Scott Borg, Director, Division of Antarctic Sciences

1. Astronomy and Astrophysics in AntarcticaCurrent U.S. Projects and Challenges Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee October 14, 2008 Scott Borg, Director, Division of Antarctic Sciences Vladimir Papitashvili, Program Director, Antarctic Aeronomy & Astrophysics

2. Astronomy and Astrophysics in Antarctica Recent Accomplishments • IceCube Neutrino Observatory • Another excellent austral summer season in 2007/08 (18 new DOM strings deployed for 40 total) and began science observations • 10-m South Pole (submillimeter-wave) Telescope • First light - February 17, 2007; successful scientific observations of Sunyaev-Zel’dovich effect through austral winter seasons of 2007 & 2008 • BICEP – Gravitational Wave Background Telescope • Successful observations of CMB polarization through austral winters of 2007 & 2008 • PLATO at Dome A • Successful site-testing experiment (2008 winter) to identify percentage and duration of dark time for optical astronomy & sky's transmission at 660GHz

3. In red - approximate instrumented volume as of Feb 2008, e.g. 40 of the planned 70-80 strings. Science requirement: 1 km3 detector volume Science Exploitation is Underway! Recent Accomplishment - IceCube Neutrino Observatory 40 • Excellent Progress in 2007/08 • 40 DOM strings now in place • Science operations and scientific research have begun • New window on the universe is now open! μ  →  

4. 10m SPT Concluding its Second Year of Operations • 10m Sub-millimeter South Pole Telescope • Recommended in 2001 Decadal Survey as Moderate Initiative ($50M) • Funded in August 2002, first light in February 2007 • Confirmed viability of SZ survey strategy and began survey of galaxy clusters • Testing various cosmological models for origin and early history of the Universe • Searching for Dark Energy equation • SZE of the Bullet Cluster (1E0657-56) at 150 GHz showing its total energy distribution in astounding details • This is the hottest known collision of two different clusters of galaxies occurred about 150 million years ago

6. Gravitational Wave Background Telescope BICEP • In 2007-2008, produces CMB polarization maps of unprecedented sensitivity, achieving noise levels well below 1 mK in 1-deg pixels • E-mode polarization, which arises from well-known physics in the early Universe, is plainly visible at these maps • B-mode polarization is expected to be far fainter still - none is apparent in these maps • BICEP2/SPUD was funded in FY08; to be deployed in Dec 2009 and observe up to 2012 • Maps of CMB temperature (left) and CMB polarization (right) of deepest BICEP observations • BICEP’s high sensitivity illustrated by very low residuals in the 100-150 GHz difference map (bottom left), which allows observations 100x fainter in degree-scale E-mode polarization pattern (right) • These are the first high signal-to-noise maps of CMB polarization at which the signature of Inflation may appear in B-mode polarization

7. PLATO at Antarctic highest (4-km) Dome A • Joint Australian – Chinese – USA project • Total 3.5 GB of data were transmitted via Iridium modem provided by USAP • Fully autonomous module powered by two Stirling engines, deployed by a 1300-km traverse from coastal Chinese station Zhongshan in January 2008 • Worked 205 days - a new record for a high power remote observatory in Antarctica • Chinese Small Telescope Array (CSTAR) is composed of 4 identical telescopes with an aperture 145 mm and a 4.5°×4.5° field-of-view to observe variable stars and measure atmosphere extinction and sky brightness • Pre-HEAT - a prototype for the High Elevation Antarctic Terahertz submillimeter-wave (660 GHz) telescope to measure the transparency of the sky above Dome A • Surface layer Non-Doppler Acoustic Radar (SNODAR) is designed to measure the height and intensity of the atmospheric boundary layer on the Antarctic plateau Dome A Surface Layer Experiment (DASLE) GATTINI cameras - optical sky brightness, cloud cover, airglow

8. Long-Duration Ballooning from McMurdo August 1988 – first MOA signed between NASA and NSF - one LDB launch every two years beginning in January 1990 - 22 long-duration balloon payloads flown from McMurdo between 1990 and 2003 (~1.7 flights per year) Sep 2003 – second MOA signed between NASA and NSF (expires March 31, 2009) - two launches per year beginning in December 2003 - 12 long-duration balloon payloads flown from McMurdo between 2003 and 2008 2007/08 - first time 3 payloads flown in one season Total – 34 payloads funded by NASA; 6 – NSF co-funded Sep 2008 - Mar 2009 – discussions underway toward third MOA FY07 - ANITA Flight Tracks 35 days, 3 ½ circumnavigations • CREAM: record 42 days • flight in FY05; 3 circumnavs • FY05, FY06, FY08: • 99 days of cumulative flight!

9. USAP Challenges in Astronomy & Astrophysics General – Budget Challenges for NSF and USAP in particular • FY08 flat from FY07; and FY09 flat at least through 6 Mar 09; FY10??? South Pole – three cutting-edge astrophysical projects, focused on CMB studies and neutrino physics: • Astrophysical research of this kind requires significant logistical support (LC-130 flights, fuel, large teams on the ice in summer, etc.) • M&O and Research funding challenges for long term support of this kind of science • Data transmission challenges • NSF working with NASA to explore options but … McMurdo – NASA’s highly successful Long Duration Balloon Program • Current MOU ends March 2009; discussions underway for follow-on • Logistical support to meet NASA’s LDB launch goals • Challenging environmental issues with balloons recovery