Implementing “Portals to the Universe”, April 2012 Herschel/NHSC 1

Herschel Space Observatory and The NASA Herschel Science Center at IPAC

George Helou

Implementing “Portals to the Universe” Report April, 2012

Implementing “Portals to the Universe”, April 2012 Herschel/NHSC 2

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, Ge photoconductors, SIS mixers; 3.5m primary at ambient T

ESA mission with significant NASA contributions, May 2009 – February 2013 [+/-months] cold

[OIII] 88 mmz = 3.04

Herschel: Cornerstone FIR/Submm Observatory

Implementing “Portals to the Universe”, April 2012 Herschel/NHSC 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

Implementing “Portals to the Universe”, April 2012 Herschel/NHSC 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

Implementing “Portals to the Universe”, April 2012 Herschel/NHSC 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

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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

Implementing “Portals to the Universe”, April 2012 Herschel/NHSC 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

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.”

Implementing “Portals to the Universe”, April 2012 Herschel/NHSC 9

BACK-UP SLIDES

Implementing “Portals to the Universe”, April 2012 Herschel/NHSC 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)

Implementing “Portals to the Universe”, April 2012 Herschel/NHSC 11

“The Greater IPAC”Unique Caltech/NASA partnership to provide a national resource:

science operations and community support for NASA projects

NASA ExoplanetScience 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

Infrared Processing and Analysis Center (1984)George Helou, DirectorDavid Imel, Manager

• NHSC (NASA Herschel Sci Ctr) & 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)