Herschel Space Observatory and The NASA Herschel Science Center at IPAC George Helou

1. Herschel Space Observatory and The NASA Herschel Science Center at IPAC • George Helou • Implementing “Portals to the Universe” Report April, 2012

2. [OIII] 88 mm z = 3.04 Herschel: Cornerstone FIR/Submm Observatory • Three instruments: imaging at {70, 100, 160}, {250, 350 and 500} µm; spectroscopy: grating [55-210]µm, FTS [194-672]µm, Heterodyne [157-625]µm; bolometers, Gephotoconductors, SIS mixers; 3.5m primary at ambient T • ESA mission with significant NASA contributions, May 2009 – February 2013 [+/-months] cold

3. Herschel Mission Parameters • Userbase • International; most investigator teams are international • Program Model • Observatory with Guaranteed Time and competed Open Time • ESA “Corner Stone Mission” (>$1B) with significant NASA contributions • NASA Herschel Science Center (NHSC) supports US community • Proposals/cycle (2 Regular Open Time cycles) • Submissions run 500 to 600 total, with >200 with US-based PI (~x3.5) • Users/cycle • US-based co-Investigators >500/cycle on >100 proposals • Funding Model • NASA funds US data analysis based on ESA time allocation • Default Proprietary Data Period • 6 months now, 1 year at start of mission

4. Best Practices: International Collaboration • Approach to projects led elsewhere needs to be designed carefully • NHSC Charter remains firstly to support US community • But ultimately success of THE mission helps everyone • Need to express “dual allegiance” well and early to lead/other centers • NHSC became integral part of the larger team, worked for Herschel success, though focused on US community participation • Working closely with US community reveals needs and gaps for all users • Anything developed by NHSC is available to all users of Herschel • Trust follows from good teaming: E.g. NHSC scientists contributed half the technical reviews of proposals • Mantra of “learn by helping” was seen by all as win-win • NHSC helps with tasks that generate insight into instruments, software, workings of system • That insight proved essential to effective user support

5. Best Practices: User Support Targeting • User Support has different emphases at different mission phases • Need to target messages, medium, mode of support to each phase • Start early to make sure potential users understand how to use it • Provide same tools for the whole spectrum of users, GTO - GO – Archival • Talk to non-GTO early: they will have different takes and needs • Aim support at non-specialists: the whole community is potentially interested, if properly engaged, and will enrich the science • Herschel payoff was high access for US community (48.5% of time) • NHSC User Support model was ahead of EU effort, especially pre-Launch • NHSC worked with HSC to deploy model in EU, e.g. Data Analysis Workshops • User surveys using mail-in questionnaires, informal data gathering

6. Best Practices: User Support Evolution • Example #1: As US-based Herschel users grew in number, the model of hosting teams to support their data analysis became unworkable • Success rate of US PI and co-I teams 2-3x anticipated rates for “Key Projects,” OT1, OT2 • NHSC response: • Organize hands-on data reduction workshops, 20-40 participants each • Take those sessions onto the web with webinar technology • Schedule remote help sessions, and provide self-paced web-tutorials • Example #2: Hardware requirements for reducing large data sets exceeded by far anticipated sizing, to well beyond what most investigator teams could afford to buy • NHSC Response: • Set up dedicated well-sized hardware to be reserved & used remotely • A “virtual machine” (private, secure environment) is deployed for each team for days to weeks, then destroyed

7. Best Practices: Build on Other Missions • From Spitzer: • Observation Planning Tool Spot became H-Spot (now also SOFIA-Spot) • Team structure within NHSC: Combined scientists + engineers • User interactions: Start Panel early, diversify it, listen hard in other forums! • Data Analysis Funding scheme and policies: RSA, formulas, priority levels for uncertain cryo-mission duration • ISO • Collaboration model: “learn by helping” • Resident US Astronomer at Herschel Science Center • Background estimator, other tools adapted for Spitzer, then for Herschel • IPAC environment, team member progression to new projects help • New missions still need to work hard at not re-inventing the wheel

8. From Portals to the Universe: The NASA Astronomy Science Centers (NRC Report, 2007) “Successful research using archival data sets is dependent on the resident expertise and corporate memory that resides at the science centers.”

9. BACK-UP SLIDES

10. IPAC: The Infrared Processing and Analysis Center • IPAC started out as the NASA center of science, operations and data expertise for IR-submm astrophysics, then Exoplanet Science was added: • Carries out challenging data processing tasks essential to the science return from large astronomy projects • All-sky surveys, Great Observatories • Supports NASA Astrophysics missions as a Science Center • Interfaces between project and astronomical community • Manages science programs on behalf of NASA • Conducts efficient, science-centered operations • Develops, maintains science data archives, access and analysis tools • Integrates literature and survey data into thematic knowledge bases • Conducts education and outreach efforts aimed at the general public • IPAC addresses the Astro2010 and NASA Astrophysics Themes • NEW WORLDS (Exoplanet Exploration) • COSMIC DAWN (Cosmic Origins) • PHYSICS OF THE UNIVERSE (Physics of the Cosmos)

11. “The Greater IPAC” Unique Caltech/NASA partnership to provide a national resource: science operations and community support for NASA projects • Infrared Processing and Analysis Center (1984) • George Helou, Director • David Imel, Manager • NHSC (NASA Herschel SciCtr) & Planck US data center • Planck Data Processing Ctr • WISE science data processing • NASA’s IR/submm astronomy science archive center (IRSA) • Science/Data services: NED,VAO • EPO focus on IR astronomy • IPAC is administrative home for SSC and NExScI • Spitzer Science Center (1997) • Tom Soifer, Director • Lisa Storrie-Lombardi, Mngr • Develops and conducts Spitzer Science Operations • Gathers and manages the science program, including proposal calls & selection • Secures & disseminates the scientific legacy of Spitzer • Provides technical support and Data Analysis Funding to all Spitzer users • Spitzer EPO, PA (with JPL) • NASA Exoplanet • Science Institute (2000) • Chas Beichman, Director • David Imel, Manager • NASA’s Science Center for ExoPlanet science and community support • Kepler Science Analysis System (KSAS) • Science operations support, archiving for Keck • Time Allocation and Data Analysis funding for NASA Keck share and for LBT-I • ExoPArch, Sagan Program