Prior to the open solicitation of proposals from the astronomical community during the regular observing cycles, SOFIA will have a brief period during which scientific observations will be interspersed with observatory development. The purpose of this period is to demonstrate the scientific potential of SOFIA by obtaining scientific results, using the first two science instruments (currently expected to be FORCAST and GREAT), without disrupting the development schedule unduly. The astronomical community will be invited to participate in a limited way in these observations.
This Early Science period will be divided into two phases called Short Science and Basic Science . During the Short Science phase, there will be an opportunity for a limited number of community scientists to join the Short Science teams (led by the two science instrument team PIs) in planning the small number of available observing flights and analyzing the resulting data sets. (The community scientists will not participate in the actual flights themselves.) During this phase the instrument modes will be restricted and neither the instruments nor the observatory may be fully characterized. The Short Science phase will most likely consist of two sets of observing flights, one for each science instrument; each set of flights will probably last about 2 weeks.
During the Basic Science phase, there will be an opportunity for General Investigators to propose a broader science project using one of the two Early Science instruments. This project would be led by the General Investigator and his selected team and could require up to 3 months worth of science flights. The observations conducted as part of the Basic Science project will be carried out by the science instrument team with support from the SOFIA staff. A single Basic Science project will be selected from the submitted proposals.
The Call for Proposals for the Short Science phase will be released in the Summer of 2008. The Call for Proposals for the Basic Science phase will be shortly afterward. The observations for the Short Science phase will occur in early Spring 2009 and those for the Basic Science phase will occur in Summer 2009.
More information about SOFIA Short Science.
Note: The following is tentative. Given the Early Science phase described above, it has not yet been decided whether the transitional (shared-risk) period described below is still necessary before regular observing begins.
Philosophy and Policies
During the first year of SOFIA operations, observing time available to General Investigators will be limited, primarily due to the need for time to carry out extensive engineering tests and commissioning of the aircraft, the telescope, and the instruments. These requirements will ultimately set the schedule during this first year. The Observatory Director is currently planning to reserve about 200 hours for GI observations in the first year. (Since SOFIA will fly only once a week during the first year, for about 8 hours each flight, this corresponds to about 6 months.) However, because this time is limited and subject to changes in the schedule necessary for engineering tests, it is being offered to the community on a ``shared-risk'' basis. Potential observers should keep in mind that the capabilities of both the instruments and the observatory may be somewhat uncertain at the time the first Call for Proposals is issued. We emphasize the ``shared-risk'' nature of this cycle by labelling it Cycle 0. Note, however, that proposals for Cycle 0 will not be due before SOFIA has been certified for science flight operations and observatory and instrument performance information are posted on the web. This is tentatively scheduled for January 2010, which is when proposals for Cycle 0 will be due. The current schedule is given below.
Any astonomer may submit a proposal in response to the Cycle 0 Call for Proposals. Proposals which best demonstrate and highlight SOFIA's capabilities and its complementarity to existing ground- and space-based observatories, while simultaneously setting forth scientifically-worthwhile projects, will be given preference. The time granted to any single proposal will be limited to about 8-10 hours. GIs will not be allowed to propose observations of objects on the Reserved Target List. There will be some funding available to the GIs of accepted Cycle 0 proposals.
Operations
SOFIA will offer access to two facility-class (FSI) and two principal-investigator-class (PSI/SSI) instruments during Cycle 0. (See the instrument section below for definitions of these terms.) The Facility Instruments will most likely be FLITECAM and FORCAST. The SSI will be HIPO; the PSI will be one of the German instruments (either GREAT or FIFI-LS). However, the final decision regarding instrument availability will be made at the time the Call for Proposals is issued. Because of the compressed schedule for the first observing cycle, observers will be given only short notice of the allocation and scheduling of their observing time. Therefore advanced preparation will be crucial for successful operations.
Astronomers requesting observations with FSIs during Cycle 0 are strongly encouraged (but are not required to) to contact the FSI team prior to submitting a proposal and consider collaborating with them. All investigators requesting observations with PSIs must collaborate with the PSIs teams during Cycle 0 and all subsequent observing cycles.
All observations in Cycle 0 will be taken in Visitor mode. Service mode observations will not be allowed during Cycle 0. GIs will not be allowed to submit ToO proposals in response to the Cycle 0 Call for Proposals.
The tentative schedule for Cycle 0 is given below.
