the NSO lab

spectropolarimeter). We expect to recruit up to four Akamai interns in summer

2014.

o Metrics –

(1) Akamai trained personnel available for the ATST Maui work force.

(2) Increased diversity available for NSO hires.

To develop K‐12 teacher training and student training programs to advance knowledge

of science and technology.



Strengthen our Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program.

The NSO generally has up to three RETs working with staff each summer. Pia

Denzmore, a science teacher at Debakey High School for the Health Professions,

participated in the summer 2013 program. Debakey has a student population of

over 70% under‐represented minorities. During the past few years, we have had

teachers from the Navajo and Tohono O’odham Nations participate in the RET

program.

Make RET lesson plans available on the WWW.

Metrics –

(1) Use of experience gained in the classroom by RET participants.

(2) Student awareness of science careers.

To increase public understanding of the Sun, both as a star and as the driver of conditions on the Earth, as well as understanding of the related disciplines of optical

engineering, electronics and computer sciences, as applied through the ATST and other

NSO projects.

Increase the relevance and content of our WWW outreach.

NSO Web pages were recently redone to include more outreach. The outreach

effort for the June 2012 solar eclipse and transit of Venus were highly successful.

This area needs more work, but is resource limited.

Develop outreach materials for both classroom and public distribution.

NSO is working with NOAO EPO and UH Maui College and local middle and

high school teachers to develop a program for Maui. We have asked NOAO EPO

(supported with NSO funding) to lead this effort.

Complete our Solar System Model and the handout materials that accompany it.

The New Mexico Museum of Space History in Alamogordo is working with NSO

to continue support of the model and has expressed interest in the NSO Visitor

Center after NSO has departed Sac Peak.

To increase nationally the strength and breadth of the university community pursuing

solar physics.

Work closely with our ATST university partners and other groups to recruit and

help diversify the community of scientists doing solar research.

This has started in the form of a joint program (Collaborative Graduate Education

Program) involving the University of Colorado, New Jersey Institute of

Technology, University of Hawaiʻi (CU/NJIT/UH) and NSO. The first phase is to

establish remote teaching at all three university sites, then expand once the

logistics of the program are well understood. The NSO’s role will include

scientists participation in teaching; planning and participating in summer

workshops; increased presence in the Akamai program; and collaboration with

NOAO and UH Maui College to provide training and materials to K‐12 teachers.



Establish close ties with additional universities to provide NSO thesis students.

Currently, ties include New Mexico State University (NMSU), University of

Arizona (UofA), and the University of Hawaiʻi (UH) for thesis students. We will

form an alliance with CU for both faculty and graduate students.

6.2 Recruiting a New Generation of Scientists

The future of solar physics hinges on the successful recruitment of a talented new generation of

scientists by the universities and national research organizations. NSO has programs for both

undergraduate and graduate students. The undergraduate program is supported primarily

through a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) grant from NSF. This grant also

allows for a proposal to support elementary, middle and high school teachers, the Research

Experiences for Teachers (RET) program. NSO has proposed for and participated in these

programs since their inception at NSF.

We typically host several REUs each year, with almost all going on to graduate schools. Not

surprisingly, most of our REUs end up with careers in Astronomy (since it is this interest that led

them to apply), but a substantial number pursue careers in solar physics, which is often difficult

since most universities do not have a solar graduate program. NSO’s collaboration with CU and

other universities will increase the opportunities to attend graduate school in solar physics. NSO provides research and instrument development opportunities for students at both of our

sites in Sunspot, New Mexico and Tucson, Arizona. As we ramp up staffing for ATST

operations, these programs will be extended to Maui and Boulder. The NSO summer research assistantship (SRA) program provides opportunities for graduate

students and additional opportunities for undergraduates to work at NSO. This program has

been extremely effective in attracting graduate students into the field of solar physics, with over

50% of the graduates advancing to postdoctoral fellowships in solar research and over 80%

remaining in astronomy. Many of the current NSO staff and solar science staff at other

institutions have participated in NSO’s SRA program. Some of the biggest benefits to locating NSO on the CU campus are to provide NSO with access

to top quality graduate students and to increase the strength of solar research at CU and the

teaching of solar research techniques at universities. Thereʹs a commitment by the University to

the teaching of solar physics, including involvement of other universities in teaching of solar

courses through remote learning. This program started recently with CU professors giving a

course in solar physics with participation from students at the University of Hawaiʻi, New Jersey

Institute of Technology, New Mexico State University and CU. This program will be extended to

other universities in the future. The program will develop a cadre of graduate students with

interest in solar physics, and with NSO contributing to their strength in solar research and

instrumentation through studentships and by supporting summer workshops that bring together

students from the various participating universities. The exciting research opportunities ATST

will provide and the increasing need to understand space weather should provide graduates of

the program opportunities to obtain teaching and research positions at other universities.



*Includes participants in the 10‐week IRES and Akamai programs.

Through NISP, NSO has sponsored students participating in the International Research

Experience for (Graduate) Students (IRES) program. This program is funded by the NSF Office of

International Science and Engineering (OISE) and is open to US graduate students in any

discipline of astronomy or astrophysics who are US citizens or permanent residents, age 21 years

or older, and have a passport. The main goal of the program is to expose potential researchers to

an international setting at an early stage in their career. The program takes place in Bangalore,

India, under the auspices of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), a premier national center

devoted to research in astronomy, astrophysics and related physics.

6.3 Increasing Diversity

To recruit more underrepresented minority students, we have expanded our recruitment efforts

to include colleges from the Historically Black College List generated by the NSF and a list of

American Indian Science and Engineering Society affiliates. NSO also has partnered with two

universities that participate in the Partnerships in Astronomy & Astrophysics Research and

Education program. As described by the NSF synopsis, “the objective of PAARE is to enhance

diversity in astronomy and astrophysics research and education by stimulating the development

of formal, long‐term, collaborative research and education partnerships between minority‐

serving colleges and universities and the NSF Astronomical Sciences Division (AST)‐supported

facilities, projects or faculty members at research institutions including private observatories.” The NSO has been successful with the inclusion of women in its REU program as more than half

of the research undergraduates in recent years have been female (see Table 7.3‐1 for the gender

and underrepresented minority breakdown of REU statistics for 2006–2013).

Table 7.3-1. NSO REU Participant Statistics (2006-2013) Year 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 % Participants

Male 3 2 2 2 3 4 2 1 38.8

Female 2 4 4 5 3 2 4 6 61.2

Minority* 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 6.1

*Includes only students from underrepresented minorities (Hispanic and African‐American).

Table 7.2-1. Number of Participants in NSO Educational Outreach Programs (2005–2013) Year Graduate (SRA) Undergrad (SRA) Undergrad (REU) Teachers (RET) Postdoctoral Fellows

2013 8* 1* 5 1 5 2012 8* 2 6 2 6 2011 8* 2* 6 3 6 2010 6* 7 5 2009 6* 6 2 6 2008 7* 1 6 0 6 2007 9* 6 4 7 2006 4 7 4 5 2005 9 8 4 5



In accordance with the AURA action plan to respond constructively to the NSF goal of

broadening the participation of underrepresented groups, the NSO has appointed a Diversity

Advocate (DA) and adopted a set of near‐term and long‐term goals in this vital area. AURA has

established a Work‐force and Diversity Committee (WDC) that includes each AURA Center’s

Diversity Advocate as a permanent member. The AURA Web site provides an overview of the

meaning of “broadening participation” and its action plan (http://www.aura‐

astronomy.org/diversity.asp?diversity=actionplan). The NSO goals are guided by input received

from our oversight committees that also take into account our resource constraints in effectively

addressing this area of national concern. Despite limited resources, the NSO has and will

continue to make important contributions to broadening participation in the STEM workforce.

Our near‐term and long‐term goals are as follows:

6.3.1 Near‐Term Goals:

Expand recruitment efforts of underrepresented groups through broader advertising

venues for NSO job opportunities.

Participate in STEM‐related society meetings, either national or regional, serving under‐

represented communities such as the National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP),

National Society of Hispanic Physicists (NSHP), Society for the Advancement of

Chicanos an Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) and American Indian Science and

Engineering Society (AISES).

Add a scientific staff member from an underrepresented group to the NSO Scientific

Personnel Committee.

Continue PAARE student participation in NSO programs as funded by the Fisk‐

Vanderbilt and NMSU PAARE proposals, as well as graduate student participation in

the NSO through the Fisk‐Vanderbilt Masters‐to‐PhD Bridge program. Respond to

interest expressed by additional institutions to propose for a PAARE program with the

NSO. Expand this beyond the scientific staff to include our engineering and technical

staff as mentors.

Identify more mentors among the engineering and technical staff, in addition to the

scientific staff.

Expand recruitment of Akamai Program graduates.

6.3.2 Long(er)‐Term Goals:

Increase the number of underrepresented students in the NSO REU program, ideally,

with a supplement to our REU funding.

Expand the NSO RET program effort by targeting teachers at underrepresented

minority‐serving institutions, including obtaining funding for more RET internships.

Increase the number of underrepresented minorities on the scientific and/or engineering

and technical staff.

Obtain student‐internship funding for engineering and computing at the NSO.



We are pleased with the progress already being made in these areas. NSO continues to work

towards a more diverse staff. Given our small numbers and low turnover, opportunities arise

only occasionally. When they do arise, we have expanded our recruitment platforms to

encourage more applications for underrepresented groups.

Mark Giampapa, the first NSO Diversity Advocate, has passed that responsibility to John

Leibacher, who currently is also vice chair of the AURA Workforce Diversity

Committee. The NSO DA represents the Observatory on the AURA WDC and at

underrepresented minority conferences and job fairs.

NSO has added a female tenure‐track scientist, Serena Criscuoli, to its staff.

Walter Allen, male African‐American, was hired in a postdoctoral fellow position. After

completing his postdoctoral fellowship, he went on to teaching at Pima Community

College in Tucson and is now at Mesa Community College.

Matthew Richardson, male African‐American, participated in the joint Fisk‐Vanderbuilt‐

NSO Masters‐to‐PhD Bridge Program and did his masterʹs thesis with Frank Hill and

Keivan Stassun (Vanderbilt U.) using GONG data. Matthew is now in the PhD

program.

Teresa Monsue, an African‐American female, is participating in the joint Fisk/Vanderbilt‐

NSO Masters‐to‐PhD Bridge Program; she recently completed her masterʹs thesis and is

now working on her PhD with co‐advisors Frank Hill and Keivan Stassun.

NSO is a partner on the Fisk University five‐year AST/PAARE proposal, ʺGraduate

Opportunities at Fisk in Astronomy and Astrophysics Research (GO‐FAAR)ʺ submitted

in August 2013.

Alexandra Tritschler was hired to a scientist‐track position to begin developing the ATST

operations model. Previously, she was hired as an NSO postdoctoral fellow.

Crystal Hart, an African‐American female, joined the NSO observing staff at the DST.

Crystal has a background in engineering from San Diego State University.

Participation in the Akamai Workforce Initiative Program has resulted in the hiring of

several staff who were either regionally underrepresented (local Hawaiian) and/or from

ethnic minorities (Native Hawaiian).

Andrew Whitehorse, a Native American, was promoted from general helper to plumber

at Sac Peak.

Irene González Hernández was the NISP Interior Program Scientist; she has moved to

the Interior Data Scientist position, and Kiran Jain is now the NISP Interior Program

Scientist.

ATST has hired several female lead engineers, including Heather Marshall, enclosure

engineer; LeEllen Phelps, thermal systems engineer; Pat Eliason, support structure

engineer (who has since returned to NISP), and Kerry Gonzales, opto‐mechanical

engineer.



6.4 Public Outreach

6.4.1 Visitor Centers

The NSO Astronomy and Visitor Center at Sacramento Peak is host to over 15,000 visitors per

year. A wide range of interactive education displays at the Visitor Center provides hands‐on

experience with astronomical and terrestrial phenomena, interactive demonstrations on the

properties of light and how telescopes work, recent science results from both ground‐based and

space‐based solar and astrophysical experiments, and access to interactive Web‐based pages. The Kitt Peak Visitor Center also attracts more than 40,000 public visitors annually. Exhibits

adjacent to the gift shop include a large model of the McMath‐Pierce Solar Telescope, a live feed

for solar images, and a hands‐on display about spectroscopy and its solar science applications.

Daily tours of the McMP are available. The McMP facility also includes an educational exhibit

referred to as the “Sunnel.” The tunnel that leads from the entrance to the main observing room

features exhibits or displays that take the visitor from the center of the Sun to its outer

atmosphere along the length of the “Sunnel.” Because the Sunspot and Kitt Peak Visitor Centers are located in the Southwest, a large

proportion of visitors are Hispanic and Native American. NSO provides tours in both Spanish and

English. Sunspot has the largest solar system model in the Western US, the third largest in the US, and the

sixth largest in the world.

6.4.2 Internet Resources and Public Web Pages

As the public becomes more Internet‐savvy, organizations need to respond by continually

updating their presence on the Web. The NSO Web site provides information to the public on

solar physics and astronomy in general. Near‐real‐time solar images are available from NSO instruments on the following Web pages

http://www.nso.edu/current_images.html and http://nsosp.nso.edu/current_images. The Virtual Solar Observatory (VSO) is a cornerstone to ensuring that NSO data are accessible to

all scientists internationally. Currently, data from NISP/GONG and NISP/SOLIS are routinely

archive and available through the VSO portals.



7 FY 2014 PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

The NSO FY 2014 Program Plan is designed to meet the expected level funding between FY 2013

and FY 2014. This has required some reductions in staffing and a delay in beginning some of the

planned ramp up toward ATST operations. Some of the impacts of level funding are being

addressed with revenues, indirect earnings and carry forward funds.

7.1 NSO Organization

During the ATST construction phase, the challenges to NSO have shifted. In addition to

transitioning personnel to ATST construction tasks, we have other personnel charging some of

their time to ATST and some to the base‐funded program. We are also ramping up a group on

NSO base funding to plan for ATST operations. Preventing the loss of essential personnel as we

pursue a new NSO directorate site location will be a challenge that the results of the Portfolio

Review have made more severe, especially with regard to the expertise to operate the NISP

components, SOLIS and GONG. The NSO will continue to pursue opportunities to increase diversity. Of special interest in this

regard are our work with the Akamai program and the University of Hawaiʻi on Maui, and our

participation in proposals with universities hosting large constituents of underrepresented

minorities (PAARE and the Fisk‐Vanderbilt Bridge‐to‐PhD programs). We will continue to

pursue EPO opportunities as funding permits. During this period, NSO needs to continue its strong support of the solar community while

using current assets to develop ATST instruments to test ATST operational concepts, and to

train personnel on the multi‐instrument, high‐data output expected with ATST. The new NSO

organizational structure is shown in Figure 7.1‐1.

7.1.1 Director’s Office

The NSO Director’s office consists of the Director, a Deputy Director, and an Executive

Administrative Manager; financial and budget support is also provided by the NSO/SP‐ATST

Facilities and Business Manager. A major change occurring this year is the stepping down of the

previous NSO Director, Stephen Keil, and the hiring of a new NSO Director. The NSO Director,

Valentín Martínez Pillet, is responsible for the overall NSO operations. The current NSO Deputy

Director, Mark Giampapa, serves as the interface with the NOAO for shared facilities, chairs the

Scientific Personnel Committee, and supervises senior scientific personnel in Tucson. His

funding is half in the Tucson base budget and half in the Director’s office FY 2014 budget. In

addition, the NSO Director obtains support from AURA Central Administrative Services (CAS)

for accounting, payroll, and human resources (HR), and from NOAO for graphics, IT support in

Tucson, and some educational outreach.

7.1.2 NSO/Sacramento Peak

NSO/SP operates the Dunn Solar Telescope on Sacramento Peak, provides facility support to the

ATST lab in the Hilltop Facility and provides occasional maintenance support for the Evans Solar

Facility in support of the Air Force group at Sac Peak. NSO/SP is undertaking several ATST work



Figure 7.1‐1. NSO Organizational Chart

packages during ATST construction. In addition to telescope support, the staff at SP supports an

office building, library, computing, instrument development, and housing facilities for visitors

and the resident scientific and technical staff. The ATST Director/PI, Thomas Rimmele, and the

ATST Project Scientist, Thomas Berger, currently reside at Sac Peak. The ATST wavefront sensor

project also resides at Sac Peak. Han Uitenbroek is the DST Program Scientist reporting to the

NSO Director, who also serves as Sac Peak site director. Han leads and oversees telescope

operations and instrument projects. Craig Gullixson is the DST Project and Support Manager.

Rex Hunter continues with the business management functions for NSO. Geoffrey Roberts is the

head of administrative support, and Bruce Smaga leads the facility crew. With the reduction in

technical staff, we have limited projects at the DST in order to concentrate on science operations with

the newly completed suite of diffraction‐limited instruments and support for testing of ATST

instrument technologies.

7.1.3 NSO Tucson and NSO Synoptic Program

NSO operates the McMath‐Pierce Solar Telescope on Kitt Peak, offices in Tucson, and conducts

projects at the Tucson facilities. The Deputy Director oversees Tucson programs and operations

with support from Priscilla Piano as Administrative Manager. McMath‐Pierce operations and



projects are led by Telescope Scientist Matthew Penn, who reports to the Deputy Director. NISP

combines the SOLIS and GONG programs under Frank Hill as Associate Director. Both the

SOLIS Program Scientist, Alexei Pevtsov, and GONG Program Scientist, Kiran Jain, report to Hill.

Kim Streander manages projects and operational personnel in Tucson and also serves as Program

Manager for the NSO Integrated Synoptic Program (NISP). Sean McManus manages the NISP

Data Center.

7.1.4 NSO ATST

NSO/ATST is now funded through both the NSF MREFC program and through funds from the

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Thomas Rimmele is the ATST Director/PI

and reports to the NSO Director. Project Manager Joseph McMullin and Project Scientist Tom

Berger report to the Project Director. The ATST project staff reside in Tucson, at Sacramento

Peak, in Boulder, and Hawaiʻi. There are plans to continue moving a few project personnel to

Boulder in FY 2014. Having staff at multiple locations allows the ATST team to interact with

NSO operations and projects. Lead engineers have responsibility for the various ATST work

packages. While some NSO personnel have transferred full time to ATST construction, others

work part time for the project. As NSO prepares for operations in the ATST era, the management structure will evolve as

needed to provide the most efficient and cost effective structure. NSO has begun

implementation of the reorganization that is needed to support ATST operations. ATST

commissioning will lead to the ramp down of current operations and divestment of current

facilities. In the ATST era, the NSO organizational structure will evolve to effectively support

ATST, the Synoptic Program, an instrument program, and a data processing and distribution

center.

7.2 Planning for the Future Organization of NSO

NSO plans call for consolidation of its Tucson and Sunspot staffs into an efficient organization to

operate the ATST, conduct synoptic programs, operate a data reduction and distribution center,

carry out forefront research by its staff and community, and to more effectively recruit new

students into solar astronomy. NSO’s new site will be on the east campus of the University of

Colorado, and NSO will share a building with the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics

(LASP). As operations at the two NSO sites are ramped down, establishing a single directorate

site at CU‐Boulder with a remote operational site on Maui for the ATST will be the best

configuration, allowing NSO to combine its science and engineering staff into a cohesive

organization. During FY 2014, AURA and NSO will work with NSF to establish a new cooperative agreement

that includes the planned move to Boulder and NSO will continue to develop and implement

plans for divestment of current facilities. The NSO Cooperative Agreement Proposal provides an

estimate of the cost of relocations to CU and the operating site for the ATST on Maui.



7.3 FY 2014 Spending Plan

The NSO spending plan that follows is based on receiving the President’s FY 2014 budget request

of $8M for NSO.

7.3.1 Total Budget

Table 7.3‐1 summarizes the funding that NSO expects to receive as new NSF funding, as well as

anticipated non‐grant revenues for support of operations in FY 2014. The NSO program in FY

2014 was developed based on receiving $8,000K of NSF funding for the NSO base program. This

represents level funding from FY 2013 as well as a reduction in Air Force support for NISP.

These cuts were absorbed by reducing the NSO staff by several positions and moving some staff

to part‐ time. NSO expects $42M of MREFC funds in FY 2014 for the ATST project. The ATST

spending plan is presented in Section 5.1.3. NSO receives additional operational support from

the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) through an MOU between the Air Force and NSF, in

exchange for supporting several AFRL staff at NSO/Sac Peak. NSO also receives funding from

the Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA) for GONG operations. NSO earns revenue from

cafeteria, Visitor Center, and housing operations on Sacramento Peak that are used to support the

respective functions.

Table 7.3-1. NSO FY 2014 Funding

(Dollars in Thousands)

NSF Astronomy Division Funding $8,000

AFRL Support for Sac Peak Operations 400

AFWA Support for GONG Operations 385

NSF REU/RET Program 107

Revenue (Housing, Kitchen, Visitor Center) 176

Programmed Indirects/Reserves 579

ATST Fellowship Support 105

Total NSO Funding 9,752

In addition to the funds shown in Table 7.3‐1, NSO receives funding through a variety of grants

and contracts with both NSO and non‐NSO principal investigators. These funds are used to hire

research fellows for specific programs, support visiting PIs and students, and to enhance

capabilities needed for these programs. The enhanced capabilities are then normally made

available to the user community. Table 7.3‐2 shows NSO’s currently active grants and contracts.

The funding shown in Table 7.3‐1 is allocated to the various programs NSO conducts to fulfill its

mission. Table 7.3‐3 shows the program areas in which funds will be expended, and those are

broken down further into the work packages within each funding area (telescope operations,

instrumentation, administration, EPO, etc.). The table also shows how we apply the revenue and

some of our indirect cost earnings to cover expenses not supported by the NSF FY 2014 funding.



Table 7.3-2. NSO Grants and Contracts

Proposal Title Source Term PI Program FY 2014a Grant/Contract

Term Total a

NSF International Research Experiences for (Graduate) Students

NSF/IRES 2010-2013 Hill/Jain GONG 50,000b 150,000b

Development of MCAO for the 1.6 m BBSO Telescope

NSF/MRI sub-award via NJIT

2010-2013 Rimmele MCAO 93,280b 458,688b

Development of High-Order AO for the 1.6 m BBSO Telescope

NSF/ATI sub-award via NJIT

2010-2013 Rimmele HOAO 125,000b 125,000b

ISOON-Based Investigations of Solar Eruptions

AFRL 2011-2013 Radick/Keil AFRL/NSO Research

38,383 76,765

The Solar Mass Ejection Imager (SMEI) Space Experiment

AFRL 2012-2013 Radick/Keil SMEI 28,278 87,206

Using Helioseismology Measurements to Predict Active Region Flaring Probability

NASA sub-award via CU-Boulder

2010-2014 Komm NISP/GONG 72,860b

278,260b

Fast Processing of Spherical Seismic Holography

NASA sub-award via North-West Research Assoc.

2011-2013 González Hernández/Hill

NISP/GONG 77,300 121,403

Development of the Virtual Solar Observatory (VSO)

NASA 2011-2014 Hill VSO 103,386c 317,788c

An Investigation of the Physical Properties of Erupting Solar Prominences (Postdoc Support)

AFOSR 2011-2014 Radick/Altrock ESF 157,678 500,193

An Investigation of the Physical Properties of Erupting Solar Prominences Phase II

AFOSR 2014 Radick/Altrock ESF 29,232 29,232

New Aspects of Acceleration and Transport of Solar Energetic Particles (SEPs) from the Sun to the Earth

AFRL 2011-2014 Radick/Keil ESF 15,618 36,640

Incorporation of Solar Far-side Active Region Data within the Air Force ADAPT Model

AFOSR & AFRL 2011-2014 González Hernández

NISP GONG/SOLIS

55,316 159,979

Multi-wavelength Analysis of Solar Oscillations

NASA 2011-2014 Jain NISP/GONG 155,075 449,276

Helicity Transport from the Solar Interior to the Corona and its Role in Flares and Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs)

NSF/AGS 2011-2014 Komm NISP/GONG 110,048 318,655

The influence of Subsurface (and Surface) Dynamics on the Activity Cycle

NASA 2011-2014 Komm NISP/GONG 136,505b 396,636b

Scientific Research Support Using Data from the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS)

NASA sub-award via Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co.

2011-2014 Uitenbroek IRIS Mission 93,884b 193,862b

Observing Support at the McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope

NASA 2011-2014 Penn/Giampapa McMP Observing

65,583 88,870

Implementation of Real-Time High-Resolution EUV Solar Spectral Irradiance

Air Force sub-award via North-West Research

2013-2014 González Hernández

NISP GONG/SOLIS

19,172

19,172

GONG Data for Nearly Continuous Observations of the Sun over Long Period

Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA)

2014 Hill NISP/GONG 374,760 374,760

TOTAL 1,801,358 4,182,385

aAmounts do not include NSF fee. bNSF fee not assessed. cDoes not include sub-awards to Stanford U., Harvard SAO, and Montana State.

Funding that NSO provides AURA for business support has been prorated to each program

area by the number of personnel and office space supported. Note that office space at Sac Peak is

supported under facilities at Sac Peak, and the AURA support for Sac Peak is primarily for HR,

accounting, and contracting.



Table 7.3-3. NSO Spending Plan


Directorʹs

Office Sunspot

Tucson Programs TOTAL

Expenses McMP NISP

Director, Staff, Committee Support 495 495

Directorate Site Development 74 0 74

Scientific Staff 741 247 1,329 2,317

Scientific Support/Computing 323 7 1,144 1,474

Telescope Support/Maint./Develop. 607 3 631 1,241

Telescope Operations 270 125 465 860

Facilities 677 0 0 677

Administrative Support 229 0 279 508

Education & Public Outreach1 94 113 20 36 263

AURA Business Support2 42 346 59 560 1,007

ATST Operations Development 407 65 0 473

ATST Fellow 105 0 0 105

AURA Management Fee 260 0 0 0 260

Program Total 964 3,818 526 4,444 9,752

Revenue

Programmed Indirects/Reserves (166) (329) (84) (579)

Housing Revenue (104) (104)

Meal Revenue (17) (17)

NSF REU/RET Funding (51) (20) (36) (107)

Air Force Support (400) (385) (785)

ATST Fellowship Support (105) (105)

Visitor Center Revenue (55) (55)

NSF/AST Funds 798 2,758 422 4023 8,000

1These funds are transferred to NOAO to support mutual EPO programs.2These funds are transferred to AURA for HR, procurement and accounting, contracting, and facilities services in

Tucson. 3AURA provides funds for cost sharing of an ATST Fellowship.

Figure 7.3‐1 lays out how NSO funding is divided among the various work packages, showing

that the science staff spends about 2/3 of its time supporting observatory operations, projects and

visitors (labeled Scientific Staff Support). Facilities, telescope operations, instrument development

and maintenance, and sciencesupport/computing are all part of NSO direct support for users of

NSO facilities.



Figure 7.3‐1. Distribution of NSO budget by tasks including revenue (total $9,752K)

7.3.2 Work Package Break Out

Tables 7.3‐4 to 7.3‐10 show the spending plan for the major functional areas in more detail,

breaking out payroll and non‐payroll by work packages.

7.3.2.1 Director’s Office

Table 7.3‐4 presents the Director’s office budget. Staff included in the Director’s office budget are

the Director, 0.5 of the Deputy Director’s salary, and an Executive Administrative Manager. As

noted earlier, the other half of the Deputy Director’s salary is included in the Tucson budget. Non‐

payroll expenses include travel, supplies and materials, and other miscellaneous expenses incurred

by the Director. Committees include the semi‐annual meetings of the NSO Users’ Committee and support for other

committee meetings as needed to support management of the observatory.

AURA central services includes support for the Director and Executive Administrative Manager

office space, HR, accounting and procurement in Tucson.

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Table 7.3-4. Director’s Office


FTEs Payroll Non‐Payroll Total

Staff 2.3 462 33 495 Committees 9 9

Directorate Site Development 0.2 35 30 65

AURA Central Admin. Services 29 13 42

AURA Management Fee 260 260

Reserve 0 0

Outreach Support 65 28 94

Total Director’s Office 2.5 591 373 965

The AURA management fee line item is based on the NSO base budget. It covers management

support provided by AURA, including the Solar Observatory Council (SOC), which provides

management oversight and program advocacy. The outreach support goes to the NOAO Education and Public Outreach (EPO) division for

support received from EPO staff for various outreach programs.

7.3.2.2 Tucson/McMP Program

Tables 7.3‐5 and 7.3‐6 show the budget breakdown for Tucson and support for the McMath‐Pierce

Solar Telescope (McMP) facility and for the NSO Integrated Synoptic Program (NISP). It contains

$71K of indirect earnings.

The Tucson/McMP staff provide support for operations on Kitt Peak and for instrumentation and

maintenance of the McMath‐Pierce Solar Telescope. The NSO Deputy Director has 25% of his time

for research and 25% for management of programs in Tucson, where he acts on behalf of the

Director. The other 50% is in the Director Office where he works on documentation, diversity, and

other issues as they arise.

Table 7.3-5. NSO/Tucson/McMP (Dollars in Thousands)

FTEs Payroll Non‐Payroll TotalScientific Staff 1.5 234 13 247Science Support/Computing 7 7

Telescope Support/Maintenance/Develop. 3 3

Telescope Operations 1.00 82 43 125

Administration 0 0 0

AURA/NOAO Support 41 18 59

ATST Operations Planning 0.50 65 0 65

Outreach (REU/RET) 20 0 20

Total Tucson/McMP 3 442 84 526



The 1.5 FTEs of scientific staff provide support of programs at the McMP, including the NSO Array

Camera (NAC) IR program and support for the California State University at Northridge integral

field unit (IFU). The salary figure includes a postdoctoral position and 50% of the Deputy

Director’s salary. The science staff also support related student programs and outreach.

Telescope operations consist of support for visiting and staff astronomers at the telescope, support

for installing upgrades and general telescope maintenance.

AURA/NOAO support consists of office and laboratory space in Tucson, HR, accounting, vehicles

support, shops, and janitorial services. Not listed because it is part of the NOAO/KPNO budget is

general maintenance support on the summit of Kitt Peak, road upkeep, cafeteria services, etc.

These costs are in the KPNO budget per the memorandum of agreement of 2000, when NSO

separated from NOAO.

Outreach funding is primarily for REU and RET participants that are supervised by the

NSO/Tucson scientific staff.

7.3.2.3 NSO Integrated Synoptic Program (NISP)

The NSO Integrated Synoptic Program combines staff from SOLIS and GONG under the direction

of Frank Hill as Associate Director.

Table 7.3-6. NSO Integrated Synoptic Program (Dollars in Thousands)


Scientific Staff 10.10 1,275 54 1,329Scientce Support/Computing 10.50 1,038 107 1,144

Telescope Support/Maint./Develop. 5.14 472 159 631


Administration 2.00 219 60 279

Education & Public Outreach 0 29 7 36

AURA/NOAO Support 0 392 168 560

Total NISP 29.24 3,518 926 4,444

NISP is broken down into an Atmospheric section and an Interior section, each led by a program

scientist reporting to the NISP Associate Director. The Telescope Support/Maintenance/Develop‐

ment staff are supervised by a Program Manager and support both SOLIS and GONG

instruments and upgrades as required. The science staff support the various data products

produced by NISP and respond to the communityʹs need for new products.

Both SOLIS and GONG data are reduced daily and added to the NSO Digital Library, where they

can be downloaded by the solar community.



AURA/NOAO support consists of office and laboratory space in Tucson, HR, accounting, vehicles

support, shops, and janitorial services. Table 7.3‐6 also includes the support received from the Air

Force Weather Agency..

7.3.2.4 Sacramento Peak

Table 7.3‐7 breaks out the Sacramento Peak operations budget. NSO/SP scientific staff support

the Dunn Solar Telescope and participate in development of ATST operations. The DST Program

Scientist oversees telescope operations and projects and supervises the NSO/SP Technical and

Telescope Operations Manager, IT support, and the DST chief observer. The scientists also

support the TAC process and observatory operations (library, outreach, instrument program,

modeling, and users). The ATST fellowship supports an ATST postdoctoral position that is cost‐

shared with AURA.

Table 7.3-7. NSO Sacramento Peak (Dollars in Thousands)


Scientific Staff 4.8 700 41 741

Science Support/Computing 3.00 237 85 323

Telescope Support/Maint./Develop. 7.3 572 35 607


Facilities 6 303 374 677

ATST Operations Planning 2.5 371 37 407

ATST Fellow 1 100 5 105

Administration 3.2 209 20 229

AURA Support 0 277 69 346

Outreach (REU/RET), Visitor Center 1 83 30 113

Total NSO/SP 31.15 3096 722 3,818

The Telescope Support/Maintenance/Development staff support DST maintenance and opera‐

tions and upgrades to the DST control system and focal‐plane instrumentation so users can take

full advantage of diffraction‐limited imaging. The DST is also serving as a test bed for ATST by

exploring ways to operate several instruments simultaneously. We would also like to use the DST

for prototyping various ATST control software and operational concepts.

Telescope staff operate the DST, provide user support, help with instrumentation installation and

interfaces, and perform maintenance tasks on the telescope. The telescope is allocated and

operated on all but two days out of the year, weather permitting.

The Sac Peak administrative staff oversee general site maintenance and daily site operations,

logistical visitor support, purchasing, shipping, receiving, and budgeting. The facilities budget

includes costs for buildings (offices, shops, civil engineering facilities, and administrative

facilities), grounds, maintenance, utilities, housing (funding for housing support comes from



rental revenue), water and sewage treatment, site snow removal and road maintenance. NOAO

support includes HR, accounting, contracting, and some legal support.

Outreach includes REU and RET support, public outreach programs, and operation of the

Sunspot Astronomy and Visitor Center. Table 7.3‐8 contains the $400K contribution from the US Air Force as well as the revenue earned from

housing, meal services, Visitor Center sales and $329K of indirect earnings and carry forward. The

US AF funding is added to NSO’s general operations funding to offset the support provided to the

Air Force Research Laboratory program at Sac Peak. During FY 2011, one AF staff scientist moved

to Albuquerque and the AF group added a new scientist and a postdoctoral fellow. Table 7.3‐8

provides an estimate of how AF funds are used to support the AFRL program. This varies from

year to year, based on program needs and facility usage.

Table 7.3-8. Air Force FY 2014 Funding (Dollars in Thousands)

Payroll Non‐Payroll Total

Scientific Support/Computing 50 45 95

Telescope Operations 75 35 110

Library Services 15 10 25

Facilities 74 76 150

Administrative Services 15 5 20

Total Air Force Funding $229 $171 $400

7.4 Infrastructure Plan and Strategic Needs

Although NSO plans to divest its current facilities, with the commissioning date and scientific

operation of the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope about six years away, NSO must continue

to serve the US solar community with its current facilities and maintain them in a manner that

keeps US solar astronomers at the forefront of solar physics. Additionally, we believe that the

facilities at Sac Peak and Kitt Peak will have a life beyond the NSO and our plan is to find parties

to which we can transfer these facilities. We have an obligation as a steward of government owned

facilities to maintain them at an appropriate level that will allow a suitable transfer to a qualified

operating institution. Continued investment in the maintenance of Sac Peak and the DST is not only important for

supporting high‐resolution solar physics, but also for development of ATST instruments and

operations. The plan for maintaining Sac Peak is designed to address infrastructure needs that will

ensure the viability of current NSO assets to support the solar user community for the next several

years. We also need to maintain and enhance our synoptic programs. With the Portfolio Review

mandate for NSO to find outside funding for the majority of NISP operations, its important that

the NISP instruments and data products are maintained and improved to attract funding sources

such as the NOAA Space Weather Predictions Center (SWPC) and the Air Force Weather Agency.



Infrastructure funds are used to support forefront solar research by replacing failing and outdated

systems at our telescopes and data handling facilities and to ensure continued safety of operations

at NSO’s observatory sites.

Because of continued near level support (often below level, sometimes above, but never sufficient

to account for inflation), NSO has limited its small amount of allocated base infrastructure

spending to critical items for maintaining safety and telescope operations. It has generated

requests for additional funding for larger ticket items and for those maintenance items not covered

in exiting budgets. The supplemental funding received from the American Reinvestment and

Recovery Act (ARRA) has permitted NSO to catch up in several areas. We have integrated these

into our overall plan.

7.4.1 FY 2014 Unfunded Infrastructure Improvement Requests

The major funding reduction in FY 2013 limited NSO to conducting only essential routine

maintenance. To insure the NSO facilities are in good condition to enhance divestment

opportunities, we request additional funding for the list of items in Table 7.4‐1. Completion of

these items would ensure that NSO continues with robust operations until ATST is online, and that

NSO facilities will be attractive to potential organizations willing to take over when NSO ceases Sac

Peak and Tucson operations.

Table 7.4-1 Unfunded Infrastructure Improvements (Dollars in Thousands)

Item Cost Notes

NSO/Sac Peak DST Turret Repair 75 Replace obsolete controls and hardware Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC) Lathe 50 Instrument development for SP and ATST DST Data Acquisition System 80 Continue upgrade to handle larger, faster CCDs Main Lab Boiler Lines and Radiators 50 Replace obsolete heating system, reduce cost

Apartment Building Boiler Lines and Water Lines 50 Replace obsolete heating and water lines, reduce cost Vehicle Replacement 25 Replace older vehicle Dump Truck/Snow Plow 65 Replace old truck Redwood Building Painting 35 Contract to paint redwood buildings Total NSO/SP 430 NSO/Tucson GONG Air Conditioner Replacements 25 Replace obsolete units with energy efficient model SOLIS Structure Modification 50 Required for remote observations at new, permanent location Total NSO/T 75

7.4.2.1 NSO/SP

DST Basic Infrastructure Improvements

Other basic infrastructure investments needed at the DST to upgrade/replace aging equipment,

provide safety improvements, and ensure continued smooth DST operations include:



DST Turret Repair and Controls Upgrade. Replace 1960’s hardware with digital hardware.

Estimated Cost: $75K.

CNC Lathe. Needed for on‐site ATST machine shop work. Estimated Cost: $50K.

Modernizing the DST Data Acquisition System (DAS), i.e., data storage, network, acquisition

system (to handle the increased data loads from high‐speed large‐format cameras). Estimated

Cost: $80K.

NSO/SP Facilities

Historically, the budget for NSO/SP has included approximately $40K in funds above our normal

maintenance program for use on larger “projects.” Typically, we saved or carried over some of

these funds to accomplish these projects that were beyond our normal budget. With the

continuing rise in cost of building supplies, propane, and electricity, and our flat budgets, our

discretionary funds have been absorbed into the daily maintenance activities. The size of these

projects make them very difficult or impossible for us to accomplish without supplemental

funding. Each of these items has been evaluated with the development of the ATST and the

expected closure or divestiture of Sac Peak in mind, and represents improvements needed in the

short term.

Main Lab Boiler Line and Radiator Replacement. Request $50K: The Main Lab houses the

offices of three‐quarters of our staff and computing facilities. The facility is over 40 years

old and is heated with a hot water system with radiators in individual offices. The boiler

was replaced about 15 years ago but remains serviceable. The hot water lines connecting

the boiler to the individual radiators and the radiators themselves have never been

replaced. We are experiencing multiple failures of these lines each winter and expect that

pattern to worsen. A catastrophic failure during the winter months could make the

facility uninhabitable for an extended period of time. This project would replace all of

the lines and the radiators. Replacement of the radiators with more modern units should

increase the efficiency and improve the quality of heat in the building.

Apartment Building Boiler Line and Water Line Replacement. Request $50K: The apartment

building is our primary source of housing for official visitor and users of the telescopes.

As with the Main Lab, the facility is over 40 years old and has had little maintenance to

the hot water heating and drinking water lines during that time. Failures are becoming

frequent and maintenance costs are rising. This project would replace all the hot water

heater lines, radiators and drinking water lines. This will greatly improve the quality of

heat in the building and the drinking water.

Vehicle Replacement. Request $25K: One of our current staff vehicles has well over 100K

miles and is beginning to experience more maintenance problems. These vehicles are

heavily used for transportation of our staff to Tucson, El Paso (airport) and other

locations. Frequently, they are driven in very remote parts of the country and at odd

hours and conditions where breakdowns could be dangerous. Also, with the funding of

the ATST and the participation of many of our current employees, our travel to Tucson

and other locations has increased dramatically, requiring that all of our staff vehicles be

available for use.



Dump Truck/Snow Plow Replacement. Request $65K: Current dump truck is about 20 years

old. As with the loader, it is heavily used for snow removal and is experiencing more

problems. Maintenance costs and dependability have negatively impacted our facilities

maintenance staff and will continue to grow as it ages. As our main road plow, a

catastrophic breakdown during the winter would have a severe impact on our ability to

complete snow removal.

Redwood Building Painting. Request $35K: Redwoods including the apartment building

and the community center have not been repainted for approximately 20 years. Paint is

beginning to peel and subject the wood exterior to the severe elements at Sac Peak. The

wood exteriors will deteriorate fairly quickly in this environment causing more costly

repairs in the future.

7.4.2.2 NSO/Tucson

NISP

New Air Conditioning Units for GONG Network. The current units are old and ineffecient.

Current electric usage can be reduced by ~30% with higher effeciency systems.

Estimated Cost: $25K.

Modify Existing SOLIS Structure at Tucson Site to Test and House Instrument Suite Prior to

Move to Permanent Location. The existing structure needs to be fitted with a movable section

on the south side to be lowered out of the line‐of‐sight for observations. The modified

structure will demonstrate the ability to take remote observations. The structure will be

dismantled and relocated to a permanent site at later date. Estimated Cost: $50K.


APPENDICES

APPENDIX A. NSO 2020 – 2025 VISION

APPENDIX B. OBSERVING & USER STATISTICS

APPENDIX C. ORGANIZATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS

APPENDIX D. PUBLICATIONS

APPENDIX E. MILESTONES FOR FY 2014

APPENDIX F. STATUS OF 2013 MILESTONES

APPENDIX G. FY 2014 STAFFING SUMMARY

APPENDIX H. SCIENTIFIC STAFF RESEARCH & SERVICE

APPENDIX I. ACRONYM GLOSSARY



APPENDIX A. NATIONAL SOLAR OBSERVATORY 2020–2025 VISION1

NSO will support and lead community research into the nature of the Sun by providing critical ground‐

based optical capabilities. The Sun is the archetypal astrophysical body, and we can exploit its proximity

to explore fundamental processes not directly observable elsewhere in the Universe. Perhaps more

importantly, the Sun is the source of the highly variable heliosphere in which the Earth and humanity

reside. NSO’s unique facilities will include the worldʹs largest solar telescope and a network of full‐Sun

imaging magnetometers to continuously observe the Sunʹs structure and evolution. A resident scientific

staff will support the development and exploitation of these facilities, support a diverse community of users, and point the way to mid‐century frontiers.

The NSO 2020 ‒ 2025 vision provides critical capabilities for solar research that address both

fundamental science issues and vital societal imperatives enunciated in several decadal surveys

‒ New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics, and The Sun to the Earth and Beyond

(and its successor Solar and Space Physics Decadal Survey to be released in Spring 2012) ‒ as well

as the recent NSF sponsored Workshop on the Future of Ground‐based Solar Physic. The NSO

science vision is focused on the basic question1 of how the Sun creates and evolves its magnetic

field: to understand the fundamental physics and its manifestations in other astrophysical

settings, and how this violent activity impacts the solar system and Earth while also helping to

shield humanity from dangerous galactic cosmic particles. The NSO vision of societal benefits

and impacts centers on research leading to a predictive capability for variations of the Sunʹs

radiative and eruptive outputs and planetary effects2. The NSO vision is founded upon

community‐based research objectives and requirements, and enables effective responses to new

discoveries, synergistic research with planned and future space missions, and testing the results

of advanced numerical models of solar phenomena.

To achieve this vision for the solar research community, NSO is replacing its 50+ year old

facilities with major new observational capabilities. The range of observational capabilities that

will be available in 2020 ‒ 2025 includes world‐leading high‐resolution observations of the

vector magnetic field, thermal and dynamic structure of the solar surface and atmosphere, and

measurements of structure and dynamics of the solar interior, both for short‐term and solar‐

cycle‐long time periods. These capabilities will be provided by the high‐resolution Advanced

Technology Solar Telescope (ATST) and moderate‐resolution, nearly continuous (ʺsynopticʺ)

observations of the full solar disk through the NSO Integrated Synoptic Program (NISP).

NSO in 2020 and beyond will enable the community to:

1. Clearly resolve fundamental magnetic structure and processes in space and time, and

achieve high photon flux for accurate, precise measurements of physical parameters

throughout the solar atmosphere4;

1See NSO 2012‐2016 Long Range Plan for science goals (http://www.nso.edu/reports) 2NWNH, p. 64 3 NWHH, pp. 29, 37,38, 60,61, 115 4 NWHH, p. 64



2. Study the drivers and manifestations of the long‐term, quasi‐cyclic, inhomogeneous and

intermittent solar magnetic fields and flows;

3. Resolve outstanding uncertainties in the abundance of atomic species;

4. Understand space weather and climate as they affect Earth, the solar system, and space

assets today5, and as a pathfinder for the study of exo‐planet habitability;

5. Prepare the next diverse generation of solar researchers; and,

6. Carry out coordinated investigations with solar space‐based missions using NSO’s robust

and adaptable capabilities.

To achieve this, the NSO will in priority order:

1. Operate and enhance the ATST, currently under development; and

2. Operate and enhance the multi‐site NISP

To continue NSO’s engagement in education and outreach NSO will6:

1. Conduct a vigorous training program for undergraduate, graduate, thesis students, and

postdoctoral fellows;

2. Provide research experience and science training for middle school and high school

teachers;

3. Conduct public outreach through its visitor center, tours, classroom talks and displays;

and,

4. Increase its efforts to establishing a more diverse NSO staff and bringing

underrepresented minorities into science and engineering in general.

Failure to build ATST or a serious delay in its construction would create a significant gap in US

solar astronomy. We would lose the capability to probe the physics of solar magnetic fields on

spatial and temporal scales that are critical (according to both theory and observation) for

understanding the energy balance of the Sun (and stars) and solar activity that impacts Earth.

While space missions provide a complementary part of the required capability, a permanent

space‐borne 4m class telescope with the necessary functionality and flexibility is not affordable.

5 NWNH, p. 29: Serving the Nation 6 NWNH, Chapter 4



APPENDIX B: OBSERVING AND USER STATISTICS

(OCTOBER 1, 2012 ‐ SEPTEMBER 30, 2013)

In the 12 months ended 30 September 2013, 64 observing programs, which included 11 thesis

programs, were carried out at NSO. Associated with these programs were 67 scientists, students

and technical staff from 27 US and foreign institutions.

*IncludesobservingprogramsconductedbyAURAstaffscientists.

**Note: Total number of institutions represented by users do not includeDepartmentsordivisionwithinaninstitutionasseparateentities(e.g.,U.S.Air Force and NASA are each counted as one institution even thoughdifferentsites/bases/centersareseparatelylistedinthedatabase.

12 Months Ended September 2013 Nbr % Total

Programs (US, involving 2 non-thesis grad students) 50 78%

Programs (non-US, involving 1 non-thesis grad student) 3 5%

Thesis (US, involving 10 grad students) 8 13%Thesis (non-US, involving 5 grad students) 3 5%

Total Number of Unique Science Projects* 64 100%

NSO Observing Programs by Type(US and Foreign)

AURA StaffUS Non-US Total % Total

PhDs 33 18 51 76% 17

Graduate Students 6 8 14 21% 0

Undergraduate Students 0 0 0 0% 0Other 2 0 2 3% 14

Total Users 41 26 67 100% 31

Users of NSO Facilities by CategoryVisitors

US Non-US Total % Total

Academic 12 7 19 70%

Non-Academic 4 4 8 30%

Total Academic & Non-Academic 16 11 27 100%

Institutions Represented by Visiting Users**

Belgium 2 Italy 7

Germany 7 Mexico 1

Ireland, UK 9 United States 72

Number of Users by Nationality

Institutions Represented by Users Foreign Institutions (11)

Armagh Observatory, University of Sheffield INAF - Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory INAF, Instituto di Fisica dello Spazio Interplanetario Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam (AIP) Max-Planck-Institut für Aeronomie Queen's University Belfast Universidad de Monterrey, Mexico University of Köln, Germany University of Naples, Osservatorio Astron. di Capodimonte University of Rome "Tor Vergata" US Institutions (16)

Alfred University California State University, Northridge Edinboro University High Altitude Observatory, NCAR, Boulder Lockheed-Martin Solar & Astrophysics Laboratory Montana State University NASA/Ames Research Center NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center (NASA/GSFC) New Jersey Institute of Technology New Mexico State University Salpointe Catholic High School University of Arizona University of Florida University of Colorado, CASA University of Hawaii, IFA University of Texas-Austin, McDonald Observatory US Air Force/Philips Lab (USAF/PL/GSS)



FY 2013 USER STATISTICS – TELESCOPE USAGE & PERFORMANCE DATA

In the fiscal year ended 30 September 2013, 40.5% of the total available telescope hours at

NSO/Sacramento Peak and NSO/Kitt Peak went to the observing programs of visiting principal

investigators; 18.7% were devoted to those of NSO scientists. Scheduled maintenance (including

instrument tests, engineering, and equipment changes) accounted for 3.5% of total allotted telescope

hours.

Total ʺdowntimeʺ (hours lost to weather and equipment problems) for NSO telescopes was 37.3%. A

significant portion of these lost observing hours were due to bad weather (33.0%), with 4.3% lost to

equipment problems.

aIncludessynopticprogramsforwhichalldataaremadeavailableimmediatelytothepublicandscientificcommunityatlarge.bFormerlytheKittPeakVacuumTelescope(KPVT).cDuringFY12,theFTSwasmovedoutoftheMcMath‐PierceFacilityandtoauniversitycampus.*Totalsincludebothdayandnighthours.(Allothersaredayonly.)

% DISTRIBUTION OF TELESCOPE HOURSALL NSO TELESCOPES

Maintenance 3.53%

Visitorsa

40.53%

Staff 18.65%

Weather32.95%

Equipment4.34%

% Hrs. Lost To:Hours

Scheduled Visitorsa Staff Weather Equipment Scheduled Maintenance

Dunn Solar Telescope/SP 3,774.0 19.6% 27.9% 34.0% 2.4% 16.1%McMath-Pierce* 5,316.0 30.1% 40.5% 24.7% 4.7% 0.0%KP SOLIS Towera,b 6,024.0 64.5% 0.0% 29.5% 6.0% 0.0%FTS Labc* 0.0 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%Evans Solar Facility 2,064.0 35.6% 0.0% 62.5% 1.9% 0.0%Hilltop Dome 0.0 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

All Telescopes 17,178.0 40.5% 18.7% 32.9% 4.3% 3.5%

NSO TELESCOPESPercent Distribution of Telescope Hours

(Scheduled vs. Downtime)01 October 2012 - 30 September 2013

Telescope% Hours Used By: % Hours Lost To:



FY 2013 USER STATISTICS – ARCHIVES & DATA BASES

(October 1, 2012 ‐ September 30, 2013)

All statistics exclude the use of NSO archives and data bases from within the NSO Local Area

Network in Tucson and at Sac Peak, and from AURA/NOAO as a whole.

0.0

1,000.0

2,000.0

3,000.0

4,000.0

5,000.0

6,000.0

7,000.0

GB

ytes

U.S. Science (.gov, .edu, .mil)Other U.S. (.com, .net, misc.)ForeignUnresolved

DATA (Gbytes) DOWNLOADED FROM NSO FTP & WWW SITES 01 October 2012 - 30 September 2013

Domain GbytesU.S. Science (.gov, .edu, .mil ) 6,556.3Other U.S. (.com, .net, misc. ) 662.4Foreign 3,152.8Unresolved 1.4 TOTAL 10,372.8

Site Product Type Gbytes %

T NISP/GONG Helioseismology 3,599.92 35.488%T NISP/GONG (Magnetograms, spectra, time series, frequencies) 3,431.63 33.829%T NISP/GONG H-alpha 2,273.57 22.413%T NISP/SOLIS (VSM, ISS, FDP) 635.94 6.269%

SP & T Other 103.57 1.021%T FTS (Spectral atlases, general archive) 66.00 0.651%

SP Staff Pages 17.42 0.172%SP Press Releases 6.58 0.065%T KPVT (magnetograms, synoptic maps, helium images) 3.98 0.039%T Evans/SP Spectroheliograms (Hα, Calcium K images) 2.90 0.029%

SP General Information 1.72 0.017%SP DST Service Mode Support 0.75 0.007%

SP SMEI Experiment & Data Pages 0.03 0.000%SP Icon & Background Images 0.03 0.000%

TOTAL 10,144.04 100.000%

PRODUCT DISTRIBUTION BY DOWNLOADED GBYTES 01 October 2012 - 30 September 2013

pris

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APPENDIX C: ORGANIZATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS

C1. Community Partnerships and NSO Leadership Role

Through its operation of the majority of US ground‐based solar facilities and its ongoing synoptic

programs, NSO is clearly important to the solar community. In turn, NSO must work closely with

the solar community and provide leadership to strengthen solar research, renew solar facilities and

to develop the next generation of solar instrumentation. Recent examples of NSO meeting this

responsibility include the addition of rapid magnetograms and Hα images to GONG; development

of solar adaptive optics and multi‐conjugate adaptive optics for both NSO and university telescopes;

development of infrared observing capabilities in collaboration with the University of Hawaiʻi, California State University‐Northridge, and NASA; leading the development of SPINOR in

collaboration with HAO, and participating in IBIS with Arcetri Observatory, and ROSA with Queens

University Belfast. Table C.1 lists several ongoing joint projects and development efforts. NSO will continue to work closely with the ATST Science Working Group and the community to

develop a sound operations plan for exploiting the full potential of the ATST.

NSO sponsored several community workshops and forged an alliance of 22 institutions to develop a

proposal for the design of the ATST and its instrumentation. NSO worked closely with this group

in leading the successful completion of the design and transition to construction of the telescope.

Beginning in 2009, the ATST project began a series of workshops on ATST science operations to

provide guidance for developing a sound plan for exploiting the full potential of the ATST.

Table C.1. Joint Development Efforts Telescope/Instrument/Project Collaborators

Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (ATST) HAO, U. Hawaiʻi, U. Chicago, NJIT, Montana State U., Princeton U., Harvard/Smithsonian CfA, UC-San Diego, UCLA, U. Colorado, NASA/GSFC, NASA/MSFC, Caltech, Michigan State U., U. Rochester, Stanford U., Lockheed-Martin, Southwest Research Institute, NorthWest Research Associates, Cal State Northridge

Adaptive Optics, Multi-Conjugate AO NJIT, Kiepenheuer Institute, AFRL Diffraction-Limited Spectro-Polarimeter ((DLSP) HAO Spectropolarimeter for Infrared and Optical Regions (SPINOR) HAO Rapid Oscillations in the Solar Atmosphere (ROSA) Instrument

Queen’s University, Belfast

Narrowband Filters and Polarimeters Arcetri Observatory, Kiepenheuer Institute Synoptic Solar Measurements USAF/AFRL, NASA IR Spectrograph and Cameras U. Hawaiʻi, Cal State Northridge, NJIT Advanced Image Slicer & Integral Field Unit Cal State Northridge Virtual Solar Observatory NASA, Stanford, Montana State, Harvard-SAO H-alpha Imaging System (GONG) Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA)/AFRL



C2. Operational Partnerships

NSO’s strategic planning embraces the interdisciplinary nature and dual objectives of solar physics in

that it is both basic science and applied research. Likewise, NSO’s relationships to its users reflect the

diversity and richness of the communities they represent—solar and stellar astronomy, space plasma

physics, solar‐terrestrial relationships, space weather prediction, terrestrial atmospheric chemistry,

and more. Table C.2 is a summary of the current partnerships that provide operational support. NSO’s long‐standing relationship with the US Air Force space science group will continue into the

ATST era. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and its Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR)

have indicated a desire to keep their basic solar research program colocated with NSO. They are

contributing to the ATST project through their mirror coating chamber and are looking for ways to

support ATST detector development. Currently, NSO is vigorously pursuing other partnerships. It

has had discussions with many organizations and has received letters of intent from several

institutions to support ATST construction. These include organizations in Germany; the United

Kingdom; a consortium of the Netherlands, Sweden, and Norway; and the US Air Force. Other

potential partnerships include Italy, Japan, Spain, and Canada. Scientists from Italy, Japan, and Spain

are currently involved on the ATST Science Working Group. NSO has formed a close working

relationship with the University of Hawai‘i for ATST operations and expects other partners to have some involvement in operations as well.

NISP is actively seeking operational partnerships with members of the space environment

community, including international partnerships for site operations and data processing. The Air

Force has provided NISP/GONG with funds to add an Hα capability in anticipation of helping to

fund GONG operations.

Table C.2. Current NSO Partnerships

Partner Program

Air Force Research Laboratory - Solar activity research at NSO/SP; telescope operations; adaptive optics; instrument development; 5 scientists, including 1 postdoc, stationed at NSO/SP; daily coronal emission line measurements; provides operational funding for SP: $400K-Base and various amounts for instrument development.

- NSO/Tucson Farside ADAPT Project support (0.25 FTE).

Air Force Weather Agency Funded the addition of an H-alpha capability for GONG. Providing ~740K/year for GONG/Synoptic Program operations.

NASA - Funding for SOLIS Science Goals: Postdoctoral Research Associates (1.25 FTE); Instrument/Observing Specialist (0.5 FTE).

- McMath-Pierce: Support for Operation of the FTS (1.0 FTE); Upper Atmospheric Research; Solar-Stellar Research; Planetary Research.

- DST: Support for a Research Fellow for Hinode mission support (coordinated observations, science planning, mission operations, data analysis) (via Lockheed- Martin sub-award).

- GONG: 3.0 FTE Scientific Support; SDO/HMI Pipeline Development Support (0.7 FTE). - Virtual Solar Observatory Development Support (0.75 FTE). - Development of VSM advanced flux estimate map for next general model of the corona and solar wind (via SAIC sub-award).

- SHINE research support for 3 scientists at 0.17 FTE each. - SDO/GONG White-light flare study support via UC-Berkeley SSL sub-award (0.11 FTE) - Active Region Flaring Predictions using Helioseismology research support via CU-

Boulder sub-award (0.33 FTE).



APPENDIX D: PUBLICATIONS (OCTOBER 2012 THROUGH

SEPTEMBER 2013)

Author—NSO Staff Author—REU

Author—RET Author—Grad Student

Author —Non‐REU Undergrad

Refereed Publications 1. Alissandrakis, C., and Patsourakos, S., “Hot coronal loops associated with umbral brighten‐

ingsʺ, A&A 556: A79, 08/2013.

2. Altrock, R. C., “Forecasting the Maxima of Solar Cycle 24 with Coronal Fe XIV Emissionʺ,

SoPh Online First, 01/2013.

3. Amari, T., Aly, J.‐J., Canou, A., and Mikic, Z., “Reconstruction of the solar coronal magnetic

field in spherical geometryʺ, A&A 553: A43, 05/2013.

4. Antia, H. M., Chitre, S., and Gough, D., “On the magnetic field required for driving the

observed angular‐velocity variations in the solar convection zoneʺ, MNRAS 428: 470, 01/2013.

5. Ayres, T. R., Lyons, J., Ludwig, H‐G., Caffau, E., and Wedemeyer‐Böhm, S., “Is the Sun

Lighter than the Earth? Isotopic CO in the Photosphere, Viewed through the Lens of Three‐

dimensional Spectrum Synthesisʺ, ApJ 765(1): 46, 03/2013.

6. Baldner, C. S., Basu, S., Bogart, R. S., Burtseva, O., González Hernández, I., Haber, D. A.,

Hill, F., Howe, R., Jain, K., Komm, R. W., et al., “Latest Results Found with Ring‐Diagram

Analysisʺ, SoPh 287: 57, 10/2013.

7. Banerji, M., McMahon, R. G., Hewett, P. C., Alaghband‐Zadeh, S., Gonzalez‐Solares, E.,

Venemans, B. P., and Hawthorn, M. J., “Heavily reddened quasars at z ~ 2 in the UKIDSS

Large Area Survey: a transitional phase in AGN evolutionʺ, MNRAS 427: 2275, 12/2012.

8. Berger, T. E., Liu, W., and Low, B. C., “SDO/AIA Detection of Solar Prominence Formation

within a Coronal Cavityʺ, ApJL 758(2): L37, 10/2012.

9. Bertello, L., Pevtsov, A. A., and Pietarila, A., “Signature of Differential Rotation in Sun‐as‐a‐Star CaII K Measurementsʺ, ApJ 761(1): 11, 12/2012.

10. Bi, Y., Jiang, Y., Li, H., Hong, J., and Zheng, R., “Eruption of a Solar Filament Consisting of

Two Threadsʺ, ApJ 758(1): 42, 10/2012.

11. Birch, A. C., Braun, D. C., Leka, K. D., Barnes, G., and Javornik, B., “Helioseismology of Pre‐

emerging Active Regions. II. Average Emergence Propertiesʺ, ApJ 762: 131, 01/2012, 2013.

12. Bisoi, S. Kumar, Janardhan, P., Chakrabarty, D., Ananthakrishnan, S., and Divekar, A.,

“Changes in Quasi‐periodic Variations of Solar Photospheric Fields: Precursor to the Deep

Solar Minimum in Cycle 23?ʺ, SoPh Online First, 07/2013.

13. Broiles, T. W., Desai, M. I., Lee, C. O., and MacNeice, P. J., “Radial evolution of the three‐

dimensional structure in CIRs between Earth and Ulyssesʺ, JGRA 118: 4776‐4792, 08/2013.



14. Burtseva, O., and Petrie, G. J. D., “Magnetic Flux Changes and Cancellation Associated with

X‐Class and M‐Class Flaresʺ, SoPh 283(2): 429, 04/2013.

15. Cameron, R. H., Dasi‐Espuig, M., Jiang, J., Işik, E., Schmitt, D., and Schüssler, M., “Limits to

solar cycle predictability: Cross‐equatorial flux plumesʺ, A&A 557: A141, 09/2013.

16. Cegla, H., Shelyag, S., Watson, C., and Mathioudakis, M., “Stellar Surface Magneto‐

convection as a Source of Astrophysical Noise. I. Multi‐component Parameterization of

Absorption Line Profilesʺ, ApJ 763(2): 95, 02/2013.

17. Choudhary, D. P., Gosain, S., Gopalswamy, N., Manoharan, P. K., Chandra, R., Uddin, W.,

Srivastava, A. K., Yashiro, S., Joshi, N. C., Kayshap, P., et al., “Flux emergence, flux

imbalance, magnetic free energy and solar flaresʺ, AdSpR 52: 1561, 10/2013.

18. Chowdhury, P., Choudhary, D. P., and Gosain, S., “A Study of the Hemispheric Asymmetry

of Sunspot Area during Solar Cycles 23 and 24ʺ, ApJ 768(2): 188, 05/2013.

19. Civiš, S., Ferus, M., Chernov, V., and Zanozina, E., “Infrared transitions and oscillator

strengths of Ca and Mgʺ, A&A 554: A24, 06/2013.

20. Cranmer, S. R., van Ballegooijen, A. A., and Woolsey, L. N., “Connecting the Sunʹs High‐

resolution Magnetic Carpet to the Turbulent Heliosphereʺ, ApJ 767(2): 125, 04/2013.

21. Criscuoli, S., “Comparison of Physical Properties of Quiet and Active Regions through the

Analysis of MHD Simulations of the Solar Photosphere ʺ, ApJ 778(1): 27, 11/2013.

22. Criscuoli, S., Del Moro, D., Giannattasio, F., Viticchié, B., Giorgi, F., Ermolli, I., Zuccarello, F.,

and Berrilli, F., “High cadence spectropolarimetry of moving magnetic features observed

around a poreʺ, A&A 546: 26, 10/2012.

23. Criscuoli, S., Ermolli, I., Uitenbroek, H., and Giorgi, F., “Effects of Unresolved Magnetic

Field on Fe I 617.3 and 630.2 nm Line Shapesʺ, ApJ 763(2): 144, 02/2013.

24. de la Cruz Rodríguez, J., Rouppe van der Voort, L., Socas‐Navarro, H., and van Noort, M.,

“Physical properties of a sunspot chromosphere with umbral flashesʺ, A&A 556: A115,

08/2013.

25. de Toma, G., Chapman, G., Cookson, A., and Preminger, D., “Temporal Stability of Sunspot

Umbral Intensities: 1986‐2012ʺ, ApJL 771(2): L22, 07/2013.

26. DeForest, C. E., Howard, T. A., and Tappin, S. J., “The Thomson Surface. II. Polarizationʺ,

ApJ 765: 44, 03/2013.

27. Deland, M., and Marchenko, S., “The solar chromospheric Ca and Mg indices from Aura

OMIʺ, JGRD 118: 3415, 04/2013.

28. Deng, N., Tritschler, A., Jing, J., Chen, X., Liu, C., Reardon, K. P., Denker, C., Xu, Y., and

Wang, H., “High‐cadence and High‐resolution Hα Imaging Spectroscopy of a Circular Flareʹs

Remote Ribbon with IBISʺ, ApJ 769(2): 112, 06/2013.

29. Eckart, A., Mužić, K., Yazici, S., Sabha, N., Shahzamanian, B., Witzel, G., Moser, L., Garcia‐

Marin, M., Valencia‐S, M., Jalali, B., et al., “Near‐infrared proper motions and spectroscopy of

infrared excess sources at the Galactic centerʺ, A&A 551: A18, 03/2013.



30. Eff‐Darwich, A., and Korzennik, S. G., “The Dynamics of the Solar Radiative Zoneʺ, SoPh

287(1‐2): 43, 10/2013.

31. Fischer, C. E., Keller, C. U., Snik, F., Fletcher, L., and Socas‐Navarro, H., “Unusual Stokes V

profiles during flaring activity of a delta sunspotʺ, A&A 547: 34, 11/2012.

32. Francile, C., Costa, A., Luoni, M., and Elaskar, S., “Hα Moreton waves observed on December

06, 2006. A 2D case studyʺ, A&A 552: A3, 04/2013.

33. Giersch, O., “GONG Inter‐site Hα Flare Comparisonʺ, JPhCS 440(1): 2006, 06/2013.

34. González Hernández, I., Díaz Alfaro, M., Jain, K., Tobiska, W. K., Braun, D. C., Hill, F., and

Pérez Hernández, F., “A Full‐Sun Magnetic Index from Helioseismology Inferencesʺ, SoPh

Online First, 07/2013.

35. Gosain, S., and Foullon, C., “Dual Trigger of Transverse Oscillations in a Prominence by

EUV Fast and Slow Coronal Waves: SDO/AIA and STEREO/EUVI Observationsʺ, ApJ 761(2):

103, 12/2012.

36. Gosain, S., and Pevtsov, A. A., “Resolving Azimuth Ambiguity Using Vertical Nature of

Solar Quiet‐Sun Magnetic Fieldsʺ, SoPh 283(1): 195, 03/2013.

37. Gosain, S., Pevtsov, A. A., Rudenko, G. V., and Anfinogentov, S. A., “First Synoptic Maps of

Photospheric Vector Magnetic Field from SOLIS/VSM: Non‐radial Magnetic Fields and

Hemispheric Pattern of Helicityʺ, ApJ 772(1): 52, 07/2013.

38. Gosain, S., Schmieder, B., Artzner, G., Bogachev, S., and Török, T., “A Multi‐spacecraft View

of a Giant Filament Eruption during 2009 September 26/27ʺ, ApJ 761(1): 25, 12/2012.

39. Gough, D., “Commentary on a putative magnetic field variation in the solar convection

zoneʺ, MNRAS 435(4): 3148, 11/2013.

40. Greco, V., and Cavallini, F., “Optical design of a near‐infrared imaging spectropolarimeter for

the ATSTʺ, OptEng 52: 063001, 06/2013.

41. Harker, B. J., “Parameter‐free Automatic Solar Active Region Detection by Hermite Function

Decompositionʺ, ApJSS 203: 7, 11/2012.

42. Hesman, B. E., Bjoraker, G. L., Sada, P. V., Achterberg, R. K., Jennings, D. E., Romani, P. N.,

Lunsford, A. W., Fletcher, L., Boyle, R. J., Simon‐Miller, A. A., et al., “Elusive Ethylene

Detected in Saturnʹs Northern Storm Regionʺ, ApJ 760: 24, 11/2012.

43. Hinkle, K. H., Wallace, L., Ram, R. S., Bernath, P. F., Sneden, C., and Lucatello, S., “The

Magnesium Isotopologues of MgH in the A 2^Π‐X 2^Σ+ Systemʺ, ApJS 207(2): 26, 08/2013.

44. Howard, T. A., Tappin, S. J., Odstrčil, D., and DeForest, C. E., “The Thomson Surface. III.

Tracking Features in 3Dʺ, ApJ 765: 45, 03/2013.

45. Howe, R., Christensen‐Dalsgaard, J., Hill, F., Komm, R. W., Larson, T. P., Rempel, M., Schou,

J., and Thompson, M. J., “The High‐latitude Branch of the Solar Torsional Oscillation in the

Rising Phase of Cycle 24ʺ, ApJL 767: L20, 04/2013.



46. Howe, R., Jain, K., Bogart, R. S., Haber, D. A., and Baldner, C. S., “Two‐Dimensional

Helioseismic Power, Phase, and Coherence Spectra of SDO Photospheric and Chromospheric

Observablesʺ, SoPh 281(2): 533, 12/2012.

47. Iorio, L., “Constraining the Angular Momentum of the Sun with Planetary Orbital Motions

and General Relativityʺ, SoPh 281: 815, 12/2012.

48. Javaraiah, J., “A Comparison of Solar Cycle Variations in the Equatorial Rotation Rates of the

Sunʹs Subsurface, Surface, Corona, and Sunspot Groupsʺ, SoPh 287(1‐2): 197‐214, 10/2013.

49. Jess, D. B., De Moortel, I., Mathioudakis, M., Christian, D. J., Reardon, K. P., Keys, P. H., and

Keenan, F. P., “The Source of 3 Minute Magnetoacoustic Oscillations in Coronal Fansʺ, ApJ

757: 160, 10/2012.

50. Jiang, Y., Hong, J., Yang, J., Bi, Y., Zheng, R., Yang, B., Li, H., and Yang, D., “Partial Slingshot

Reconnection between Two Filamentsʺ, ApJ 764: 68, 02/2013.

51. Jin, C. L., Harvey, J. W., and Pietarila, A., “Synoptic Mapping of Chromospheric Magnetic

Fluxʺ, ApJ 765(2): 79, 03/2013.

52. Johnstone, B. M., Petrie, G. J. D., and Sudol, J. J., “Abrupt Longitudinal Magnetic Field

Changes and Ultraviolet Emissions Accompanying Solar Flaresʺ, ApJ 760(1): 29, 11/2012.

53. Joshi, N. C., Uddin, W., Srivastava, A. K., and et al., “A multiwavelength study of eruptive

events on January 23, 2012 associated with a major solar energetic particle eventʺ, AdSpR

52(1): 1, 07/2013.

54. Karachik, N. V., and Pevtsov, A. A., “Properties of Magnetic Neutral Line Gradients and

Formation of Filamentsʺ, SoPh Online First, 08/2013.

55. Keys, P. H., Mathioudakis, M., Jess, D. B., Shelyag, S., Christian, D. J., and Keenan, F. P.,

“Tracking magnetic bright point motions through the solar atmosphereʺ, MNRAS 428(4):

3220, 02/2013.

56. Kholikov, S., ʺA Search for Helioseismic Signature of Emerging Active Regionsʺ, SoPh 287(1‐

2): 229, 10/2013.

57. Kholikov, S., and Hill, F., “Meridional Flow Measurements from Global Oscillation Network

Groupʺ, SoPh Online First, 09/2013.

58. Kirk, M. S., Balasubramaniam, K. S., Jackiewicz, J., McNamara, B. J., and McAteer, R. T. J.,

“An Automated Algorithm to Distinguish and Characterize Solar Flares and Associated

Sequential Chromospheric Brighteningsʺ, SoPh 283(1): 97, 03/2013.

59. Kleint, L., and Sainz Dalda, A., “Unusual Filaments inside the Umbraʺ, ApJ 770(1): 74,

06/2013.

60. Ko, Y‐K., Tylka, A. J., Ng, C. K., Wang, Y‐M., and Dietrich, W. F., “Source Regions of the

Interplanetary Magnetic Field and Variability in Heavy‐ion Elemental Composition in

Gradual Solar Energetic Particle Eventsʺ, ApJ 776(2): 92, 10/2013.

61. Komm, R. W., Gosain, S., and Pevtsov, A. A., “Active Regions with Superpenumbral Whirls

and Their Subsurface Kinetic Helicityʺ, SoPh Online First, 01/2013.



62. Korngut, P. M., Renbarger, T., Arai, T., Battle, J., Bock, J., Brown, S. W., Cooray, A., Hristov,

V., Keating, B., Kim, M. G., et al., “The Cosmic Infrared Background Experiment (CIBER):

The Narrow‐Band Spectrometerʺ, ApJS 207: 34, 08/2013.

63. Korzennik, S. G., and Eff‐Darwich, A., “Mode Frequencies from 17, 15 and 2 Years of GONG,

MDI, and HMI Dataʺ, JPhCS 440(1): 2015‐, 06/2013.

64. Korzennik, S. G., Rabello‐Soares, M. C., Schou, J., and Larson, T., “Accurate characterization

of high‐degree modes using MDI dataʺ, JPhCS 440(1): 012016, 06/2013.

65. Kramar, M., Inhester, B., Lin, H., and Davila, J., “Vector Tomography for the Coronal

Magnetic Field. II. Hanle Effect Measurementsʺ, ApJ 775(1): 25, 09/2013.

66. Kretzschmar, M., Dominique, M., and Dammasch, I., “Sun‐as‐a‐Star Observation of Flares in

Lyman α by the PROBA2/LYRA Radiometerʺ, SoPh 286: 221, 08/2013.

67. Kuridze, D., Mathioudakis, M., Kowalski, A. F., Keys, P. H., Jess, D. B., Balasubramaniam, K.

S., and Keenan, F. P., “A Failed Filament Eruption Inside a Coronal Mass Ejection in Active

Region 11121ʺ, A&A 552: A55, 04/2013.

68. Lam, H. ‐ L., Boteler, D. H., Burlton, B., and Evans, J., “Anik‐E1 and E2 satellite failures of

January 1994 revisitedʺ, SpWea 10: 10003, 10/2012.

69. Lawler, J. E., Guzman, A., Wood, M. P., Sneden, C., and Cowan, J. J., “Improved Log(gf)

Values for Lines of Ti I and Abundance Determinations in the Photospheres of the Sun and

Metal‐Poor Star HD 84937 (Accurate Transition Probabilities for Ti I)ʺ, ApJS 205(2): 11,

04/2013.

70. Lee, C. O., Arge, C. N., Odstrčil, D., Millward, G., Pizzo, V., Quinn, J. M., and Henney, C. J.,

“Ensemble Modeling of CME Propagationʺ, SoPh 285: 349, 07/2013.

71. Leka, K. D., Barnes, G., Birch, A. C., González Hernández, I., Dunn, T., Javornik, B., and

Braun, D. C., “Helioseismology of Pre‐emerging Active Regions. I. Overview, Data, and

Target Selection Criteriaʺ, ApJ 762(2): 130, 01/2013.

72. Li, B., Habbal, S. Rifai, and Chen, Y., “The Period Ratio for Standing Kink and Sausage

Modes in Solar Structures with Siphon Flow. I. Magnetized Slabsʺ, ApJ 767(2): 169, 04/2013.

73. Liewer, P. C., González Hernández, I., Hall, J. R., Thompson, W. T., and Misrak, A.,

“Comparison of Far‐Side STEREO Observations of Solar Activity and Active Region

Predictions from GONGʺ, SoPh 281(1): 3, 11/2012.

74. Lites, B. W., Akin, D. J., Card, G. L., Cruz, T., Duncan, D.W., Edwards, C.G., Elmore, D. F.,

Hoffmann, C., Katsukawa, Y., Katz, N., et al., “The Hinode Spectro‐Polarimeterʺ, SoPh 283:

579‐599, 04/2013.

75. Liu, C., Xu, Y., Deng, N., Lee, J., Zhang, J., Choudhary, D. Prasad, and Wang, H., “He I D3

Observations of the 1984 May 22 M6.3 Solar Flareʺ, ApJ 774(1): 60, 09/2013.

76. Mackay, D., and Yeates, A., “The Sunʹs Global Photospheric and Coronal Magnetic Fields:

Observations and Modelsʺ, LRSP 6, 11/2012.



77. Martínez Oliveros, J., Lindsey, C., Hudson, H. S., and Buitrago Casas, J., “Transient Artifacts

in a Flare Observed by the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager on the Solar Dynamics

Observatoryʺ, SoPhys: Online First, 08/2013.

78. Mathioudakis, M., Jess, D. B., and Erdélyi, R., “Alfvén Waves in the Solar Atmosphere. From

Theory to Observationsʺ, SSRv 175(1): 1, 06/2013.

79. Morton, R. J., Verth, G., Fedun, V., Shelyag, S., and Erdélyi, R., “Evidence for the

Photospheric Excitation of Incompressible Chromospheric Wavesʺ, ApJ 768(1): 17, 05/2013.

80. Morton, R. J., Verth, G., Jess, D. B., Kuridze, D., Ruderman, M. S., Mathioudakis, M., and

Erdélyi, R., “Observations of ubiquitous compressive waves in the Sunʹs chromosphereʺ,

Nature Communications 3: 1315, 12/2012.

81. Nagovitsyn, Y. A., Pevtsov, A. A., and Livingston, W. C., “On a Possible Explanation of the

Long‐term Decrease in Sunspot Field Strengthʺ, ApJL 758: L20, 10/2012.

82. Nelson, C. J., Doyle, J. G., Erdélyi, R., Huang, Z., Madjarska, M. S., Mathioudakis, M.,

Mumford, S. J., and Reardon, K. P., “Statistical Analysis of Small Ellerman Bomb Eventsʺ,

SoPh 283(2): 307, 04/2013.

83. Nikitin, A., Brown, L., Sung, K., Rey, M., Tyuterev, V., Smith, M.A.H., and Mantz, A.,

“Preliminary modeling of CH3D from 4000 to 4550 cm‐1ʺ, JQSRT 114: 1, 01/2013.

84. Norquist, D. C., “Forecast performance assessment of a kinematic and a magnetohydro‐

dynamic solar wind modelʺ, SpWea 11: 17‐33, 01/2013.

85. Nuevo, F. A., Huang, Z., Frazin, R., Manchester, W. B., Jin, M., and Vásquez, A. M.,

“Evolution of the Global Temperature Structure of the Solar Corona during the Minimum

between Solar Cycles 23 and 24ʺ, ApJ 773: 9, 08/2013.

86. Pereira, T. M. D., Asplund, M., Collet, R., Thaler, I., Trampedach, R., and Leenaarts, J., “How

realistic are solar model atmospheres?ʺ, A&A 554: A118, 06/2013.

87. Petrie, G. J. D., “Evolution of Active and Polar Photospheric Magnetic Fields During the Rise

of Cycle 24 Compared to Previous Cyclesʺ, SoPh 281(2): 577, 12/2012.

88. Petrie, G. J. D., “Solar Magnetic Activity Cycles, Coronal Potential Field Models and

Eruption Ratesʺ, ApJ 768(2): 162, 05/2013.

89. Petrie, G. J. D., and Haislmaier, K. J., “Low‐latitude Coronal Holes, Decaying Active

Regions, and Global Coronal Magnetic Structureʺ, ApJ 775: 100, 10/2013.

90. Pevtsov, A. A., Bertello, L., and Uitenbroek, H., “On Possible Variations of Basal Ca II K Chromospheric Line Profiles with the Solar Cycleʺ, ApJ 767(1): 56, 04/2013.

91. Pevtsov, A. A., Bertello, L., Tlatov, A. G., Kilcik, A., Nagovitsyn, Y. A., and Cliver, E. W.,

“Cyclic and Long‐Term Variation of Sunspot Magnetic Fieldsʺ, SoPh Online First, 01/2013.

92. Pietarila, A., and Harvey, J. W., “Ca II 854.2 nm Bisectors and Circumfacular Regionsʺ, ApJ

764(2): 153, 02/2013.

93. Pietarila, A., and Pietarila‐Graham, J., “Instrumental and Observational Artifacts in Quiet

Sun Magnetic Flux Cancellation Functionsʺ, SoPh 282(2): 389, 02/2013.



94. Pietarila, A., Bertello, L., Harvey, J. W., and Pevtsov, A. A., “Comparison of Ground‐Based

and Space‐Based Longitudinal Magnetogramsʺ, SoPh 282(1): 91, 01/2013.

95. Potter, A. E., Killen, R. M., Reardon, K. P., and Bida, T. A., “Observation of neutral sodium

above Mercury during the transit of November 8, 2006ʺ, Icar 226(1): 172‐185, 09/2013.

96. Qiu, J., Cheng, J. X., Hurford, G. J., Xu, Y., and Wang, H., “Solar flare hard X‐ray spikes

observed by RHESSI: a case studyʺ, A&A 547: A72, 11/2012.

97. Richards, M. T., Agafonov, M. I., and Sharova, O. I., “New Evidence of Magnetic Interactions

between Stars from Three‐dimensional Doppler Tomography of Algol Binaries: β PER and RS

VULʺ, ApJ 760(1): 8, 11/2012.

98. Richards, M. T., Hill, F., and Stassun, K. G., “No Evidence Supporting Flare‐Driven High‐

Frequency Global Oscillationsʺ, SoPh 281(1): 21, 11/2012.

99. Riley, P., Linker, J. A., and Mikić, Z., “On the application of ensemble modeling techniques to

improve ambient solar wind modelsʺ, JGRA 118: 600, 02/2013.

100. Romano, P., Berrilli, F., Criscuoli, S., Del Moro, D., Ermolli, I., Giorgi, F., Viticchié, B., and

Zuccarello, F., “A Comparative Analysis of Photospheric Bright Points in an Active Region

and in the Quiet Sunʺ, SoPh 280: 407, 10/2012.

101. Romano, P., Frasca, D., Guglielmino, S. L., Ermolli, I., Tritschler, A., Reardon, K. P., and

Zuccarello, F., “Velocity and Magnetic Field Distribution in a Forming Penumbraʺ, ApJL

771(1): L3, 07/2013.

102. Scargle, J. D., Keil, S. L., and Worden, S. P., “Solar Cycle Variability and Surface Differential

Rotation from Ca II K‐line Time Series Dataʺ, ApJ 771(1): 33, 07/2013.

103. Schad, T. A., Penn, M. J., and Lin, H., “He I Vector Magnetometry of Field‐aligned

Superpenumbral Fibrilsʺ, ApJ 768(2): 111, 05/2013.

104. Schmieder, B., Kucera, T. A., Knizhnik, K., Luna, M., Lopez‐Ariste, A., and Toot, D.,

“Propagating Waves Transverse to the Magnetic Field in a Solar Prominence”, ApJ 777(2):

108, 11/2013.

105. Shayesteh, A., Ram, R. S., and Bernath, P. F., ʺFourier transform emission spectra of the A2Π

→ X2Σ+ and B2Σ+ → X2Σ+ band systems of CaHʺ, JMoSp 288: 46, 06/2013.

106. Shi, X. J., and Xie, J. L., “The Rotation Profile of Solar Magnetic Fields between ±60°

Latitudesʺ, ApJL 773(1): L6, 08/2013.

107. Simoniello, R., Jain, K., Tripathy, S. C., Turck‐Chièze, S., Baldner, C. S., Finsterle, W., Hill, F.,

and Roth, M., “The Quasi‐biennial Periodicity as a Window on the Solar Magnetic Dynamo

Configurationʺ, ApJ 765(2): 100, 03/2013.

108. Simoniello, R., Jain, K., Tripathy, S. C., Turck‐Chièze, S., Finsterle, W., and Roth, M.,

“Seismic comparison of the 11‐ and 2‐year cycle signatures in the Sunʺ, AN 333(10): 1018,

12/2012.

109. Sobotka, M., Švanda, M., Jurčák, J., Heinzel, P., and Del Moro, D., “Atmosphere above a large

solar poreʺ, JPhCS 440(1): 012049, 06/2013.



110. Sornig, M., Sonnabend, G., Stupar, D., Kroetz, P., Nakagawa, H., and Mueller‐Wodarg, I.,

“Venusʹ upper atmospheric dynamical structure from ground‐based observations shortly

before and after Venusʹ inferior conjunction 2009ʺ, Icar 225: 828‐839, 07/2013.

111. Sriramachandran, P., and Shanmugavel, R., “Identification of Zirconium Oxide molecular

lines in the sunspot umbral spectraʺ, NewA 17: 640‐645, 10/2012.

112. Stenflo, J. O., “Solar magnetic fields as revealed by Stokes polarimetryʺ, A&ARv 21: 66,

09/2013.

113. Tadesse, T., Wiegelmann, T., Inhester, B., and Pevtsov, A. A., “Coronal Magnetic Field

Structure and Evolution for Flaring AR 11117 and Its Surroundingsʺ, SoPh 281(1): 53, 11/2012.

114. Tadesse, T., Wiegelmann, T., Inhester, B., MacNeice, P., Pevtsov, A. A., and Sun, X., “Full‐

disk nonlinear force‐free field extrapolation of SDO/HMI and SOLIS/VSM magnetogramsʺ,

A&A 550: A14, 02/2013.

115. Tadesse, T., Wiegelmann, T., MacNeice, P., and Olson, K., “Modeling coronal magnetic field

using spherical geometry: cases with several active regionsʺ, ApSS 347: 21‐27, 09/2013.

116. Tadesse, T., Wiegelmann, T., MacNeice, P., Inhester, B., Olson, K., and Pevtsov, A. A., “A

Comparison Between Nonlinear Force‐Free Field and Potential Field Models Using Full‐Disk

SDO/HMI Magnetogramʺ, SoPh Online First, 09/2013.

117. Tappin, S. J., and Altrock, R. C., “The Extended Solar Cycle Tracked High into the Coronaʺ,

SoPh 282(1): 249, 01/2013.

118. Tlatov, A. G., and Pevtsov, A. A., “Bimodal Distribution of Magnetic Fields and Areas of

Sunspotsʺ, SoPh Online First, 08/2013.

119. Tripathy, S. C., Jain, K., and Hill, F., “Acoustic Mode Frequencies of the Sun during the

Minimum Phase between Solar Cycles 23 and 24ʺ, SoPh 282(1): 1, 01/2013.

120. Tripathy, S. C., Jain, K., Howe, R., Bogart, R. S., and Hill, F., “Helioseismic analysis of active

regions using HMI and AIA dataʺ, AN 333: 1013, 12/2012.

121. Vieytes, M., and Fontenla, J. M., “Improving the Ni I Atomic Model for Solar and Stellar

Atmospheric Modelsʺ, ApJ 769: 103, 06/2013.

122. Wang, H., and Liu, C., “Circular Ribbon Flares and Homologous Jetsʺ, ApJ 760: 101, 12/2012.

123. Wiedenbeck, M., Mason, G., Cohen, C.M.S., Nitta, N., Gómez‐Herrero, R., and Haggerty, D.,

“Observations of Solar Energetic Particles from 3He‐rich Events over a Wide Range of

Heliographic Longitudeʺ, ApJ 762(1): 54, 01/2012, 2013.

124. Wood, M. P., Lawler, J. E., Sneden, C., and Cowan, J. J., “Improved Ti II Log(gf) Values and

Abundance Determinations in the Photospheres of the Sun and Metal‐Poor Star HD 84937ʺ,

ApJS 208: 27, 10/2013.

125. Wright, J. T., Roy, A., Mahadevan, S., Wang, S. X., Ford, E. B., and et al., “MARVELS‐1: A

Face‐on Double‐lined Binary Star Masquerading as a Resonant Planetary System and

Consideration of Rare False Positives in Radial Velocity Planet Searchesʺ, ApJ 770(2): 119,

06/2013.



126. Xie, H., St. Cyr, O. C., Gopalswamy, N., Odstrčil, D., and Cremades, H., “Understanding

shock dynamics in the inner heliosphere with modeling and type II radio data: A statistical

studyʺ, JGRA 118(8): 4711, 08/2013.

127. Yan, X. L., Pan, G. M., Liu, J. H., Qu, Z. Q., Xue, Z. K., Deng, L. H., Ma, L., and Kong, D. F.,

“The Contraction of Overlying Coronal Loop and the Rotating Motion of a Sigmoid Filament

during Its Eruptionʺ, AJ 145: 153, 06/2013.

128. Yeates, A. R., “Coronal Magnetic Field Evolution from 1996 to 2012: Continuous Non‐

potential Simulationsʺ, SoPh Online First, 04/2013.

129. Zhilyaev, B. E., Verlyuk, I. A., Andreev, M. V., and et al., “Observations of high‐frequency

variability in the chromospherically active star V390 Aurigaeʺ, MNRAS Advance Access,

10/2013.

Conference Proceedings and Other Publications

1. Arge, C. N., Henney, C. J., González Hernández, I., Toussaint, W. A., Koller, J., and Godinez,

H. C., “Modeling the corona and solar wind using ADAPT maps that include far‐side

observationsʺ, SOLAR WIND 13: Proceedings of the Thirteenth International Solar Wind

Conference, AIP Conf Proc 1539: 11, 06/2013.

2. Aschwanden, M. J., “Coronal Seismology with ATSTʺ, The Second ATST‐EAST Meeting:

Magnetic Fields from the Photosphere to the Corona, ASP Conf Ser 463: 133, 12/2012.

3. Ayres, T. R., Lyons, J., Ludwig, H‐G., Caffau, E., and Wedemeyer‐Böhm, S., “Solar carbon

monoxide: poster child for 3D effectsʺ, MmSAI 24: 85, 00/2013.

4. Barden, S. C., “The Simple Hyperspectral Imaging Polarimeter Conceptʺ, The Second ATST‐

EAST Workshop in Solar Physics: Magnetic Fields from the Photosphere to the Corona, ASP Conf

Ser 463: 453, 12/2012.

5. Beck, C. A. R., and Rezaei, R., “Chromospheric Multi‐Wavelength Observations near the

Solar Limb: Techniques and Prospectsʺ, The Second ATST‐EAST Meeting: Magnetic Fields from

the Photosphere to the Corona, ASP Conf Ser 463: 257, 12/2012.

6. Berger, T. E., “The Prominence/Coronal Cavity System: a unified view of magnetic structures

in the Solar coronaʺ, The Second ATST‐EAST Workshop in Solar Physics: Magnetic Fields from the

Photosphere to the Corona, ASP Conf Ser 463: 147, 12/2012.

7. Bisoi, S. Kumar, and Janardhan, P., “Asymmetry in the periodicities of solar photospheric

fields: A probe to the unusual solar minimum prior to cycle 24ʺ, Solar and Astrophysical

Dynamos and Magnetic Activity, IAUS 294: 85, 07/2013.

8. Bisoi, S. Kumar, and Janardhan, P., “Peculiar behavior of solar polar fields during solar cycles

21‐23: Correlation with meridional flow speedʺ, Solar and Astrophysical Dynamos and Magnetic

Activity, IAUS 294: 81, 07/2013.

9. Bućík, R., Mall, U., Korth, A., Mason, G., and Gómez‐Herrero, R., “3He‐rich SEP events

observed by STEREO‐Aʺ, SOLAR WIND 13: Proceedings of the Thirteenth International Solar

Wind Conference, AIP Conf Proc 1539: 139, 06/2013.



10. Burtseva, O., Tripathy, S. C., Bogart, R. S., Jain, K., Howe, R., Hill, F., and Rabello‐Soares, M.

C., “Temporal Variations of High‐Degree Solar p‐Modes using Ring‐Diagram Analysisʺ,

JPhCS 440: 012027, 06/2013.

11. Cadavid, A. C., Lawrence, J. K., Christian, D. J., Jess, D. B., and Mathioudakis, M., “Turbulent

Fluctuations in G‐band and K‐line Intensities Observed with the Rapid Oscillations in the

Solar Atmosphere (ROSA) Instrumentʺ, The Second ATST‐EAST Meeting: Magnetic Fields from

the Photosphere to the Corona, ASP Conf Ser 463: 75, 12/2012.

12. Cauzzi, G., and Reardon, K. P., “The IBIS Mosaicʺ, Science with Large Solar Telescopes,

Proceedings of IAU Special Session 6: E5.11, 12/2012.

13. Choudhary, D. P., and Deng, N., “Photospheric and Chromospheric Measurements of a

High‐Speed Flow near the Light Bridge of a δ ‐Spotʺ, The Second ATST‐EAST Workshop in

Solar Physics: Magnetic Fields from the Photosphere to the Corona, ASP Conf Ser 463: 43, 12/2012.

14. Criscuoli, S., Ermolli, I., Uitenbroek, H., and Giorgi, F., “On the sensitivity of FeI 617.3 and

630.2 nm line shapes to unresolved magnetic fieldsʺ, MmSAI 84: 335, 00/2013.

15. Cristaldi, A., Guglielmino, S. L., Zuccarello, F., Ermolli, I., Falco, M., and Criscuoli, S.,

“Small‐scale brightenings observed in active regions with SST and Hinodeʺ, MmSAI 84: 339,

00/2013.

16. Del Moro, D., Berrilli, F., Stangalini, M., Giannattasio, F., Piazzesi, R., Giovannelli, L.,

Viticchié, B., Vantaggiato, M., Sobotka, M., Jurčák, J., et al., “IBIS: High‐Resolution Multi‐

Height Observations and Magnetic Field Retrievalʺ, The Second ATST‐EAST Meeting:

Magnetic Fields from the Photosphere to the Corona, ASP Conf Ser 463: 33, 12/2012.

17. Deng, N., Tritschler, A., Jing, J., Chen, X., Reardon, K. P., Liu, C., Xu, Y., and Wang, H., “H‐

alpha Imaging Spectroscopy of a C‐class flare with IBISʺ, Science with Large Solar Telescopes,

Proceedings of IAU Special Session 6, IAUS: E3.07, 12/2012.

18. Elmore, D. F., “ATST Telescope Calibration: Summary of Studies and their Conclusionsʺ,

The Second ATST‐EAST Meeting: Magnetic Fields from the Photosphere to the Corona, ASP Conf

Ser 463: 307, 12/2012.

19. Falco, M., Zuccarello, F., Criscuoli, S., Cristaldi, A., Guglielmino, S. L., and Ermolli, I.,

“Sunspot evolution observed with SSTʺ, MmSAI 84: 345, 00/2013.

20. González Hernández, I., Komm, R. W., van Driel‐Gesztelyi, L., Baker, D., Harra, L., and

Howe, R., “ Subsurface flows associated with non‐Joy oriented active regions: a case studyʺ,

JPhCS 440: 012050, 06/2013.

21. González Hernández, I., Lindsey, C., Braun, D. C., Bogart, R. S., Scherrer, P. H., and Hill, F.,

“Far‐side helioseismic maps: the next generationʺ, JPhCS 440: 012029, 06/2013.

22. Gosain, S., Sankarasubramanian, K., Venkatakrishnan, P., and Raja Bayanna, A., “A New

Technique for Solar Imaging Spectro‐polarimetry using Shack‐Hartmann and Fabry‐Pérotʺ,

The Second ATST‐EAST Meeting: Magnetic Fields from the Photosphere to the Corona, ASP Conf

Ser 463: 301, 12/2012.

23. Howe, R., Broomhall, A‐M., Chaplin, W. J., Elsworth, Y., and Jain, K., “Low‐degree multi‐



spectral p‐mode fittingʺ, JPhCS 440: 012011, 06/2013.

24. Jain, K., Tripathy, S. C., Basu, S., Bogart, R. S., González Hernández, I., Hill, F., and Howe,

R., “Multi‐spectral study of acoustic mode parameters and sub‐surface flowsʺ, JPhCS 440:

012012, 06/2013.

25. Jain, K., Tripathy, S. C., Hill, F., and Larson, T., “Solar oscillations in cycle 24 ascendingʺ, JPhCS 440: 012023, 06/2013.

26. Johnson, L. C., Upton, R., Rimmele, T. R., Hubbard, R. P., and Barden, S. C., “Active Optical Control of Quasi‐Static Aberrations for ATSTʺ, The Second ATST‐EAST Meeting: Magnetic

Fields from the Photosphere to the Corona, ASP Conf Ser 463: 315, 12/2012.

27. Kirk, M. S., Balasubramaniam, K. S., Jackiewicz, J., McAteer, R. T. J., and McNamara, B. J.,

“Sequential Chomospheric Brightening: An Automated Approach to Extracting Physics from

Ephemeral Brighteningʺ, The Second ATST‐EAST Meeting: Magnetic Fields from the Photosphere

to the Corona, ASP Conf Ser 463: 267, 12/2012.

28. Komm, R. W., González Hernández, I., Harra, L., Baker, D., and van Driel‐Gesztelyi, L.,

“Are subsurface flows and coronal holes related?ʺ, JPhCS 440: 012022, 06/2013.

29. Marino, J., and Rimmele, T. R., “Expected Performance of Adaptive Optics in Large

Aperture Solar Telescopesʺ, The Second ATST‐EAST Meeting: Magnetic Fields from the

Photosphere to the Corona, ASP Conf Ser 463: 329, 12/2012.

30. Martin, S. F., Panasenco, O., Berger, M. A., Engvold, O., Lin, Y., Pevtsov, A. A., and

Srivastava, N., “The Build‐Up to Eruptive Solar Events Viewed as the Development of Chiral

Systemsʺ, The Second ATST‐EAST Meeting: Magnetic Fields from the Photosphere to the Corona,

ASP Conf Ser 463: 157, 12/2012.

31. Nelson, C. J., Doyle, J. G., Erdélyi, R., Madjarska, M. S., and Mumford, S. J., “Ellerman bombs:

small‐scale brightenings in the photosphereʺ, MmSAI 84: 436, 00/2013.

32. Norton, A. A., Jones, E. H., Liu, Y., Hayashi, K., Hoeksema, J.T., and Schou, J., “How much

more can sunspots tell us about the solar dynamo?ʺ, Solar and Astrophysical Dynamos and

Magnetic Activity, IAUS 294, 07/2013.

33. Orozco Suárez, D., Bellot Rubio, L. R., and Katsukawa, Y., “Requirements for the Analysis of

Quiet‐Sun Internetwork Magnetic Elements with EST and ATSTʺ, The Second ATST‐EAST

Meeting: Magnetic Fields from the Photosphere to the Corona, ASP Conf Ser 463: 57, 12/2012.

34. Pietarila, A., “Magnetometry with Large Solar Telescopes: Beyond the Photospheric

Boundariesʺ, The Second ATST‐EAST Meeting: Magnetic Fields from the Photosphere to the

Corona, ASP Conf Ser 463: 3, 12/2012.

35. Rimmele, T. R., Tritschler, A., Wöger, F., Collados, M., and et al., “The 2nd ATST‐EAST

Workshop in Solar Physics: Magnetic Fields from the Photosphere to the Coronaʺ, The Second

ATST‐EAST Workshop in Solar Physics: Magnetic Fields from the Photosphere to the Corona, ASP

Conf Ser 463, 12/2012.

36. Rimmele, T. R., Keil, S. L., McMullin, J. P., Goode, P. R., Knoelker, M., Kuhn, J. R., Rosner,

R., and ATST Team, “Construction of the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope ‐ A ona,



ASP Conf Ser 463: 25, 12/2012.

37. Schad, T. A., Penn, M. J., Lin, H., and Tritschler, A., “He I Spectropolarimetry with FIRS:

Towards Vector Magnetometry of Chromospheric Fibrils Plus New Diagnostics of Coronal

Rainʺ, The Second ATST‐EAST Meeting: Magnetic Fields from the Photosphere to the Corona, ASP

Conf Ser 463, 12/2012.

38. Stein, R.F., and Nordlund, A., “Flux Emergence and Pore Formation: What ATST can Seeʺ,

The Second ATST‐EAST Workshop in Solar Physics: Magnetic Fields from the Photosphere to the

Corona, ASP Conf Ser 463: 83, 12/2012.

39. Strassmeier, K. G., Carroll, T. A., Ilyin, I., and Järvinen, S., “Observational methods for stellar

magnetism: from detection to cartographyʺ, Solar and Astrophysical Dynamos and Magnetic

Activity, IAUS 294, 07/2013.

40. Taylor, G. E., Rimmele, T. R., Marino, J., Tritschler, A., and McAteer, R. T. J., “Solar Limb

Adaptive Optics: A Test of Wavefront Sensors and Algorithmsʺ, The Second ATST‐EAST

Meeting: Magnetic Fields from the Photosphere to the Corona, ASP Conf Ser 463: 321, 12/2012.

41. Tripathy, S. C., Jain, K., Simoniello, R., Hill, F., and Turck‐Chièze, S., “Solar cycle and quasi‐

biennial variations in helioseismic frequenciesʺ, Solar and Astrophysical Dynamos and Magnetic

Activity, IAUS 294, 07/2013.

42. Tritschler, A., Uitenbroek, H., and Rempel, M., “The Sunspot Penumbra in the Photosphere:

Results from Forward Synthesized Spectroscopyʺ, The Second ATST‐EAST Meeting: Magnetic

Fields from the Photosphere to the Corona, ASP Conf Ser 463: 89, 12/2012.

43. Uitenbroek, H., “Eyes on the Sun: Solar Instrumentationʺ, 370 Years of Astronomy in Utrecht,

ASP Conf Ser 470: 83, 01/2013.

44. Uitenbroek, H., and Criscuoli, S., “A novel method to estimate temperature gradients in

stellar photospheresʺ, MmSAI 84: 369, 00/2013.

45. Uitenbroek, H., and Tritschler, A., “Observing strategies for future solar facilities: the ATST test caseʺ, Science with Large Solar Telescopes, Proceedings of IAU Special Session 6: E4.01, 12/2012.

46. Uitenbroek, H., Dumont, N., and Tritschler, A., “The Influence of Molecular Lines on the

Measurement of Photospheric Velocitiesʺ, The Second ATST‐EAST Meeting: Magnetic Fields

from the Photosphere to the Corona, ASP Conf Ser 463: 99, 12/2012.

47. Warner, M., McMullin, J. P., Rimmele, T. R., and Berger, T. E., “The Advanced Technology Solar Telescope project: a construction updateʺ, Solar Physics and Space Weather

Instrumentation V, Proc SPIE 8862: 88620D, 09/2013.

48. Wöger, F., McBride, W. R., Ferayorni, A., Gregory, B. S., Hegwer, S. L., Tritschler, A., and Uitenbroek, H., “The Visible Broadband Imager: The Sun at High Spatial and Temporal

Resolutionʺ, The Second ATST‐EAST Meeting: Magnetic Fields from the Photosphere to the Corona,

ASP Conf Ser 463: 431, 12/2012.

49. Zhang, M., “Helicity transport from solar convection zone to interplanetary spaceʺ, Solar and

Astrophysical Dynamos and Magnetic Activity, IAUS 294: 505, 07/2013.

50. Zolotova, N. V., and Ponyavin, D. I., “Model of poleward magnetic field streams from



sunspot butterfliesʺ, Solar and Astrophysical Dynamos and Magnetic Activity, IAUS 294: 87,

07/2013.

51. Zuccarello, F., Berrilli, F., Criscuoli, S., Del Moro, D., Ermolli, I., Giannattasio, F., Giorgi, F.,

Romano, P., and Viticchié, B., “Spectro‐polarimetric Observations of Moving Magnetic

Features around a Poreʺ, The Second ATST‐EAST Meeting: Magnetic Fields from the Photosphere

to the Corona, ASP Conf Ser 463: 51, 12/2012.



APPENDIX E: MILESTONES FY 2014 This section describes the major project milestones for 2014.

E1. Advanced Technology Solar Telescope

Utility Building Beneficial Occupancy Date

Lower Enclosure Ready for Enclosure Installation

S&O Building Steel Erection Starts

ATST Telescope Pier complete

TMA Factory Acceptance Testing; ship to Hawaii

Enclosure Factory Acceptance Testing; ship to Hawaii

M1 Final Blank Acceptance; begin polishing

M10 DMS Factory Acceptance Testing complete

First engineering relocation to Hawaii

VBI Red Fabrication Complete

Engineering/Facility Camera Procurement and Testing

Mini‐DHS procurement and delivery to Instrument Development Teams

System Reviews

o High Level Software Systems FDR

o Cryo‐NIRSP CDR

o DL‐NIRSP CDR

o VTF PDR

o PA&C FDR

o WFC FDR

E2. Solar Adaptive Optics

Develop Solar Limb AO system that can lock on prominence structure. Graduate Student

Thesis Project.

Install optical test bench at Sac Peak optics lab. System tests

Perform on‐sky tests with Limb‐AO at DST.

Conclude integration and testing of MCAO at GREGOR and BBSO.



E3. Diffraction‐Limited Spectro‐Polarimeter On‐Line Data Reduction

Current demand for this instrument is low because of its location on a separate optical

port, preventing it to be combined with other instruments, and duplication of its

capabilities in space (Hinode).

Maintain instrument and make available as user instrument on demand.

E4. NISP/SOLIS

Complete assembly and install visible, tunable filter for FDP.

Develop technique for flat fielding FDP data.

Complete full implementation of VSM guider.

Continue to provide VSM, ISS and FDP data online to the solar community and make

comparisons with data products from other instruments. Complete transition to VFISV

inversion for VSM 6302 vector data.

Support joint observing programs such as the IRIS mission, sounding rocket launches, and

queue observing mode at the DST.

Investigate usability of chromospheric synoptic maps as a source field for coronal

field/interplanetary field extrapolation and solar wind studies.

Complete cross‐calibration of ISS and Sac Peak K‐monitor data, successfully merge ISS and

K‐line monitor, and implement ISS K‐line data as the prime source to continue NSO historic

K‐line dataset.

Develop new data products for all three SOLIS instruments. Incorporate active region fields

from vector observations to traditional (line‐of‐sight) synoptic maps.

Develop and install new VSM 8542 modulator to obtain chromospheric vector magnetic

field observations.

Install new optical components in VSM calibration assembly to enable full polarimetric

calibration in the chromospheric lines.

Develop cost estimates and plan for future relocation of SOLIS instrumentation.

Develop plan for transition of NISP staff and resources into restructured NSO organization,

i.e. pooled data center and engineering groups.

E5. NISP/GONG

Install new data acquisition systems at remote network sites.

Assemble and test spare boards (motor amplifier, command, resolver, signal conditioner

and tachometer compensation) to expand long‐term maintenance inventory.

Operate the Learmonth site with expanded network bandwidth to accommodate near‐real‐

time data transfer.



Replace existing turret entrance windows with units having superior coating properties.

Develop full automation of GONG network P‐angle registration software (COPIPE), to

include improved drift scan processing and quality assurance monitoring.

Improve near‐real‐time full disk calibrations to approach quality requirements for global

and local helioseismology products.

Add quality control parameters, daily and synoptic flow maps to Ring pipeline code.

Add error estimations to level‐3 synoptic products (both GONG and SOLIS).

Investigate the usability of GONG white light data for determination of classic proxies such

as sunspot number and sunspot area.

E6. Virtual Solar Observatory (VSO)

Add 6‐12 new data providers and data sets.

Develop spatial search capability.

Develop comprehensive reporting across all data providers.

E7. NSO Array Camera (NAC)

Sunspot and quiet Sun spectro‐polarimetric observations at 4132nm in preparation for

BBSO/Cyra and ATST.

Spectropolarimetric observations of 1565nm in sunspots.

E8. Spectropolarimeter for Infrared and Optical Regions (SPINOR)

Maintain instrument and keep available as user instrument.

Replace failed computer hardware.

Keep instrument available to perform telescope polarization matrix measurements.

Make instrument available in multi‐instrument configuration.

Provide software for data reduction by user.

E9. Facility IR Spectropolarimeter (FIRS)


Upgrade AD framegrabber boards for higher throughput. These framegrabber boards

should provide for higher frame rates and more flexibility on how the infrared camera can

be used.




E10. Dunn Solar Telescope Control and Critical Hardware (Systems Upgrade)

Continue efforts to proactively upgrade telescope and other critical hardware systems to

the extent possible given financial and personnel constraints.

E11. Rapid Oscillations in the Solar Atmosphere (ROSA) Imaging System.


Work on streamlining data collection to DST SAN, or other storage media.

E12. Interferometric Bidimensional Spectrometer (IBIS) Camera Upgrade



E13. Service‐Mode Operations at the Dunn Solar Telescope

Evaluate cycle 1 & 2 service‐mode campaigns.

Conduct at least one, perhaps two, further experiments in 2014.

Use gathered information to set up new specifications and fine‐tune already existing

specifications for ATST operations planning.

E14. Establish NSO Headquarters

Finalize the third floor of the Space Sciences building at the CU east campus. Negotiate the

Lease for the HQ in Boulder with CU.

Initiate plans for fast‐track design and renovation of the third floor space with the goal of

completing renovations by March 2015.

Establish a complete relocation plan of NSO to the new Boulder/Maui sites and make it

available to the staff via the Observatory’s intranet.



Pier mat slab concrete finishing work, Sept 2013.

APPENDIX F: STATUS OF FY 2013 MILESTONES This section describes the progress of current projects relative to the milestones established in the

FY 2013 Program Plan. (FY 2013 milestones appear in italics below.)

F1.AdvancedTechnologySolarTelescope

Initiate and manage site work on Haleakalā

The initiation is complete and the management is ongoing.

Site: Preparation, grading, trenching, utility corridor, environmental mitigations, foundations

for utility building, lower enclosure.

Complete. The early off‐site work was completed in

December 2012 – January 2013 (removal of the Reber

circle foundations, removal of overhead powerlines,

installation of the improved power corridor for HO);

environmental mitigations have been underway

(census of burrows, predator control including

trapping and removing known predators, monitoring

and removal of invasive species, assessment and

documentation of historic properties associated with

State Road 378, documentation of historic features

within the Park Road Corridor and start of construction on the ungulate fencing around the

boundary of petrel burrows) – along with the early site preparation. As of the end of FY 2013,

the ATST Utility Building is completing its steel erection and cladding and is scheduled for its

Beneficial Occupancy Date in December 2013. The Support and Operations Building

foundations for the telescope facility have been formed and the telescope pier walls were

poured in November 2013.

Conduct a ground‐breaking ceremony

Complete. A modest ceremony was held on November 30, 2012.

Manage vendor construction contracts for the major sub‐assemblies (M1 blank, enclosure, telescope

mount assembly, M1 assembly, etc.).

TMA Final Design Review (Dec 2012)

Complete.

Delivery of Telescope Control System (Mar 2013)

Complete.

Enclosure Fabrication, Factory Acceptance (2013)

Not yet complete (see photo). The Factory acceptance is

scheduled for December 2013.

FAA Tower Modification Completed (Jul 2012)

Complete.



Final M1 Blank Ceramization Complete (Aug 2013)

Complete.

PA&C Preliminary Design Review (Feb 2013)

Incomplete; the procurement of the polarization optics was found to challenge both

budget and manufacturing capabilities. A redesign in collaboration with the instrument

partners is underway. In addition, there were some staffing issues within the instrument

team (staff transfer, new hire, relocation to Boulder) which are being resolved. This

milestone has been pushed into 2014 (with no impact on the project end date).

Instrument Control System Release (Jun 2013)

Incomplete. A systems review of the top level requirements and their flow down to the

control software resulted in significant clarifications on the interaction between the high

level software control systems. The re‐work is underway (working closely with the VBI

instrument team) to both meet the specifications and to ensure integration with

instrument needs.

Coudé Lab Procurements

Ongoing.

FTS Component Fabrication and Shipment to HI (2013)

Partially complete. The critical path items (Air Handling Units) have been fabricated and

shipped. Remaining components are on schedule.

ViSP Contract Award (Nov 2012)

Complete.

VTF Preliminary Design Review (July 2013)

Delayed into FY 2014 (with no impact on the project schedule).

F2.SolarAdaptiveOptics

Hire MCAO Research Assistant.

Complete. Dr. Dirk Schmidt has been hired as Postdoctoral Research Associate. Dr. Schmidt is

collaborating closely with the BBSO and Kiepenheuer Institute MCAO efforts and spends

significant time at those observatories to lead MCAO development and testing.

Install Kiepenheuer Institute MCAO software at Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO).

Complete. The Kiepenheuer Adaptive Optics System (KAOS) software has been installed at

BBSO during FY12 and has been successfully tested at the 1.6m telescope.

Test and modify MCAO software as needed for BBSO hardware.

Complete. The KAOS system has been successfully interfaced to the BBSO 357 actuator

XINETICS DM systems. The loop was closed on‐sky with the conventional AO308 system at

the 1.6m NST at BBSO.



On‐sky MCAO testing at GREGOR telescope on Tenerife.

Delayed. Due to delays with the final commissioning of the 1.5m GREGOR telescope the

MCAO integration and testing phase of the GREGOR MCAO has been post‐poned until Nov.‐

Dec. 2013. Preparation for this campaign is in progress.

F3. Diffraction‐Limited Spectro‐Polarimeter On‐Line Data Reduction

Maintain the instrument as a well‐supported user instrument, as well maintaining it as quickly

available instrument to profit from excellent seeing conditions in DST queue observing mode.

If community interest is significant provide reduced data of sets with excellent seeing.

The DLSP is the prime instrument for telescope polarization calibration measurements on the Dunn

Solar Telescope Port 2. Maintain the procedures to perform these measurements and compare with

measurements on Port 4 with SPINOR.

Measurements to compare telescope polarization calibration parameters between the DLSP

and SPINOR have been obtained. There is no driver nor resources to work on the on‐line data

reduction for the DLSP.

F4. NISP/SOLIS

Continue to observe daily (synoptic and user‐requested data) and supply research‐grade data to the

community.

Complete. SOLIS takes daily synoptic observations and runs special observations for user‐

submitted observing proposals. Additional data were taken in support specific missions

(SUNSRISE flight, sounding rockets launches, co‐observing with IRIS etc).

Extend improvements of ISS data reduction to include additional spectral ranges requested by outside

users.

On‐going, partially complete. Due to higher priority tasks, work on these ISS improvements

was delayed. The improvements were made for K and H lines, and new code for H‐alpha was

recently implemented to the pipeline. Ca I 854.2nm was identified as the next priority for this

task. Improvements for remaining wavelength bands will be made later based on priorities

within SOLIS project.

Implement extinction monitor to improve ISS data.

Tests conducted with the extinction monitor and with taking data with different exposures

indicated that while using existing monitor to control exposure time complicates the

observations, it does not result in significant improvement to the quality of data. This talk was

given a low priority and put on hold until other aspects of the data reduction are improved to

justify this additional change.

Develop new data products for synoptic maps. Incorporate active region fields from vector

observations to traditional (line‐of‐sight) synoptic maps. Investigate a usability of vector field area



scans of solar polar regions for pole‐filing in synoptic maps. Add error estimates to magnetic synoptic

maps.

Complete and on‐going. Three new data products were developed: synoptic vector magnetic

field maps, synoptic error maps, and maps of field strength derived from SOLIS VSM line

profiles by directly measuring the Zeeman splitting. All three data products are awaiting the

final implementation in the SOLIS production pipeline. Sample data products produced in

the process of their development are provided to the community (e.g., vector field synoptic

maps are provided to ARFL ADAPT developers and also are available on‐line). Additional

data product – geometry corrected full spectra in 6302v – is produced on a weekly basis due to

current disk limitations. These new spectral cubes provide one‐to‐one correspondence with fill

disk SOLIS magnetograms (i.e., for each pixel of inverted magnetograms, there are

corresponding spectra). Due to change in priorities, area scans of polar regions were taken in

Ca I 854.2 nm (to monitor polar field reversals), instead of vector ‐ Fe I 630.2 nm. Incorporation

of active region fields from vector to traditional (LOS) synoptic maps will be explored next.

Continue to provide VSM vector data online to the solar community and make comparisons with data

products from other instruments while evaluating alternative inversion techniques.

Nearly complete. Transition to VFISV inversion is nearly completed. The code is fully adopted

to SOLIS/VSM 630.2v data and is in the process of being implemented to the pipeline. The

final switch to new inversion depends on other improvements to the data (e.g., fringe

removal, stage 2 clean‐up etc); these improvements are now completed and tested.

Conduct comparative studies of SOLIS/VSM measurements of chromospheric fields with other

instruments (e.g., SPINOR).

Complete. Comparative studies have been performed between IBIS at the DST and

SOLIS/VSM. Results are excellent. Additional comparisons between the DST SPINOR and

SOLIS/VSM were not conducted due to weather and DST scheduling conflicts.

Improve systematic (automatic or semi‐automatic) approach for monitoring the quality of SOLIS

data.

Complete and on‐going. Several approaches were implemented, e.g., cloud transparency code

to monitor quality of VSM data, ISS line position warning system etc. Additional approaches

are under investigation.

Unify the production of SOLIS and GONG synoptic maps via a common pipeline code by early

FY13.

Complete. New synoptic maps are now publically available.

Develop technique for properly flat fielding FDP data. Develop necessary web interface for accessing

FDP data, and conduct comparative studies of SOLIS/FDP images with data products from other

instruments (e.g., ISOON).

Currently, on‐hold. Several approaches to flatfielding were investigated. Currently, this task

was put on hold awaiting a completion of the final tunable filter for FDP.



Continue collecting data sets to work on isolating changes in the vector photospheric field parameters

before and after flare events as observed in the fast‐scan observations.

Complete. Additional observations (area scans) of flare events were acquired. Case studies of

changes in magnetic field associated with flares were conducted.

Integrate VSM vector photospheric and space borne coronal data (STEREO, SDO/AIA, Hinode) to

calculate and compare energy budgets for coronal fields and CMEs.

Complete, on‐going. An exploratory work on computing the magnetic energy of coronal fields

was conducted in collaboration with domestic and international partners. The results are

presented in conference presentations and peer‐reviewed papers. The adaptation of code to

perform NLFFF extrapolation and computation of magnetic energy is under investigation at

NISP/Atmospheric Section. Depending on the results of this early investigation, the decision

on NSO implementation will be made later.

Improve approach for producing helicity maps based on VSM vector magnetograms.

Complete, on‐going. Current helicity density will be computed as part of vector synoptic

maps production. In addition, a new improved azimuth dis‐ambiguation was implemented to

the pipeline, which is necessary step for routine computation of helicity maps.

Investigate usability of chromospheric synoptic maps as a source field for coronal field/interplanetary

field extrapolation and solar wind studies.

On‐going. Due to higher priority talks, the progress on this task is incremental. A low‐level

research effort continues to investigate this question.

Re‐design VSM calibration assembly to enable full polarimetric calibration in the chromospheric

lines.

Complete. Design is complete and vendors have been contacted for bids on optical

components.

Install VSM guider.

Complete. VSM guider was installed during the first week of June, 2013. Software and

hardware interface testing is in progress. Guider functions will be implemented in phases to

reduce risk to delicate optical components. Full guider implementation is expected within first

half of FY14.

Estimate impact on observing program to implement a new modulator for obtaining chromospheric

vector data.

Complete, on‐going. Tests were conducted toevaluate the impact of replacing 6302l modulator

by new 8542v modulator. The results are very encouraging. Additional tests have been

conducted.



F5. NISP/GONG

Complete new data acquisition system and deploy at remote network sites.

System design and fabrication complete. Installation and testing at the Tucson site is in

progress. First GONG network site to be upgraded will be in November 2013.

Improve servo control of turret to minimize intermittent oscillations.

Problem with turret oscillations has been isolated to two of the six existing GONG sites.

Studies have found that existing threshold parameters for switching from ephemeris to guider

during morning sun acquisition are fine‐tuned for each site. Work is in progress to adjust

threshold values in order to mitigate effects on the guider servo during seasonal changes in

light levels.

Renew Tucson site lease and expand network bandwidth to allow transfer of data in near‐real time.

Complete. Second year of two year renewable lease contract with U of A will start on October

1, 2013. Contract with Megapath has been cancelled and new three year contract signed with

Login for expanded network bandwidth.

Expand network bandwidth at LE site to accommodate near real time data transfer.

In April 2013 installation of expanded network hardware was completed, however an existing

Cisco 2911 router needed replacement. By September 2013 all hardware problems had been

resolved and required configuration changes are currently in progress. Funding for increase

cost of expanded bandwidth allocated in FY14 NISP budget.

Engineer a cost effective coating replacement for the turret entrance windows.

Complete. New coating design approved and new entrance windows are on order. Cost has

been reduced by approximately 65% over original design. Delivery is expected by December

2013 with installation starting with scheduled preventative maintenance trips.

F6. Virtual Solar Observatory

Add 6‐12 new data providers and data sets

Ongoing – This year so far, the VSO has added ChroTel from the Kiepenheuer Institute in

Gemrnay, CLIMSO from Pic‐Du‐Midi Observatory in France, and PROBA2/SWAP from the

Royal Observatory in Belgium. The project is currently working on SDO/HMI, CORONOS,

NSO/ISOON, PSPT, TIMED/SEE, IRIS.

Develop spatial search capability.

Use cases and algorithm development underway. Poster (#100.138) presented at the AAS/SPD

Bozeman 2013 meeting.



F7. NSO Array Camera (NAC)

Install 4 micron polarimetery optics and take first science data with NAC.

Science observations with 4132nm spectro‐polarimetry have been done. We have observed

using the BBSO/Cyra polarization optics, and have seen large splitting in atomic lines in

sunspots, and anomolous Zeeman patterns in molecular lines.

Implement regular 1.6 micron sunspot observations and produce vector magnetograms using modern

spectro‐polarimetric inversion software.

The 1565nm spectro‐polarimetric observations have been made, but a standard data reduction

routine has not been applied to these data.

F8. Spectropolarimeter for Infrared and Optical Regions (SPINOR)

Maintain as a well‐supported user instrument.

SPINOR is operational and available as user instrument

Test possibility to move the SPINOR modulator further downstream in the light path, so that the

instrument can share the light path with other instruments at port 4.

Test has been performed and it has been determined that the SPINOR modulator can be

placed further downstream, just in front of the slit, without detrimental effects on the

observational quality of the data. The use of SPINOR with other instruments on port 4 has also

been tested and there is considerable interest in using SPINOR with other port 4

instrumentation by investigators.

Because of its broad wavelength range, SPINOR is the primary instrument for telescope polarization

calibration measurements on Port 4. Develop and implement user‐friendly software package to

reduce data and calibrate polarimetry.

DST support scientist Christian Beck has taken over the telescope matrix support and

successfully maintains the reduction package.

F9. Facility IR Spectropolarimeter (FIRS)

Maintain as a well‐supported user instrument.

FIRS is operational and available for users

Add Ca II 854.2 nm line as option on the IR arm of the instrument.

No resources have been available for this addition

Replace the aging control computer of the IR arm “coconut” with new hardware for higher

throughput and improved reliability.

New faster computer hardware has been purchased, configured and installed. As a result

throughput has significantly improved.



F10. Dunn Solar Telescope Control and Critical Hardware (Systems Upgrade)

Gradually replace critical hardware with newer equipment. In the servos for the guider mechanism

need to be replaced.

Keep working on understanding the Instrument Control Computer (ICC) software, and take out

superfluous parts that address operation of outdated telescope mechanisms and instruments.

Continue work towards an upgrade of telescope control system.

Continue work on current control system software to remove redundant source code and code for

instrumentation that is no longer in use in order to better support the transition from the current

system to new systems as they are deployed.

We are now in a good situation with the turret servos with the recent purchase of a spare.

Considerable work in replacing aging/failing computer systems have been taking up much of

our time. Most UNIX based camera control computers have been replaced and we are

currently occupied with replacing the UNIX servers on the observing table as well as most of

the Windows based “virtual camera computers”, most of which are being upgraded to

Windows 7 as part of the process.

We lost the programmer who had been working on the ICC software early in CY2013 and we

will not be able to refill this position. ICC support duties will be spread over the rest of the

software support personel to the extent possible. Before the ICC support programmer left, he

had made considerable progress with the code and we are now able to tweek the operational

code to both support observations and mechanism transition efforts.

F11. Rapid Oscillations in the Solar Atmosphere (ROSA) Imaging System

Make sure that DST operators keep up to speed in operation of ROSA. Investigate path to integrate

data collection into the DST Storage Area Network (SAN).

DST operators are comfortable with operation of the ROSA instrument. This also holds for the

two new faster and mor blue‐sensitive cameras, respectivey, that have been added, including

their new control computers. Work on stream lining data collection continues, but depends on

the efforts of our collaborators at Queens University, Belfast.

F12. Interferometric Bidimensional Spectrometer (IBIS) Camera Upgrade.

Make sure camera upgrade provides high frame rate capabilities. Integrate quick‐look data stream

with control software at the bridge.

IBIS performs at higher frame rates now. There is now also a quick‐look capability available

on the bridge that is being used by the observing staff and investigators for quality assurance.

F13. Dunn Solar Telescope Service Mode Operations

Two DST service mode experiments were conducted in January/February, and October

2013, for one month each. Both were successful in terms of operational lessons learned



as well as in terms of community interest in submitting proposals—an indication of the

significant interest of the solar community to prepare for ATST style operations.

F14. Establish NSO Headquarters

Establish NSO transition teams for formulating relocating plans to new site and plans for new

Cooperative Agreement with NSF.



APPENDIX G: NSO FY 2014 STAFFING SUMMARY

*Includesopenpositionscurrentlybeingadvertised

Director's Office

Sunspot Tucson ATST* NISP* Total

Scientists 1.00 7.00 3.00 3.00 11.00 25.00

Engineering/Science Support Staff - 8.00 1.00 31.00 17.50 57.50

Administrative Staff 1.50 5.20 9.80 2.00 18.50

Technical Staff - 7.49 6.00 7.35 20.84

Maintenance & Service Staff - 4.00 - 4.00

2.50 31.69 4.00 49.80 37.85 125.84

AF Supported Science Staff - 2.00 - - 2.00

AF Supported Technical Staff - 1.00 1.00 - - 2.00

Other NSF Projects (AO, FTS/CHEM) - - - - 0.00

Graduate Students - 1.00 1.00 - - 2.00

NASA Supported Science Staff - - 3.00 3.00

NASA Support Engineering Staff - - - 0.50

NASA Supported Technical Staff - - - -

Emeritus Science Staff - 0.50 1.00 - - 1.50

Visiting Scientists - - - -

0.00 4.50 3.00 0.00 3.50 11.00

2.50 36.19 7.00 49.80 41.35 136.84

Total Base Program

Total Other Support

Total Working at NSO

(In Full-Time Equivalents)



APPENDIX H: SCIENTIFIC STAFF RESEARCH AND SERVICE

(*Grant‐supported staff) Christian Beck, Assistant Scientist

Areas of Interest

Post‐focus instrumentation; data reduction pipelines; high‐resolution spectroscopy and spectro‐

polarimetry of the photosphere and chromosphere; development of inversion tools for

spectroscopy of chromospheric spectral lines.

Recent Research Results

Dr. Beck completed the development of an inversion code for intensity spectra of the

chromospheric Ca II H line at the end of CY 2012. The code and its application to data obtained in

the magnetically quiet Sun are described in two publications in Astronomy and Astrophysics,

yielding a direct measurement of the energy content of acoustic shocks. The results were also used

to investigate the specific contributions to the widely used broadband Ca II H filter on board

Hinode, showing that a significant fraction of the observed intensity off the solar limb does not

come from Ca II H, but from the line blend of H‐epsilon instead.

A second line of investigation was a comparison between numerical simulations of the solar

photosphere and observations in several spectral lines at different spatial resolution to investigate

whether the simulation reproduces observed thermodynamical properties of the photosphere (also

published in A&A). Also shown is a suitable method to determine the spatial point spread

function of observations post‐facto from a comparison of the data to the simulations.

Future Research Plans

The inversion code mentioned above has now been modified for an application to spectra of the

chromospheric Ca II IR line at 854 nm taken at the Dunn Solar Telescope. A preliminary

investigation of data taken in 2013 showed several cases of short loops in the canopy of a sunspot

that returned to the photosphere instead of continuing upwards into the super‐penumbra as it is

commonly assumed. A publication on this is currently in preparation in collaboration with D.

Prasad Choudhary (California State U., Northridge). Observations with a combination of the

instruments, SPINOR and IBIS, are planned for 2014 to obtain simultaneous data in the Ca II lines,

H‐alpha, and Helium 1083 nm as an extension of the study.

Service

Beck completed data pipelines for the reduction of data taken with either the SPINOR or FIRS

instrument at the Dunn Solar Telescope. The software packages, with an instruction manual, are

available for any user of these instrumentsl. Beck is a member of the Sac Peak telescope allocation

committee and has participated in the planning and implementation of the service‐mode

experiment at the DST.

Thomas Berger, Associate Scientist

Areas of Interest

High resolution imaging of the solar atmosphere; birefringent optical instrumentation (Lyot and

Solc filters, waveplates); spectropolarimetry of solar plasmas; plasma dynamics including partial

ionization effects; solar prominence structure and dynamics and their relation to space weather



phenomena; small‐scale magnetic field structure and radiance; solar telescope operations and data

center software design.


Dr. Berger is the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope Project Scientist, leading the definition of

the Critical Science Plan for the telescope in collaboration with the Science Working Group,

working to ensure telescope and instrument scientific integrity during design review processes,

and developing operations and data center concepts to ensure high scientific productivity during

commissioning and operations.

T. Bergerʹs scientific research focuses on the structure and dynamics of solar prominences, with

emphasis on analysis of high‐resolution movies. Using the Hinode/SOT instrument, he discovered

the magnetic Rayleigh‐Taylor instability in solar prominences, the first observed instance of this

important plasma instability in the outer solar atmosphere. Berger recently gave an invited talk on

prominence dynamics at the IAU Symposium 300 on Prominences and their Role in Space Weather in

June 2013 in Paris. He is currently working on two papers related to the Rayleigh‐Taylor instability

in prominences, collaborating with researchers from Kyoto University and Stanford University.


T. Berger plans to analyze additional data on prominence instabilities from the SDO/AIA satellite,

concentrating on measuring the thermodynamic characteristics of the plasma via Differential

Emission Measure (DEM) techniques. This research will be extended to studies of the relation of

prominences to coronal cavities and the search for mass and momentum transfers between these

structures. He will also continue research into optimal telescope operations strategies, working

with other solar as well as night‐time telescope operators to optimize ATST operations software

requirements.

Service

T. Berger is a member of the AAS Solar Physics Division committee and chair of the Public Policy

subcommittee. He has participated in three visit days to various agency and congressional staff in

the past two years, working to make the science of solar and space physics valued and understood

by key policy makers in Washington, DC. He has organized and/or chaired several recent

meetings or sessions including the July 2013 ATST/EAST meeting in Oslo, Norway, and the special

ATST session at the annual SPD meeting in Bozeman, Montana. He coordinates the annual

meetings of the ATST Science Working Group and the irregular meetings of sub‐working groups

to the SWG. During the summer of 2013, he supervised a graduate student in research on solar

prominence plasma characteristics using SDO/AIA and Hinode/SOT data.

Luca Bertello, Associate Scientist

Areas of Interest

Solar variability and heliospheric physics, with emphasis on the investigation of physical processes

leading to the different aspects of solar variability and on the calibration of observed solar

magnetic field to enhance the database that supports the analysis of conditions in the Sun’s corona

and heliosphere.

Recent Research Results and Plans for Future Research

Dr. Bertelloʹs most recent research focuses on four different areas: computation of magnetic flux

spatial variance synoptic charts; characterization of the weak magnetic field in vector

measurements; analysis of SOLIS ISS photospheric line parameters and their correlation to the total



net solar magnetic flux; and investigation of the cyclic and long‐term variation of sunspot

magnetic fields. Some highlights follow.

In a recent paper submitted to Solar Physics, Bertello and collaborators at NSO have described a

technique to compute spatial variance maps of the solar surface magnetic flux density. These maps

can be used to estimate the uncertainty in the results of coronal models. They have tested this

approach by computing a potential‐field‐source‐surface model of the coronal field for a Monte

Carlo simulation of Carrington synoptic magnetic flux maps generated from the variance map.

They show that these uncertainties affect both the locations of the source‐surface neutral lines and

the distributions of coronal holes in the models.

Variations in the line depth and width of solar photospheric spectral lines with the Sunʹs cycle of

magnetic activity may have important implications for the study of the magnetism and dynamo

processes in other stars. Bertello and colleagues are using high‐spectral‐resolution observations

taken with the SOLIS/ISS instrument to investigate properties of several photospheric spectral lines

with different magnetic sensitivity. Preliminary results show that the line depth parameter of

some of those magnetic sensitive lines is well correlated with the total net magnetic flux during the

raising phase of solar cycle 24.

In collaboration with A. Pevtsov (NSO) and other co‐authors, a paper was submitted to Solar

Physics about the study of cyclic and long‐term variation of sunspot magnetic fields. Using 40

years of sunspot field strength measurements from Mt. Wilson, this study shows a solar cycle

variation of the peak field strengths with an amplitude of about 500‐700 Gauss, but no statistically

significant long‐term trends. The paper is currently in press.


The main focus of L. Bertello’s future research is on improving the quality of current SOLIS

longitudinal and vector magnetic field observations, and to enhance the capabilities of the SOLIS

ISS instrument.

Service

As a data scientist for SOLIS, Bertello’s major responsibility is to provide the solar and heliophysics

community with high‐quality and reliable data. During 2013, Bertello has participated in a NASA

review panel and has been a reviewer of publications for Solar Physics. As a former lecturer in

physics, Bertello still maintains a strong connection with former UCLA students by helping their

post‐college career with letters of recommendation.

*Olga Burtseva, Assistant Scientist

Areas of Interest

Flares; magnetic field; local helioseismology; solar activity.


Dr. Burtseva continues to study the evolution of magnetic field in flaring active regions. In order

to relate abrupt changes of the LOS magnetic field observed during strong flares to the

reconnection processes in the corona and investigate the origin of the magnetic field changes

during flares, comparison of the abrupt permanent field changes with location of the hard X‐ray

(HXR) flare footpoints obtained by the RHESSI instrument is being performed in collaboration

with J. C. Martinez‐Oliveros (UC‐Berkeley, SSL). The chromospheric HXR emission in solar flares

is generally regarded as the footprints of magnetic field lines newly reconnected in the corona.



Also, the footpoint motions away from the neutral line are considered to be indicative of the

reconnection occurring in different heights of arcade magnetic fields with a displacement speed

proportional to the reconnection rate. First results of the comparison show good spatial and

temporal correlation of the HXR intensity with the magnitude of the magnetic field changes on

examples of three flares observed by GONG instruments.

In order to study the relationship between magnetic field changes and sunspot penumbral

structure, GONG continuum intensity during one of the flares―the X6.5 flare on December 6,

2006, observed as a white‐light flare―has been analyzed and compared with ISOON white light.

Disappearance of penumbral structure seen in white‐light and continuum intensity observations is consistent with past studies.


O. Burtseva plans to continue working on the evolution of magnetic field associated with solar

flares observed by GONG and HMI. She will also continue to test the current reconnection models

via the study of HXR, H‐alpha, magnetic and white‐light observations. She will resume her

analysis of temporal variations in the amplitudes and widths of high‐degree acoustic modes with

ring‐diagram technique using GONG, MDI and HMI data.

Serena Criscuoli, Assistant Scientist

Areas of Interest

High‐spatial resolution spectroscopy and spectropolarimetry of the photosphere and chromo‐

sphere; post‐focus instrumentation; radiative transfer; numerical simulations; solar irradiance

variations.


Dr. Criscuoli recently published two papers in the Astrophysical Journal. The first paper describes

how, through the analysis of IBIS/DST data, the properties of some iron lines can be employed to

investigate long‐term variations of properties (in particular temperature and magnetic flux) of

quiet Sun. The second paper investigates, through the analysis of magneto‐hydrodynamic simula‐

tions, the effects of the environmental magnetic flux on the physical properties of granulation and

small‐size magnetic features, and explains the physical processes that determine the differences of

physical properties of magnetic and convective structures observed in different regions of the solar

surface. Another paper has also been submitted to ApJ in which Criscuoli employs numerical

simulations to investigate the differences between the “real” photospheric temperature and the one

estimated through measurements of the radiative emission at some continua.

Through the analysis of magneto hydrodynamic simulations, Criscuoli also has been investigating

the effects of data quality and analysis techniques on the shape of the statistical distribution of the

magnetic field of photospheric bright points; a paper on that work has been submitted to

Astronomy and Astrophysics Letters. Another paper, submitted to A&A, investigates, through

comparison of results obtained from the analysis of HMI/SDO and MDI/SOHO data, the effects of

spatial resolution on the shape of the muli‐tfractal spectrum of active regions; this study is relevant

for the development of flare prediction techniques.


S. Criscuoli plans to employ magnetohydrodynamic simulations to investigate the observational

signatures of local dynamo and to explain the observed properties of quiet Sun. She also plans to

analyze data acquired during 2012‐2013 with the DST post‐focus instrumentation to investigate the



contribution of small‐size magnetic features to total and spectral irradiance variations. She also

plans to investigate long‐term variations of properties of quiet sun through the analysis of

variations of properties of Fe I 6301 and 6302 nm lines observed with SOLIS.

Service

During summer 2013, S. Criscuoli mentored an REU and an SRA student. She also supervised a

student from University of Colorado in the framework of a collaboration with LASP. She is a

member of the Sac Peak telescope allocation committee and she has also contributed to the

planning and execution of the two 2013 Cycles of service‐mode observations at the DST. She is

also contributing to the development of software for FIRS and SPINOR data calibration.

David F. Elmore, Instrument Scientist

Areas of Interest

Development of ground‐based spectrograph and filter‐based polarimeters, including both current

instruments at NSO and new instruments for the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope.

Collaboration with NSO staff and visiting scientists to explore new spectropolar‐imetric

capabilities—spectral regions, processing techniques, and measurement calibration.


Elmore modeled the polarization properties of individual optical elements for solar research

telescopes and evaluated several techniques for inferring properties of these elements using

calibration and solar observational data.


Elmore will continue working with prospective instrument developers to define and develop

instrumentation for the ATST. He will apply his thorough understanding of telescope calibration

at the Dunn Solar Telescope toward development of the telescope calibration plan for the ATST.

He also plans to utilize existing instruments at NSO, such as SPINOR, ProMag, and IBIS, to

advance spectro‐polarimetric techniques.

Service

Elmore is Instrument Scientist for the ATST. In that role he works with instrument builders and

ATST team members to define the instruments and their interfaces. As ATST Instrument Scientist,

Elmore has created a Polarimetry Working Group that is addressing particular issues related to

calibration of the ATST.

James Lewis Fox, Postdoctoral Research Associate

Areas of Interest

Imaging spectroscopy and spectropolarimetry; prominences and filaments; instrumentation;

mathematical inverse theory.


Dr. Fox has completed a preliminary telescope polarization model at the Evans Solar Facility. The

model shows the redesigned ProMag instrument with modulation efficiencies that remain above

30% throughout the year. The model has been validated by calibration data taken from January

2013 to June 2013. This result was presented at the Solar Physics Division meeting in July 2013 in



Bozeman, Montana. A more complete and detailed form has been prepared as a manuscript to be

published as NSO Technical Report ESF‐2013‐001.


J. L. Fox is working on removing a fringing pattern from ProMag images, and coaligning the dual‐

beam data to enable sensitive and precise full‐Stokes polarimetry with ProMag data. 175 GB of

data for 408 prominence maps exist for analysis once the data reduction pipeline is complete. He

will perform full Stokes vector inversions of these data (and future data) to obtain images of the 3D

magnetic field in prominences (via the Hanle effect), as well as inversions to obtain scattering

polarization analyses of non‐LTE physical processes in prominences and filaments. The ultimate

goal is to determine diagnostics that predict the onset of prominence activation and eruption for

space weather efforts. Data now exist for prominences before, during, and after an eruption. Fox

continues observing prominences with ProMag at the ESF in the He I lines at 5876 (D3) and 10830 Å.

Service

Fox has taken a leading role in operations at the ESF, somewhat analogous to the role of chief

observer (the ESF no longer has observers). He sees to maintenance and improvement of the

facility, benefiting operations for all ESF users. Fox mentored an REU student during summer

2013 through a successful project observing with ProMag. She obtained simultaneous data in He I

D3 and 10830 on post‐flare loops which are currently being analyzed. Fox is active in education

and public outreach activities, providing educational talks on solar astronomy and observatory

tours for groups of all ages, particularly for hundreds of elementary, middle, and high school

students from New Mexico and around the world. He has also given invited talks at public

astronomy events. He serves on the Sunspot Volunteer Fire Department.

Mark S. Giampapa, Astronomer

Areas of Interest

Solar and stellar magnetic activity; asteroseismology; exoplanet environments.


Dr. Giampapa and collaborators Vincenzo Andretta (INAF—Naples), Ansgar Reiners (U.

Göttingen), B. Beeck, and M. Schüssler (Max Planck) are analyzing spectra of the He I triplet lines

at 587.6 nm and 1083.0 nm, respectively, in a sample of G and F dwarf stars with detected coronal

X‐ray emission. The final results will be combined with models previously developed by Andretta

and Giampapa to estimate the area coverage of magnetic active regions on Sun‐like stars based on

these spectral features. This is the first important step toward establishing the empirical

relationship between rotation and the filling factor of magnetic active regions as a significant

constraint for stellar dynamo theory. Giampapa gave a preliminary report on findings at the 2012

Anchorage AAS SPD meeting. He and his colleagues are attempting to improve the terrestrial

water vapor correction for the 5876 line in particular. A paper for submission to The Astrophysical

Journal is planned for FY14.


Giampapa, in collaboration with M. Penn (NSO), plans to obtain IR spectra of solar plages in the 3–

4 micron region to measure both photospheric and chromospheric field strengths based on newly

discovered spectral features characterized by significantly higher magnetic sensitivity than

diagnostics in the visible. Along with Ca K spectra of the same plages, the empirical correlation

between chromospheric heating and chromospheric field strength will be investigated. Giampapa



plans to use the SOLIS ISS for long‐term studies of the Sun‐as‐a‐star, specifically the variation of

line bisector amplitudes in photospheric features during the solar cycle. In collaboration with J.

Hall (Lowell Observatory), Giampapa is planning programs to investigate the magnetic activity of

solar‐type stars that are the hosts of systems with planets in the habitable zone. A proposal to

support this effort was submitted to the NASA Origins of Solar System Program.

Service

M. Giampapa is the Deputy Director for the National Solar Observatory. In this role, he assists the

NSO Director in the development of program plans and budgets, including budgetary decisions

and their implementation, and the preparation of Observatory reports and responses to NSF and

AURA oversight committee requests. He also attends and presents at AURA committee meetings

such as the Solar Observatory Council. Giampapa served as chair of the NSO Scientific Personnel

Committee until early FY 2014. He also carries out supervisory responsibilities for the NSO

Tucson/Kitt Peak program. In this role he has overview responsibilities for the scientific and

instrument development activities at the McMath‐Pierce jointly with McMP Telescope Scientist

Matt Penn. Giampapa is the chair of the NSO Kitt Peak telescope allocation committee and

program scientist for the McMath‐Pierce nighttime program. With Matt Penn, Giampapa is

working with a consortium for divestiture of the McMath‐Pierce by FY 2017. He represents the

NSO in discussions and negotiations with the NOAO, particularly with respect to staff support of

NSO/Kitt Peak operations. He recently completed his term as the Diversity Advocate for the NSO

but continues to work in support of the new NSO DA, John Liebacher. Giampapa is a member of

the Scientific Organizing Committee for the 18th Cambridge Workshop on Cool Stars, Stellar

Systems, and the Sun, to be held in Flagstaff, AZ in June 2014. Like other NSO scientific staff

members, Giampapa participates in educational outreach activities, including K‐12,

undergraduate, graduate, and general public educational programs and activities. Giampapa is an

adjunct astronomer at the University of Arizona.

Irene González Hernández, Associate Scientist

Areas of Interest

Local helioseismology (seismic imaging and ring‐diagram analysis).


Dr. González Hernández is currently leading the GONG far‐side project, aimed at calculating daily

far‐side maps of the Sun’s magnetic activity. Daily maps are shown on the GONG Web site

(http://gong.nso.edu/‐data/farside/). These maps are now calibrated into magnetic field strength

and include other features such as AR identification and detection confidence level that are useful

to space weather forecasters. A recent publication by Liewer et al., comparing the helioseismic

maps with direct observations from the STEREO spacecraft, shows the high reliability of the

GONG seismic far‐side maps. The same pipeline is now being used to calculate maps using the

Doppler‐grams from HMI.

The calibration of the far‐side maps into magnetic field strength means that these maps are now

valid input to models that need photospheric magnetic field information and opens the possibility

of many research collaborations; e.g., González Hernández is collaborating with AFOSR personnel

to add far‐side maps to the standard input of the ADAPT photospheric flux transport model. The

analysis of a particular case has shown a substantial improvement in F10 and solar wind

forecasting when using far‐side maps with ADAPT and ADAPT+WSA, respectively.



González Hernández is also involved in the GONG Ring Diagrams pipeline. Currently, she is

applying the method to investigate the subsurface dynamics of Anti‐Joy active regions. She is also

involved in the analysis of large flows, in particular the profile of the meridional circulation at high

latitudes.


I. González Hernández and Manuel Diaz Alfaro (IAC) have worked on a new magnetic index

calculated by integrating helioseismic maps of the whole Sun. The contribution of far‐side

magnetic activity to the index can be calibrated in terms of standard front‐side indexes such as Ly‐

alpha and F10 indices. Once calibrated, the index can be used to forecast EUV and total solar

irradiance weeks in advance by using it as input to irradiance models such as the JB2008.

González Hernández plans to continue her work on the subsurface flows of Anti‐Joy active regions

to prove or disprove the relation between these peculiar active regions with large dynamics under

the solar photosphere.

Service

González Hernández is the NISP solar interior data scientist. In this role, she oversees the quality

of the GONG data, particularly the Dopplergrams, and assists with the distribution of customized

products to external users.

Sanjay Gosain, Postdoctoral Research Associate

Areas of Interest

Observations of solar flares, erupting filaments and CMEs; characterization of magnetic non‐

potentiality in solar active regions using vector magnetograms; high‐spatial resolution spectro‐

polarimetry of solar active regions; solar cycle related magnetic field variations using synoptic

magnetograms; instrumentation, specifically in areas of spectropolarimetry and development of

polarization calibration procedures.


Dr. Gosain has done a comparative study of helicity at different layers of the solar atmosphere.

Sunspots with twisted magnetic field configuration in the chromosphere and corona (seen as long‐

lived whirls in SDO AIA images) were chosen. The photospheric magnetic twist was determined

using SOLIS and HMI magnetograms, and the kinetic helicity of subsurface flows beneath these

active regions were deduced by using the ring diagram analysis technique on GONG observations.

An analysis of two cases has been carried out as a pilot study and published. An extension of this

analysis to much larger dataset is planned for deriving statistically significant results.

S. Gosain is also proposing a new idea for fast disambiguation of 180‐degree ambiguity in solar

magnetic fields. The idea is based on the assumption that most of the magnetic field on the Sun is

predominantly a vertical line in the plages and the network region. Analysis of inclination angle of

the magnetic field from SOLIS data reveals that about 65‐80% of the field on the Sun is close to

vertical with inclination angle between 0‐30 degrees. The magnetic field can thus be disambiguated

first with a simple approach that automatically chooses the most vertical configuration. The good

initial guess provided by this approach will help in expediting the iterative disambiguation

schemes like the NPFC method (Georgoulis, 2005), which is implemented in the SOLIS pipeline.

Gosain and colleagues analyzed the giant filament eruption event of 26 Sept 2010 observed by the

STEREO and TESIS satellites. The 3D reconstruction of the eruptive event was carried out using



different methods, and the resulting height‐time profile of the rising filament were fitted with

different functional forms. Different models have been proposed for the solar eruptions based on

different physical mechanisms. These different models expect different profiles for acceleration of

the ejecta. It is found that for the eruptive event studied, the exponential form fits best with the

observations, i.e., better than the cubic or parabolic rise profile. The exponential rise profile is

expected for the eruptions due to ideal MHD instability, so the observations of Gosain et al.

support this model for the observed event.


S. Gosain will indulge in the analysis of the twist patterns in solar active region magnetic fields

during the ascending phase of solar cycle 24 (covering the most recent data for 2012) using SOLIS

full‐disk magnetograms and will combine the results with subsurface kinetic helicity patterns for

the same active regions to make a comprehensive study of temporal behaviour of helicity trends in

photospheric magnetism of active regions and plasma flows in their subsurface layers. The

synoptic maps of current helicity from the SOLIS VSM and synoptic maps of subsurface flows

from GONG observations will be used for these studies.

Analysis of flares, CMEs and eruptive events with SOLIS VSM data together with space‐based data

from SDO will be carried out for selected events. Gosain also plans to participate in the

development of a Stokes polarimeter for the Ca II 854.2 nm line, an upgrade planned for the

current SOLIS/VSM instrument.

Service

S. Gosain developed an IDL program to analyze the SOLIS polarimeter calibration data sequence

and fit the data to infer polarimeter response matrix and deduce the demoulation matrix. The final

cross‐talk in the Stokes parameters is estimated to be below a few (1‐2%) percent. Gosain also

developed a program to adapt the SOLIS Stokes data to be inverted by the Very Fast Inversion of

the Stokes Vector Milne‐Eddington (VFISV ME) inversion code used by the HMI pipeline. The

SOLIS data can now be inverted with the HMI code and the output can be fed to the SOLIS

pipeline for disambiguation. Detailed comparison with HMI full‐disk and Hinode SOT/SP vector

magnetograms is planned.

Brian J. Harker, Postdoctoral Research Associate

Areas of Interest

Stokes spectropolarimetry of the photosphere; Stokes inversion techniques; spectropolarimetric

data reduction; automated tracking and classification of sunspot and active region structure;

parallel processing techniques for data reduction.


Dr. Harker has developed a new active region identification code, based on Hermite function

decomposition of the Stokes Q, U, and V profiles, which relies on no user‐tuned parameters or

arbitrary thresholds on, for example, magnetic field strength or intensity. An Astrophysical Journal

Supplement Series paper on the method has been published. Harkerʹs new spectropolarimetric

fringe removal algorithms have been implemented in the SOLIS/VSM vector magnetic field

pipeline, along with a new Milne‐Eddington inversion engine (based on the VFISV code), which

provides truly full‐disc vector magnetic fields in a more stable, and much faster implementation

than that previously used. A paper comparing two “quick‐look” vector magnetic field calculation



paradigms (in collaboration with V. Bommier of LESIA) has been submitted to the Astrophysical

Journal, in which the authors find that the new Inversion by Central Moments (ICM) method is

fast, accurate, needs no calibration, and is more applicable over a wide range of solar conditions

than a commonly used Integral method which relies on integrated Stokes profiles. Finally, Harker

has collaborated with A. Pevtsov (NSO) to study a patch of transient magnetic field (including a

polarity reversal) observed by SDO/HMI during the M7.9 flare of 13 March 2012. A short‐lived

patch of magnetic field at the umbra/penumbra boundary of NOAA 11429 was found to undergo a

rapid and reversible change in the magnetic field strength and orientation, and the authors

concluded (from the lack of flare‐related line emission and forward‐modeling experiments on

SDO/HMI instrumental/algorithmic characteristics) that the observed change was indeed a real

evolution of the magnetic field, indicating an abrupt rotation of the field vector. An ApJ paper on

these results has been accepted for publication.


B. Harker has begun an investigation into the inherent information content and optimal sampling

of Stokes profiles (in collaboration with J. C. del Toro Iniesta of the Instituto de Astrofísica de

Andalucía (IAA), M. Rempel (HAO) and H. Uitenbroek (NSO). The project involves Fourier

analysis of realistic synthetic Stokes profiles synthesized from the MHD simulations of Rempel

(2012), systematically degraded and noise‐corrupted to investigate the effects of sampling and

noise on the frequency content of Stokes profiles. This will be widely applicable to future

instrument design and operations.

Service

B. Harker mentored 2013 NSO REU student Tyler Sinotte (U. Wisconsin, Madison), whose project

was to search for flare‐related changes in Stokes V area and amplitude asymmetries, which might

indicate changes in the gradient(s) of magnetic field and/or velocity along the line‐of‐sight. Tyler

will be presenting his results at the January 2014 AAS meeting in Washington, DC.

John W. Harvey, Astronomer

Areas of Interest

Solar magnetic and velocity fields; helioseismology; instrumentation.


During FY 2013, Dr. Harvey worked on SOLIS and GONG instrument development and

maintenance. This work continues to consume nearly all available time so, as has unfortunately

been the case for many years, little research was done. The main research results include a pilot

study of the strength of umbral magnetic fields based on SOLIS VSM intensity spectra. Simple

fitting of a Zeeman triplet to spectra gives field strengths that match closely to the Livingston and

Penn measurements. A data reduction pipeline has been developed and large numbers of

measurements are now available for detailed analysis and a research paper. A large study of

chromospheric magnetic field measurements in a synoptic context with Chinese visitor Chunlan

Jin and former NSO staff member Anna Pietarila was published and showed slightly superior

coronal magnetic field extrapolations compared with photospheric‐based extrapolations. A study

of chromospheric circumfacules led by Pietarila was also published with the major result being

strong support for the hypothesis that shock waves are responsible for the enigmatic reverse shape

of the chromospheric 854.2 nm line of Ca II. Studies of simultaneous chromospheric observations

with the SOLIS VSM and the recently launched IRIS satellite were started. Another study just



started aims to better understand the frequency and significance of apparent increases of field

strength with height in flares.


During FY 2014, J. Harvey will complete construction of the SOLIS FDP visible tunable filter, assist

with completion of the VSM guider, construct a new modulator for chromospheric vector field

measurements, continue to concentrate on improved reduction of SOLIS and GONG data, and

complete research started in 2013. Harvey hopes to be able to concentrate on research after

transition to halftime in 2014. He will prepare his invited memoirs for the journal Solar Physics.

Service

J. Harvey has responsible instrumental and scientific roles in the GONG and SOLIS projects. He

completed his service as a member of the NSO Scientific Personnel Committee in early FY 2014.

During FY 2013, he served on a National Research Council study on filling an impending gap in

solar irradiance measurements. He is a co‐investigator on the IRIS satellite project.

Frank Hill, Senior Scientist

Areas of Interest

Helioseismology; asteroseismology; fluid dynamics of the solar convection zone; the solar activity

cycle; virtual observatories; solar magnetic fields.


Dr. Hill continues to perform research in helioseismology. Working with R. Howe and others, Hill

has been tracking the progress of an east‐west zonal flow in the solar interior known as the

torsional oscillation as it slowly migrates from the solar poles to the equator. Recently, it was

found that the background high‐latitude solar differential rotation rate had changed in the rising

phase of cycle 24, masking poleward branch for cycle 25.

Working with S. Kholikov, J. Leibacher, and others, Hill has been developing ways to measure the

deep meridional flow using time‐distance analysis. Preliminary work suggests that there may be at

least two‐cells to the meridional flow as a function of depth. Recent numerical simulations from

the University of Colorado indicate that a multi‐cell meridional flow is consistent with the

observed surface differential rotation, whereas a unicellular flow is not.

Hill continues to work with K. Jain and S. Tripathy on the change of frequencies during the recent

deep minimum and the rise of cycle 24. Recent results show a quasi‐biennial periodicity that may

indicate the presence of a near‐surface dynamo.

Hill has been working with the SDO HMI team to develop their ring‐diagram analysis pipeline to

routinely map the flows in the outer solar convection zone. Hill and his team have been develop‐

ing helioseismology using the SDO Atmospheric Imaging Assembly data, which will provide a

multi‐wavelength capability when combined with HMI and GONG observations.


While much of his time is taken up with administrative matters, Hill has started a new research

project with graduate student Teresa Monsue and Drs. Keivan Stassun and Nathan De Lee

(Vanderbilt U.) to construct oscillation power map movies of H‐alpha intensity in flaring and non‐

flaring regions. These movies will show how waves in the chromosphere are affected by flares.



Service

Hill is the NSO Associate Director for the NSO Integrated Synoptic Program (NISP), which

combines SOLIS and GONG. He continues to participate in the development of the Virtual Solar

Observatory, which was released to the public in December 2004. Hill typically supervises several

staff, currently eight scientists, one manager, and one programmer. He acquired funding from the

US Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA) in 2009 to develop and install an H‐alpha observing

capability in the GONG network. AFWA has subsequently provided operational support for

GONG in FY 2011 and FY 2012. Hill submits around four proposals a year for outside funding.

Hill reviewed ten proposals for the NSF and NASA, as well as five papers for ApJ, Solar Physics,

etc. He served on the scientific organizing committee for three international scientific meetings,

and has been appointed to the European HELAS Board. He is currently working on developing a

new network to obtain multi‐wavelength observations for helioseismology, solar magnetom‐etry,

and space weather.

*Kiran Jain, Associate Scientist

Areas of Interest

Global and local helioseismology – solar cycle variation; multi‐wavelength helioseismology; sub‐

surface flow dynamics; solar activity – irradiance modeling; Sun‐Earth connection.


Dr. Jain studied mode parameters using several observables from the SDO (HMI V, HMI Ic, HMI

Ld, HMI Lc, AIA 1600, AIA 1700) and GONG V using symmetric and asymmetric profile models.

Jain and colleagues found that the current model for asymmetry in power spectra is inappropriate

and does not represent the correct profile above the cut‐off frequencies. They suggest a need of re‐

visiting the model in order to study the characteristics of propagating acoustic waves in the solar

atmosphere. Halos in power maps around active regions for different observables were also

studied. It is found that the influence of the active region in power, phase and coherence extends

beyond the surface field concentrations in high frequency bands. Above the acoustic cut‐off

frequency, the behavior is more complicated: power in HMI IC is still suppressed in the presence

of surface magnetic fields, while power in HMI IL and the AIA bands is suppressed in areas of

surface field but enhanced in an extended area around the active region, and power in HMI V is

enhanced in a narrow zone around strong‐field concentra‐tions and suppressed in a wider

surrounding area. This is consistent with the idea of field lines spreading out with height and

affecting the waves through scattering and mode conversion.

Jain also applied the technique of ring‐diagrams to study the temporal variation of the horizontal

velocity in sub‐surface layers beneath AR 11158. This active region had several sunspots rotating

in different directions and also produced many flares, including an X2.2 flare, during its disk

passage. High‐resolution Doppler measurements from SDO/HMI were used, allowing the

investigation of the flow pattern in regions of negative and positive polarities separately. The

study demonstrates that the morphology of a sunspot plays an important role in governing flows

fields or vice versa.


Jain will continue to investigate the effect of the choice of observables on helioseismic mode

parameters and subsurface flows using simultaneous data sets. She and colleagues will carry out a



detailed study of mode parameters obtained with different observables, quantify differences, and

interpret results in context of the formation height and the anticipated phase relationships between

the oscillations at those heights. In the next phase, the plan to determine mode parameters using

cross‐spectrum analysis.

Jain and collaborators will also continue to study the influence of magnetic activity on varying

oscillation frequencies, both locally and globally. They plan to investigate in detail the two‐year

periodicity in global shifts and to compare the frequency shifts during the ascending phase of the

current cycle 24 with the previous cycle.

Service

Jain serves as the science coordinator of the NSF funded International Research Experience for

Students (IRES) program for NSO and is the Program Scientist of the Interior Science Group of the

NSO Integrated Synoptic Program (NISP). In May 2013, she co‐chaired the 27th NSO workshop

entitled “Fifty Years of Seismology of the Sun and Stars” held in Tucson. She has also served as a

panelist in the NASA’s proposal review committee.

Stephen L. Keil, Astronomer

Areas of Interest

Solar activity and variability; astronomical instrumentation; solar convection and magnetism;

coronal waves; educational outreach; the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope.


S. Keil worked with REU student Tyler Behm on investigating methods of restoring missing data

in time series and measuring differential rotation in integrated sunlight as seen in the Ca II K‐line.

They also used the daily Ca II K‐line full‐disk spectroheliograms to track the latitudes of K‐line

emission regions from 1976‐2002 and showed they followed a “butterfly” diagram similar to

sunspots. They were able to show a clear signal of differential rotation for some solar cycles using

data from the Evans Solar Facility at Sacramento Peak. Other cycles, while showing some signal,

were more difficult to interpret due to the emergence and decay of active regions. Results were

presented at the AAS SPD meeting in July 2013 and incorporated into a paper. Keil also continued

to compare disk‐integrated Ca K‐line observations obtained from the Evans Solar Facility with

those of SOLIS in order to cross calibrate. Once the cross calibration is completed, the Evans

measurements will cease.


Keil plans to continue his work on solar magnetoconvection and waves. He plans to study the

association between MHD and acoustic waves and chromospheric and coronal heating. Keil will

continue investigating changes in chromospheric emissions through measurements of the Ca II K‐

line in both integrated flux and spatially resolved images. This work is part of a program to

understand variations of the solar ultraviolet and extreme ultraviolet flux as inputs to the

terrestrial atmosphere in collaboration with researchers at NASA Ames. Keil will continue to work

with HAO colleagues Steve Tomczyk and Scott McIntosh on coronal waves.

Service

Keil currently serves as advisor to the Director of the National Solar Observatory. He supervises

both graduate and undergraduate students, conducting research programs during the summer,

and works closely with NSO and NOAO educational outreach programs. He provides input to the



current solar and space physics decadal survey on science objectives and the ATST project. Keil

serves as an advisor for the Akamai outreach program in Hawaiʻi. He presents the NSO program

to Akamai graduates and helps them develop their resumes.

Shukirjon S. Kholikov, Assistant Scientist

Areas of Interest

Helioseismology; data analysis techniques; time‐distance methods.


Shukur Kholikov works primarily on time‐distance applications using GONG++ data. He has

developed a time‐distance pipeline, which provides travel‐time maps of daily GONG‐network

data and produces reconstructed images with specified filters. At present, the pipeline has been

tested to produce several types of specific travel time measurements.

The main focus of the pipeline is deep meridional flow measurements. A recent approach in this

field is averaging huge amount of measurements over a long time period to obtain depth profile of

meridional flow. Meridional flow measurements were obtained by using GONG spherical

harmonic (SH) time series for 1995‐2011 using travel‐time differences from velocity images

reconstructed from SH coefficients after applying phase‐velocity and low‐filters. This filtering

technique increases the signal‐to‐noise ratio and thus extends travel‐time measurements to

relatively high latitudes and deep into the convection zone. The obtained depth profile shows a

distinct and significant change in the nature of the time differences at the bottom of the convection

zone. Development of an inversion procedure to extract equatorward components of the deep

meridional flow is in progress.

Another application of the existing time‐distance pipeline has been successfully tested to measure

acoustic travel time perturbations due to emerging active regions. It was shown that some selected

active regions can be predicted one‐to‐two days in prior than they appear at the solar surface.


Kholikov will continue to improve the time‐distance pipeline and provide the scientific community

with specific GONG data for local helioseismology analysis. The main focus will be deep

equatorward return flow measurements involving GONG, MDI and HMI data series.

Service

Kholikov is a member of the Kepler Asteroseismic Science Consortium working group. He also

provides time distance measurements and high degree SH time series of GONG data by request. *Rudolf W. Komm, Associate Scientist

Areas of Interest

Helioseismology; dynamics of the solar convection zone; solar activity and variability.


Komm continues to perform research in helioseismology. He is deriving solar sub‐surface fluid

dynamics descriptors from GONG data analyzed with a ring‐diagram. Using these descriptors, he

was able to derive, for example, the divergence and vorticity of solar sub‐surface flows and study

their relationship with magnetic activity. Komm is exploring the relationship between the twist of

subsurface flows and the flare production of active regions and started producing daily full‐disk



maps of the normalized helicity parameter in collaboration with A. Reinard (NOAA/SWPC).

Komm is searching for a signature of helicity flow from the solar interior to the photosphere, in

collaboration with NSO colleagues S. Gosain and A. A. Pevtsov, and has derived the subsurface

helicity of active regions with superpenumbral whirls and the hemispheric helicity rule of

subsurface flows. Komm is studying the solar‐cycle variation of the zonal and the meridional flow

in the near‐surface layers of the solar convection zone, in collaboration with I. González

Hernández, F. Hill, and R. Howe.


Komm will continue to explore the dynamics of near‐surface layers and the interaction between

magnetic flux and flows derived from ring‐diagram data, and will focus on the relationship

between subsurface flow characteristics and flare activity in active regions. He will focus on the

daily variations of subsurface flows of active regions and search for a signature of helicity flow

from the solar interior to the photosphere. He will also continue to explore the long‐term variation

of subsurface flows.

Service

Komm continues as coordinator of the Local Helioseismolgy Comparison Group (LoHCo). He

supervises undergraduate and graduate students who participate in NSOʹs summer REU and SRA

programs. John W. Leibacher, Astronomer

Areas of Interest

Helioseismology; atmospheric dynamics; Asteroseismology.


Leibacher’s recent work has focused on the evolution of solar active regions as seen by GONG and

SDO/AIA, and the treatment of low‐degree spherical harmonic mode frequencies to better probe

the deep solar interior. In addition, work continues on various aspects of a new technique for

measuring solar subsurface meridional circulation and its variation with the solar cycle, several

solar and instrumental effects that manifest in the meridional circulation measurements (offset of

the solar rotation axis from the classic values and center‐to‐limb darkening shifting the effective

center of the velocity pixels), as well as the variation of the helioseismic signal with altitude in the

solar atmosphere and the inter‐comparison of measurements from different instruments and

different techniques.


Ideas about the observational signature of the convective excitation of p‐mode oscillations are

being pursued with data from GONG as well as instruments onboard the SOHO spacecraft with

collaborators at the Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale (Orsay, France) and the Observatoire de

Paris–Meudon. The application of helioseismic techniques to stellar oscillations is being pursued

in the framework of the CoRoT and Kepler missions, and modifications to the SDO/HMI and AIA

frequency analysis are being pursued. The search for flare‐related changes in the solar interior as

manifested in helioseismic ʺring‐diagramsʺ, and application of gap‐filling strategies to helio‐ and

asteroseismic time series continues.

Service

Leibacher serves as editor of the NSO Newsletter, as Diversity Advocate and NSO member and

vice‐chair of the AURA Workforce Diversity Committee, as representative for outreach activities,



and organizes the weekly seminar series. He served on the NSO Scientific Personnel Committee

until early FY 2014. Leibacher has been a mentor to several undergraduate (REU) students and

two graduate students using GONG data, has been the external examiner on six PhD theses and a

member of seven PhD juries recently. He maintains the SolarNews WWW site. He is a member of

the Fachbeirat (scientific advisory committee) of the Max‐Planck Society’s Institute for Solar

System Research (Katlenburg–Lindau), chair of the High Altitude Observatory/National Center for

Atmospheric Research External Advisory Committee, advisor to several external projects, and

member of the current NASA Heliophysics Roadmap committee. He is editor‐in‐chief of the

journal Solar Physics.

Valentín Martínez Pillet, NSO Director

Areas of Interest

Solar activity; Sun‐heliosphere connectivity; magnetic field measurements; spectroscopy; polari‐

metry; astronomical instrumentation with an emphasis on the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope.


Before joining NSO as Director, Dr. Martínez Pillet was leading the Imaging Magnetograph

eXperiment (IMaX) for the balloon borne SUNRISE solar telescope (a Germany, Spain and USA

collaboration). IMaX/SUNRISE has flown twice from the Artic circle within the Long‐Duration

Balloon program of NASA (June 2009 and June 2013). The data obtained during the first flight has

produced the most accurate description of the quiet Sun magnetic fields, reaching unprecedented

resolutions of 100 km at the solar surface and a sensitivity of a few Gauss. These data have

produced well over 30 papers in the last few years, describing a large variety of processes

including the discovery of small‐scale supersonic magnetized flows. These jets have been recently

identified in the Hinode satellite data that provide full Stokes spectral profiles and allow for a

detailed study of the atmospheric context in which they are generated. Using inversion

techniques, such a study is being performed in the context of the PhD of C. Quintero (IAC). It is

expected that the data from the second flight will produce results of a similar impact.

Dr. Pillet was also leading (as co‐Principal investigator) the design and construction of the

Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager for the Solar Orbiter mission (a Germany, Spain and France

collaboration).


As Director, Dr. Pillet has overall responsibility for the operation of NSO and the effort to develop

the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope, to maintain and rejuvinate the NSO synoptic program,

and prepare for observatory operations at the new NSO directorate site in Boulder, Colorado. Dr.

Pillet plans to maintain an active role in the analysis of the data from the second IMaX/SUNRISE

flight. This flight received ground support from several of the NSO facilities including the SOLIS

VSM instrument. The full‐disk, vector magnetic capabilities of SOLIS nicely complement the high‐

resolution data from IMaX/SUNRISE during this second flight.

Dr. Pillet plans to establish collaborations with the NISP scientists on quantifying the flux history

of active regions with an emphasis on their decay phase.

Service

Dr. Pillet is Director of the National Solar Observatory. In the past, he has provided services for a

variety of international institutions, including: member of the High Altitude Observatory Science



Advisory Board; member of the ATST Science Working Group; member of the European Space

Agency Solar System Working Group; former President of the International Astronomical Union

Commission 12 on Solar Radiation and Structure; former President of the International

Astronomical Union Division II The Sun and the Heliosphere; and member of the Editorial Board

of the journal Solar Physics.

Dr. Pillet has acted as PhD advisor of three students at the IAC (Tenerife) and of supervisor of

three post‐doctoral scientists from various international institutions.

Matthew J. Penn, Associate Astronomer

Areas of Interest

Spectropolarimetry; near‐IR instrumentation; solar atmosphere; oscillations and magnetic fields.


Most recently, Penn has obtained CO 4666 nm eclipse observations and is working on inverting the

data to study the emission with resolution equivalent to that expected from the ATST. Penn

continues to work with W. Livingston on examining the changes in sunspot magnetic fields

through solar cycle 24 and is relating the observed sunspot changes with data from 21 cm

emission; recent work was published in ApJ Letters (Livingston, Penn and Svalgaard, 2012). Penn

has studied solar oscillations using the 4‐micron fundamental lines of CO; results indicate that the

CO lines provide physical diagnostics of the solar atmosphere; recent work was published in ApJ

Letters (Penn, Schad and Cox, 2011).


Penn is currently involved in vector magnetic field observations using the 1083 nm and 1565 nm

infrared lines and with imaging and spectroscopy at wavelengths from 4000‐4700 nm.

Service

Penn is involved with the ATST development, particularly the IR and coronal instrumentation for

the ATST (Cryo‐NIRSP and NIRSP‐C) and with a group providing scientific feedback to the ATST

software development group.

As part of his work with the BBSO/NST/Cyra cooled spectrograph instrument, Penn has done

successful imaging and polarimetry experiments at 4700 nm, and new filters have been ordered

for more work in this area. Parts of a polarimeter to operate in the 3000‐5000 nm wavelength range

have been tested and the complete system identified and ordered in FY 2012.

Penn was advisor to graduate student Tom Schad from the UA on new vector magnetic field

measurements using the He 1083 nm spectral line, and inversion code (HAZEL) provided to the

international community by the IAC (Spanish) group; Schad received his PhD in August 2013.

Penn is advising postdoctoral research associate Fraser Watson, a recent graduate from the

University of Glasgow, with additional studies of the long‐term sunspot magnetic field evolution.

Penn is in charge of the NSO summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) and

Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) programs and works closely with the NSO staff to

maintain the high quality of the NSO REU/RET program.

Gordon J. D. Petrie, Associate Scientist

Areas of Interest

Solar Magnetic Fields




Petrie investigated relationships between active and polar fields via high‐latitude poleward

streams using 40 years of NSO magnetograms. In this work the well‐known weakness of the polar

fields since cycle 23 was associated with changes in the active regions around 2003. Extrapolating

coronal potential‐field models, Petrie found that the coronal multipoles divide neatly into large‐

scale, axisymmetric components following the polar fields and small‐scale, 3D components that

follow the activity. He found that eruption statistics have been enhanced since 2003 because of the

weakness of the polar fields. Having studied Lorentz force changes during six major neutral‐line

flares using a method invented by G. Fisher (UC Berkeley) applied to high‐cadence HMI vector

data, Petrie showed that this method can reliably produce local estimates for large structures

within regions composed of strong magnetic field, such as sunspots and strong neutral lines. He is

investigating links between these Lorentz force changes and sunquakes with helioseismologists.

With 2013 REU student Darryl Seligman (U. Pennsylvania) and NSO’s Rudi Komm, Petrie is

comparing the magnetic and current helicities of active regions to the kinetic helicity of the interior

flows beneath. This may clarify the cause of twisted, sheared emerging fields that ultimately result

in flares and eruptions. Petrie and 2012 REU student Karl Haislmaier (George Mason U.) found

that, although coronal structure often changes during the emergence of active regions, when a

coronal hole appears in the region’s place after it decays the global structure does not change

significantly in response. With NSO colleagues Luca Bertello and Alexei Pevtsov, Petrie showed

that variances in synoptic magnetogram measurements can impact extrapolated field models for

the solar atmosphere.

Service

Petrie developed software that simulates poorly observed and unobserved fields at polar solar

latitudes. This work has been applied to GONG and SOLIS synoptic maps that will appear on the

NISP Web site (they currently appear on the separate GONG and SOLIS pages). Accompanying

potential field modeling products developed with Janet Luhmann (UC Berkeley) will also appear.

Petrie helped NSO programmer Richard Clark to solve a problem with a zero‐point correction

algorithm which is applied to GONG full‐disk mangetograms and which he helped to develop a

few years ago with Jack Harvey and Clark. The problem arose from unanticipated effects of the

ascent of cycle 24 activity. As in the past, Petrie mentored REU students in 2012 and 2013 (see

research results). Haislmaier’s project appeared in the Astrophysical Journal this year and

Seligman’s project is being prepared for publication. Petrie has provided NSO data user support

on accessing and applying NSO magnetogram data for various users including AFRL,

NASA/CCMC, NOAA/SWPC, Predictive Science, U. Michigan, as well as users in Europe. Petrie

participated in NSF proposal merit reviews in late 2012 and 2013. He refereed manuscripts for the

Astrophysical Journal, Solar Physics and the Journal of Geophysical Research.

Alexei A. Pevtsov, Astronomer

Areas of Interest

Solar magnetic fields: topology, evolution, helicity, vector polarimetry; corona: coronal heating, x‐

ray bright points, coronal holes; sunspots: topology, evolution, Evershed flow, penumbral fine

Sstructure; space weather: solar drivers; chromosphere: filaments and prominences, Moreton

waves; solar‐stellar research.




Pevtsov collaborated with NSO and non‐NSO scientists on studies of sunspot magnetic fields,

topology of coronal magnetic fields derived from non‐linear force‐free modeling, cycle variation of

basal chromospheric profiles, kinetic and magnetic helicities on the Sun, magnetic transients

associated with flares, and the effect of errors in synoptic maps on extrapolated fields. He also

worked on improvements to data reduction for observations taken by SOLIS.

Sun‐as‐a‐star spectra were used to study the chromopsheric Ca K line profiles and their change

with the solar cycle. The observed profiles were deconvolved on basal (quiet Sun) and plage

(active Sun) components. Basal profiles represent the lowest state of the solar chromosphere in the

absence of any activity and, thus, are not expected to vary with the solar cycle. To verify the

successful deconvolution, time series of both types (active and quiet Sun) were analyzed for

presence/absence of solar rotation, and no rotational modulation was found in the basal profiles.

Subsequent analysis showed that the basal profiles do show slight changes in phase with the solar

cycle. These changes were interpreted as the result of modulation of flux of acoustic waves

responsible for the basal component of the chromospheric heating.


Pevtsov plans to continue his research on properties and evolution of magnetic fields on the Sun

and heliosphere. As a long‐term goal, this research aims at understanding how magnetic fields are

created by the global and local dynamos, how the magnetic field evolves as it travels through

different layers of solar atmosphere and to the Earth orbit, how magnetic fields of localized

features interact with each other, forming a large‐scale field of the Sun, and how magnetic fields

decay. He also plans to continue studies of the Sun‐as‐a‐star using SOLIS/ISS data, including

adding a solar‐stellar component. Pevtsov plans to spend a portion of his research time on studies

related to the NSO synoptic program including development of new data products based on

SOLIS and GONG synoptic magnetograms.

Service

A. Pevtsov is the Solar Atmosphere Program Scientist for the NSO Integrated Synoptic Program

(NISP). In that capacity, he coordinates and leads the research and data analysis efforts by NSO

scientists, postdocs, and scientific programmers associated with the program (which includes

SOLIS and GONG projects). Pevtsov reviewed proposals for NASA and NSF and served as a

reviewer for several professional publications. He supervises the NSO/SP technical library, and is

a member of telescope allocation committees for NSO/SP and SOLIS. In 2013, he mentored one

postdoctoral researcher. He serves on the Usersʹ Committee for HAO’s Mauna Loa Solar

Observatory. He is the chair for the International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group on

Coordination of Synoptic Observations of the Sun and the vice‐chair for the IAU Inter‐Division

Working Group on Solar‐Type Stars. He is a member of the Math and Science Advisory Council

(MSAC) for New Mexico State’s Public Education Department.

Kevin Reardon, NSO Data Center Scientist

Areas of Interest

Dynamics and structure of the solar chromosphere; implementation of modern techniques for data

archiving, processing, and discovery; innovative application of imaging spectroscopy techniques;

post‐focus instrumentation development; spectropolarimetry of the solar atmosphere; studies of

inner planets and comets.




K. Reardon has recently been working with Philip Judge (HAO) and Gianna Cauzzi

(INAF/Arcetri) on trying to understand the nature of the fine‐scale, highly dynamic structures in

the solar chromosphere. The high temporal and spatial resolution data obtained with IBIS show

changes along extended fibrils occurring on timescales a just a few seconds, difficult to reconcile

with magnetohydrodynamic evolution in the chromospheric plasma. Reardon and colleagues

published a paper in 2012 and are preparing a follow‐up paper on this subject for submission to

the Astrophysical Journal.

K. Reardon also has recently published a paper in Icarus with Andrew Potter (NSO), Rosemary

Killen (NASA GSFC), and Thomas Bida (Lowell Obs.) with an analysis of the exosphere of

Mercury imaged during the 2006 transit of that planet across the Sun. The authors were able to

map the exospheric column density, scale height, and temperature around the full terminator of

Mercury using the imaging spectroscopy data obtained with IBIS. The differences with respect to

some earlier measurements indicate that terminator processes might play an important role in

determining the characteristics of the exosphere in this region. The authors are continuing their

collaboration, together with Valeria Mangano (INAF/IAPS, Italy), in pursuing daytime

observations of Mercury at the Dunn Solar Telescope with IBIS.


K. Reardon will work on the application of new methods for processing the large volumes of data

obtained currently at the DST and the even greater challenges for the data to be obtained with the

ATST. This will include techniques for calibrating and classifying the contents of those data, as

well as data distribution channels, including the Virtual Solar Observatory, that support data

discovery by the community.

K. Reardon will continue to work with Philip Judge and others in seeking a better understanding

of the small‐scale behavior of the solar chromosphere. This will involve observations pushing the

current limits in temporal and spatial scales, as well as spectropolarimetric measurements of the

chromosphere, all coupled with the novel data from the Interface Region Imaging

Spectrograph (IRIS).

K. Reardon is also Co‐PI on a project with Fabio Cavallini and Vincenzo Greco (INAF/Arcetri) to

develop an exploratory design for a tunable narrowband filter in the near‐infrared (0.9‐1.6

microns) for ATST. This design, to be delivered in the coming year, is for a compact dual Fabry‐

Perot system that would permit diffraction‐limited observations over a 90 arcsecond field‐of‐view.

Service

As the NSO Data Center Scientist, Reardon is developing plans and approaches for the processing

and archiving of the data from the ATST, as well as for the implementation of a modern data

center deploying advanced analysis techniques in support of NSOʹs mission.

Reardon has developed tools that allow the solar community to locate and access dataset of interest

from the Dunn Solar Telescope. The system generates summaries of the data obtained at the DST and

provides summary Web pages that provide PIʹs and other users a quick overview of the available data.

This system has been deployed for the two service‐mode observing periods at the DST.

K. Reardon continues to support IBIS as a community instrument, providing guidance to users,

software support, and ongoing improvements to the systems. He was one of the leads in

providing supporting observations from the DST for the Hi‐C, EUNIS, and VERIS sounding rocket



launches from NASAʹs White Sands Missile Range, as well as for the coordinated observations

with the IRIS mission. He also provided support for observations of comets PANSTARRS and

ISON with the DST, the latter as part of the international campaign to observe this rare sun‐grazing

comet.

Thomas R. Rimmele, Astronomer

Areas of Interest

Sunspots; penumbra; small‐scale magnetic fields; active region dynamics; flares; acoustics waves;

weak fields; adaptive optics; multi‐conjugate adaptive optics; instrumentation.


During the past three years, Rimmele has co‐authored more than 30 papers and gave a number of

invited talks at e.g., SPIE, OSA, IAU, EGU and other conferences. His scientific focus is on

advancing the ATST science objectives and the development of adaptive optics technology. In this

context, Rimmele co‐organized the ATST/EAST workshop in Washington, DC in 2011 and served

as editor of the conference proceedings. He served on the scientific organizing committee for two

adaptive optics conferences (AO4ELT, Florence, Italy 2013; Adaptive Optics: Methods, Analysis

and Applications, Arlington, VA 2013). Rimmele leads the NSO solar AO and MCAO programs.

A conventional AO system with a 357‐actuator deformable mirrors has recently been

commissioned at the 1.6‐m NST at BBSO and is producing the highest resolution solar imagery.

An MCAO system with three deformable mirrors is currently undergoing final integration and

testing. These systems serve as pathfinders for the ATST.

Rimmele co‐supervised a graduate student, who has completed his thesis work using narrow‐band

imaging data from the DST. He is currently supervising a graduate student, who is developing

adaptive optics for solar prominences and a postdoc, who is developing MCAO in collaboration

with the Kiepenheuer Institute and NJIT.


Rimmele will continue his efforts to perform observations at the highest spatial resolution using

adaptive optics in order to study the properties and the dynamics of small‐scale magnetic

elements. Due to the extensive commitments to service, Rimmele has very limited and continuous‐

ly decreasing amount of time available for research.

Service

Rimmele is NSO Associate Director and PI for the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope, and as

such has overall responsibility for the construction of the ATST and for planning the operations

and executing the ramp up to full operations of ATST in 2019. He is principal investigator of the

NSO Solar Adaptive Optics Program. Rimmele participates in the European Association for Solar

Telescopes (EAST) council meetings as representative on the SOLARNET Board. *Sushanta C. Tripathy, Associate Scientist

Areas of Interest

Helioseismology; solar oscillations and activity cycle; multi‐wavelength helioseismology; sub‐

surface flows of active regions; validation of numerical simulations.




S. Tripathy has continued the investigation of spatial and temporal variations of the high‐degree

mode frequencies calculated over localized regions of the Sun during solar cycles 23 and 24.

Recent work with K. Jain and F. Hill has shown that the magnitude of the frequency shifts

calculated from high‐degree modes are ten times greater than the intermediate‐degree modes and

is found to be consistent with the study of high‐degree mode frequencies measured from global

helioseismology. They also found that both individual multiplets and disk‐averaged frequency

shifts are linearly correlated with solar activity indices instead of a quadratic relationship as

reported earlier.

Tripathy and collaborators have also looked at the mechanism that drives the quasi‐biennial

periodicity (QBP) in the Sun. The intermediate degree modes indicate that the QBP signal strength

has been strong over the ascending phase of the solar cycle 23, but suddenly became weaker in

2003 and has remained weak during the ascending phase of cycle 24. Based on these, it is argued

that cycle 24 would be weaker compared to cycle 23.

Working with the ring‐team, Tripathy has extended the multi‐wavelength analysis to include few

more complex active regions. Using data from GONG, HMI and AIA, they report that the

magnitude of the differences between mode frequencies computed from different spectra is

significantly large at the higher end of the frequency range while the differences between the

Doppler measurements from two different instruments are marginal. They also find that the sub‐

surface flows, in general, are consistent between different observables.

Tripathy and collaborators processed an artificial data set of wave propagation through the GONG

ring‐diagram pipeline and estimated the differential rotation and meridional flow profiles used in

the simulation. The preliminary result shows good agreement with the input model.


Tripathy will continue to carry out a statistical analysis of active regions using mutli‐wavelength

data from HMI, AIA, GONG and SOLIS and fit the cross‐spectra for an accurate determination of

mode frequencies and other parameters. He also plans to extend the analysis of realistic numerical

simulations to validate the ring‐diagram technique. Tripathy will continue to investigate the

global and local oscillation frequencies to understand the variations between different solar cycles

and mechanisms that drive the changes in oscillation frequencies.

Service

S. Tripathy organizes the monthly NISP science meeting at NSO. In May 2013, he co‐chaired the

27th NSO workshop entitled “Fifty Years of Seismology of the Sun and Stars” held in Tucson. He

also obtained partial financial support from NSF to organize the workshop. Tripathy participates

in proposal writing to obtain outside funds for NISP‐related projects. In recent past, he has been a

reviewer for NSF scientific proposals. Alexandra Tritschler, Associate Scientist

Areas of Interest

Operational modes of large facilities; tools used by the users and operators of such facilities. High‐

resolution spectroscopy and spectropolarimetry of the photosphere and chromosphere; solar

magnetic fields; fine‐structure of sunspots, simulations of the influence of atmospheric turbulence

and instrumentation on solar observations; post‐focus instrumentation.



Current and Future Plans

Tritschler’s main science interests have been focused on the high‐resolution (spectral, spatial and

temporal) aspects of solar physics and the fine structure of sunspots and pores in particular. She

intends to pursue this interest further, employing IBIS (as well as FIRS and SPINOR) to determine

the properties of photospheric and chromospheric layers of active regions and to infer their three‐

dimensional dynamic and magnetic structure and to compare those results to forward modeling.

Tritschler will continue to investigate Service Mode Operations in solar physics using the Dunn

Solar Telescope as a test bed for the ATST.

Service

A. Tritschler is the ATSTʹs Operational Scientist and as such leads the development effort of

operational concepts for the ATST. She is responsible for the development and specification of

tools to be used to efficiently operate the ATST. Tritschler leads the Service Mode Operations

effort of the Dunn Solar Telescope in preparation for the ATST. Service Mode Operations of the

DST are offered currently twice per year to the international community. Tritschler has been

mentoring numerous summer REU and SRA students and is a member of the Sacramento Peak

telescope allocation committee for the Dunn Solar Telescope. She is also the colloquium organizer

in Sunspot and was/is actively involved in the organization of traditional Sunspot summer

workshops and sessions at the IAU and AAS/SPD. Tritschler has served on proposal panel

reviews and has been a reviewer of publications for the Astrophysical Journal Letters, Astrophysical

Journal, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Solar Physics, and Astronomical Notes.

Han Uitenbroek, Astronomer

Areas of Interest

Radiative transfer modeling and structure and dynamics of the solar atmosphere; modeling and

measurement of polarized light and interpreting observations.


H. Uitenbroek continues to work on expanding and improving his multi‐dimensional numerical

radiative transfer code RH. The RH code has been made available to the community from the

start and is widely used by the solar community and, in some cases, even outside that. The RH

code has been used to calculate Mg II spectra from Rad‐MHD simulations of solar chromospheric

dynamics in preparation for the launch of the IRIS mission. The results have been published in

three ApJ papers that have been released recently. The code has also been used by Adam Kowalski

(NASA GSFC) to model flare spectra in M‐dwarfs, by Holtzeuter (MPS Lindau) et al. to model

non‐LTE iron line spectra in 3D, and by Nelson et al. to model Ellerman bomb spectra in hydrogen

and iron lines. Together with E. Mallorca (Perugia, Italy), Uitenbroek has used the code to

determine that the solar fluorine abundance is about a factor six less than previously thought.

With Serena Criscuoli, Uitenbroek developed a novel method to accurately measure the tempera‐

ture gradient in the solar atmosphere at high spatial resolution using opacity‐conjugate

wavelengths. The ultimate goal is to implement this method in a satellite mission being developed

by the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics in Boulder, and to use it to refine modeling

of spatially resolved solar irradiance. Together, they also worked on characterizing the center‐to‐

limb variations of irradiance due to small‐scale magnetic elements.




Development and maintenance of the RH code will continue. Concentration will be on the

contribution to irradiance at different wavelengths from small‐scale magnetic elements, forward

modeling of polarized Sunspot spectra, and forward modeling of polarized radiation from

chromospheric structures, both from state‐of‐the‐art 3D Rad‐MHD simulations. Uitenbroek will

also undertake analysis of IRIS spectra and comparison of its spectra with forward modeling of the

Mg II lines.

Service

Uitenbroek is the program scientist for the Dunn Solar Telescope at Sac Peak. In addition, he

serves as chair of the Sac Peak Telescope Allocation Committee, leads the IT department in

Sunspot, and is part of the NSO Scientific Personnel Committee (SPC). With Alexandra Tritschler,

Uitenbroek leads the REU/RET effort at Sacramento peak. About fifteen different researchers from

different institutes, some even outside the field of solar physics, have requested copies of

Uitenbroekʹs transfer (RH) code. He actively supports those users with updates and helps with

running the code. He is Co‐I on the IRIS SMEX proposal by Lockheed that was launched by NASA

in June 2013. The RH code is provided on the IRIS data distribution Web page for downloading.

Uitenbroek is also member of the planning working group for the next Japanese solar satellite

Solar C. He regularly serves as referee for papers and on review panels for proposals.

Fraser Watson, Postdoctoral Research Associate

Areas of Interest

Long‐term sunspot properties; changes in the solar cycle; automated image processing; synoptic

data analysis; spectro‐polarimetric analysis of sunspot data.


F. Watsonʹs most recent research result comes from an analysis of sunspot magnetic field data from

SOHO/MDI and SDO/HMI. A review of sunspot fields over the solar cycle measured in a synoptic

way show a decrease in sunspot umbral field strengths that is only a third of what has been

previously reported. Further analysis shows bias in the Livingston data set used to derive the

previously reported results due to changes in sunspot sampling over the lifetime of the data

catalogue. This result will be of great importance in studies of the solar cycle and the solar dynamo

and is being prepared for publication.


The sunspot data from the McMath‐Pierce Solar Telescope will be compared with spectro‐

polarimetric sunspot observations from the Dunn Solar Telescope to allow for cross calibration of

the two instruments being used. This will also allow for some analysis into the capabilities of the

Advanced Technology Solar Telescope. The sunspot catalogue obtained from MDI and HMI data

will be further probed to determine a number of properties and how they vary over the solar cycle.

Again, this is of use in dynamo models and studies of changes in solar cycle.

Service

F. Watson assists in the synoptic observing program at the McMath‐Pierce Solar Telescope, and

recently assisted in the service‐mode observing program at the Dunn Solar Telescope. Over the

past year, he has represented NSO at seven public outreach events. He has served on two NASA

grant review panels and as a referee for the journal Solar Physics.



Friedrich Wöger, Associate Scientist

Areas of Interest

Image reconstruction techniques; adaptive optics; two‐dimensional spectroscopy, and spectro‐

polarimetry; ATST visible broadband imager (VBI); ATST data handling system (DHS).


Wöger is the principle investigator of the VBI, and as such is overseeing the construction of the

hard‐ and software elements of the instrument. The VBI is in the process of being set up at NSO’s

Boulder location for thorough testing of all optical, mechanical and software assemblies, such as

early versions of the VBI control software. The NSO laboratory in Boulder will allow end‐to‐end

testing of the VBI and many ATST sub‐sytems.

Wöger has been working on a theory to compute the transfer function of Earthʹs turbulent

atmosphere and the adaptive optics system directly from the data delivered by the adaptive optics

system. This is important to achieve high photometric precision in images reconstructed using

speckle reconstruction algorithms. He is currently working on a theory that extends the validity of

the transfer function models to very large field of views.

Wöger has been involved in research related to alternate wavefront sensing instruments for solar

adaptive optics, and multi‐conjugate adaptive optics in collaboration with Jose Marino (NSO).

Wöger, with Marino, evaluated the feasibility of a Shack‐Hartmann wavefront sensing approach

for layer oriented sensing of Earth’s turbulent sensor. This approach will have limitations when

applied to solar multi‐conjugate adaptive optics as a thorough theoretical and experimental study

has shown.


Wöger is planning to work on improved methods for image reconstruction for data acquired with

2D spectroscopic and spectro‐polarimetric instruments, such as ATST VTF data. These algorithms

will be based on speckle interferometry and allow the acquisition of data at diffraction‐limited

resolution. He continues to work on developing accurate models for atmospheric transfer func‐

tions, and is interested in investigating expanding current models for use with multi‐conjugate

adaptive optics systems.

Service

Wöger is the scientist responsible for the VBI and, with the VBI team, is continuously assessing the

progress of the VBI’s construction. He is involved in the ATST data handling system development

as the ATST Data Handling Scientist, with the responsibility of overseeing the proper imple‐

mentation of the requirements defined for the system and creating a complete data model for

ATST. In his function as the ATST Wavefront Correction Scientist, Wöger is guiding the ATST

WFC team towards a Critical Design Review by reviewing all WFC documentation that describes

derived design requirements and the design itself. He also has a role in the optical design effort

for the wavefront sensors.



APPENDIX I: ACRONYM GLOSSARY

A&E Architecture and Engineering

ADAPT Air Force Data Assimilative Photospheric flux Transport

AFRL Air Force Research Laboratory

AFWA Air Force Weather Agency

AIA Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (SDO)

AISES American Indian Science and Engineering Society

aO Active Optics

AO Adaptive Optics

AR Active Region

ARRA American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

ASP Advanced Stokes Polarimeter

ATI Advanced Technology Instrumentation (NSF)

ATM Atmospheric Sciences (Division of NSF)

ATRC Advanced Technology Research Center (University of Hawai‘i)

ATST Advanced Technology Solar Telescope

AURA Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc.

BLNR Bureau of Land and Natural Resources

BBSO Big Bear Solar Observatory

CAM Cost Account Manager (ATST)

CCMC Community Coordinated Modeling Center

CD‐ROM Compact Disk – Read Only Memory

CDR Critical Design Review

CDUP Conservation District User Permit

CfA Center for Astrophysics (Harvard Smithsonian)

CfAO Center for Adaptive Optics

CHU Critical Hardware Upgrade

CISM Center for Integrated Space Weather Modeling

CLEA Contemporary Laboratory Exercises in Astronomy

CMEs Coronal Mass Ejections

CNC Computer Numerical Controlled

CoDR Conceptual Design Review

CoRoT COnvection ROtation and planetary Transits (French Space Agency CNES)

CoSEC Collaborative Sun‐Earth Connection

CR Carrington Rotation

CSF Common Services Framework

CSP Critical Science Plan

CU University of Colorado, Boulder

DA Diversity Advocate

DB‐P Dual‐beam Polarizer (McMath‐Pierce Telescope)

D&D Design & Development

DASL Data and Activities for Solar Learning

DEIS Draft Environmental Impact Statement



DEM Differential Emission Measure

DHS Data Handling System

DL‐NIRSP Diffraction‐Limited Near‐Infrared Spectropolarimeter (ATST)

DLSP Diffraction‐Limited Spectro‐Polarimeter

DLT Digital Linear Tape

DM Deformable Mirror

DMAC Data Management and Analysis Center (GONG)

DoD Department of Defense

DRD Design Requirements Document

DRMS Decision, Risk and Management Sciences (NSF)

DST Dunn Solar Telescope

EAST European Association for Solar Telescopes

EGSO European Grid of Solar Observations

EIS Environmental Impact Statement

EIT Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SOHO)

EPO Educational and Public Outreach

ESF Evans Solar Facility

EST European Solar Telescope

ETS Engineering and Technical Services (NOAO)

FDP Full‐Disk Patrol (SOLIS)

FDR Final Design Review

FEIS Final Environmental Impact Statement

FIRS Facility Infrared Spectropolarimeter

FLC Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal

FOV Field of View

FPGA Field Programmable Gate Array

FTEs Full Time Equivalents

FTS Fourier Transform Spectrometer

FY Fiscal Year

GB Giga Bytes

GNAT Global Network of Astronomical Telescopes, Inc. (Tucson)

GOES Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (NASA and NOAA)

GONG Global Oscillation Network Group

GSFC Goddard Space Flight Center (NASA)

GUI Graphical User Interface

HAO High Altitude Observatory

HMI Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager

HOAO High Order Adaptive Optics

HR Human Resources

HSG Horizontal Spectrograph

HXR Hard X‐Ray

IAA Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (Spain)

IAC Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (Spain)

IBIS Interferometric BIdimensional Spectrometer (Arcetri Observatory)

ICD Interface Control Document



ICM Inversion by Central Moments

ICS Instrument Control System

IDL Interactive Data Language

IfA Institute for Astronomy (University of Hawai`i)

IFU Integrated Field Unit (McMath‐Pierce Solar Telescope Facility)

IHY International Heliophysical Year

IMaX Imaging Magnetograph eXperiment (SUNRISE)

IR Infrared

IRES International Research Experience for Students (NSF)

IRIS SMEX Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph Small Explorer Mission (NASA)

ISOON Improved Solar Observing Optical Network (now O‐SPAN)

ISP Integrated Synoptic Program (NSO)

ISS Integrated Sunlight Spectrometer (SOLIS)

IT&C Integration, Testing, & Commissioning

KAOS Kiepenheuer Adaptive Optics System

KCE KC Environmental (Maui)

KIS Kiepenheuer Institute for Solar Physics (Freiburg, Germany)

KPNO Kitt Peak National Observatory

KPVT Kitt Peak Vacuum Telescope

LAPLACE Life and PLAnets Center (University of Arizona)

LASP Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (University of Colorado, Boulder)

LESIA Laboratoire dʹétudes patiales et dʹinstrumentation en astrophysique (Paris

Observatory)

LMSAL Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory

LoHCo Local Helioseismolgy Comparison Group

LRP Long Range Plan

LTE Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium

LWS Living With a Star

MBP Magnetic Bright Point

McMP McMath‐Pierce

MCAO Multi‐Conjugate Adaptive Optics

MCC Maui Community College

MDI Michelson Doppler Imager (SOHO)

ME Milne‐Eddington

MEDB Maui Economic Development Board

MHD Magnetohydrodynamic

MKIR Mauna Kea Infrared

MREFC Major Research Equipment Facilities Construction (NSF)

MRI Major Research Instrumentation (NSF)

MSAC Math and Science Advisory Council (State of New Mexico)

MSFC Marshall Space Flight Center (NASA)

MWO Mt. Wilson Observatory (California)

NAC NSO Array Camera

NAI NASA Astrobiology Institute

NAS National Academy of Sciences



NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASM National Air and Space Museum

NCAR National Center for Atmospheric Research

NDSC Network for the Detection of Stratospheric Change

NHPA National Historic Preservation Act

NHWG Native Hawaiian Working Group

NIR Near Infrared

NJIT New Jersey Institute of Technology

NLFFF Non‐Linear Force‐Free Field

NLTE Non‐Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium

NMDOT New Mexico Department of Transportation

NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NOAO National Optical Astronomy Observatory

NPDES National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System

NPFC Non‐Potential Field Calculation

NRC National Research Council

NSBP National Society of Black Physicists

NSF National Science Foundation

NSF/AST National Science Foundation, Division of Astronomical Sciences

NSF/ATM National Science Foundation, Division of Atmospheric Sciences

NSHP National Society of Hispanic Physicsts

NSO National Solar Observatory

NSO/SP National Solar Observatory Sacramento Peak

NSO/T National Solar Observatory Tucson

NST New Solar Telescope (NJIT Big Bear Solar Observatory)

NWNH New World New Horizons (Astro2010: Astronomy & Astrophysics Decadal Survey)

NWRA/CoRA NorthWest Research Associates/Colorado Research Associates

OCD Operations Concept Definition Document (ATST)

OCS Observatory Control System

OMB Office of Management and Budget

O‐SPAN Optical Solar Patrol Network (formerly ISOON)

PAARE Partnerships in Astronomy & Astrophysics Research & Education (NSF)

PAEO Public Affairs and Educational Outreach (NOAO)

PCA Principal Component Analysis

PDR Preliminary Design Review

PI Principal Investigator

PMCS Project Management Control System

ProMag PROminence Magnetometer (HAO)

PSPT Precision Solar Photometric Telescope

QA/QC Quality Assurance/Quality Control

QBP Quasi‐Biennial Periodicity

QL Quick‐Look

QSA Quasi‐Static Alignment

QU Queens University (Belfast, Ireland)

RASL Research in Active Solar Longitudes



RDSA Reference Design Studies and Analyses

RET Research Experiences for Teachers

REU Research Experiences for Undergraduates

RFP Request for Proposal

RHESSI Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (NASA)

RISE/PSPT Radiative Inputs from Sun to Earth/Precision Solar Photometric Telescope

RMS Root‐Mean‐Square

ROD Record of Decision

ROSA Rapid Oscillations in the Solar Atmosphere

SACNAS Society for the Advancement of Chicanos an Native Americans in Science

SAN Storage Area Network

SASSA Spatially Averaged Signed Shear Angle

SCB Sequential Chromospheric Brightening

SCOPE Southwest Consortium of Observatories for Public Education

SDO Solar Dynamic Observatory

SDR Solar Differential Rotation

SFC Space Flight Center (NASA)

SH Spherical Harmonic

SMO Service‐Mode Operations

S&O Support and Operations (ATST)

SOC Solar Observatory Council (AURA)

SOHO Solar and Heliospheric Observatory

SOI Solar Oscillations Investigations (SOHO)

SOLIS Synoptic Optical Long‐term Investigations of the Sun

SONG Stellar Oscillation Network Group

SOT Solar Optical Telescope

SOT/SP Solar Optical Telescope Spectro‐Polarimeter (Hinode)

SOW Statement of Work

SPINOR Spectro‐Polarimeter for Infrared and Optical Regions

SPD Solar Physics Division (AAS)

SPRING Solar Physics Research Integrated Network Group (European Union)

SRA Summer Research Assistant

SRD Science Requirements Document

SREC Southern Rockies Education Centers

SSL Space Sciences Laboratory (UC Berkeley)

SSP Source Selection Plan (ATST)

SST Swedish Solar Telescope

SW Solar Wind

SSWG Site Survey Working Group (ATST)

SWG Science Working Group (ATST)

SWMF Space Weather Modeling Framework

SWPC Space Weather Prediction Center (NOAA)

SWRI Southwest Research Institute

STARA Sunspot Tracking and Recognition Algorithm

STEM Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics



STEP Summer Teacher Enrichment Program

SUMI Solar Ultraviolet Magnetograph Investigation (NASA, MSFC)

SUP Special Use Permit

TAC Telescope Time Allocation Committee

TB Tera Bytes

TCS Telescope Control System

TLRBSE Teacher Leaders in Research Based Science Education

TMA Telescope Mount Assembly

TIMED/SEE Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics / Solar EUV

Experiment (NASA)

TRACE Transition Region and Coronal Explorer

UA University of Arizona

UH University of Hawaii

UBF Universal Birefringent Filter

UPS Uninterruptible Power Supply

USAF United States Air Force

USF&WS US Fish and Wildlife Service

VBI Visible‐light Broadband Imager (ATST)

VCCS Virtual Camera Control System (Dunn Solar Telescope)

VFISV Very Fast Inversion of the Stokes Vector (Inversion Code, HMI)

ViSP Visible Spectropolarimeter (ATST)

VSM Vector Spectromagnetograph (SOLIS)

VSO Virtual Solar Observatory

VTF Visible Tunable Filter (ATST)

WBS Work Breakdown Structure

WCCS Wavefront Correction Control System

WDC Workforce and Diversity Committee (AURA)

WHI Whole Heliospheric Interval

WSA Wang‐Sheeley‐Arge (Solar Wind Model)

WSDL Web Service Description Language

WWW World Wide Web

Documents

cooperative agreement with the Nati - NSO · NATIONAL SOLAR OBSERVATORY 1 NSO FY 2013 Annual Progress Report & FY 2014 Program Plan EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The National Solar Observatory