The Decadal Survey in Astronomy and Astrophysics 2020 (Astro 2020)

National Academy Of Sciences, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

For the last 60 years, at about ten-year intervals, the astronomy community has carried out assessments of the field that establish priorities for investment and future development in the discipline. These studies, known as "decadal surveys", rely on broad community input to identify compelling scientific opportunities, defining and ranking the tools and resources necessary to realize them. This award to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NAS) provides the NSF contribution for carrying out the next such survey, which is also supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Department of Energy Office of High Energy Physics. The survey will be organized and conducted in a collaboration between the Board on Physics and Astronomy and the Space Studies Board. The study will assess progress and developments in astronomy and astrophysics (A&A) over the past decade, explore promising new directions for the period 2022-2033, and assess the state of the profession, making recommendations to address outstanding issues. The decadal report resulting from this activity will provide clear and broad guidance to those within these disciplines, to policymakers, and to other interested parties. Like its predecessors, it will be invaluable in guiding federal investments in the highest scientific priorities, as determined by community consensus. In addition, helping to determine the key questions at the frontiers of the field, and the tools and methods needed, can lead to fresh insights and new perspectives on compelling new areas of the science. Assessing the state of the profession and providing recommendations to address outstanding issues will positively impact the environment in which this research takes place. The report will identify new directions and the facilities needed, formulate guidelines for advancing science in the United States and abroad, and serve as a valuable resource for those outside the fields of A&A, including the general public, to learn about recent advances and future directions. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.