The Canadian Astronomical Society / Sociรฉtรฉ Canadienne d’Astronomie (CASCA)’s long-range plan for Canadian astronomy was released this month, setting out astronomical construction, observation and diversity priorities for the next decade.
The 209-page report has a plethora of recommendations meant to address the state of Canadian astronomy and how to best move forward in the coming years, but the high-level overview in this article shows what the consulted scientists recommend in the coming years. Moving forward on these recommendations will require a combination of scientific will and of funding sources, but the framework will give scientists some direction as they figure out their priorities in the next decade.
The steps CASCA recommends are meant to help address four questions for the astronomical community based on consultations and this set of white papers posted on the website:
- How did the universe begin and what is it made of? (Includes research into dark matter, dark energy, neutrinos and the expansion of the universe)
- How have stars and galaxies changed over cosmic time? (Includes the study of smaller and fainter galaxies, and the ability to study further back in the universe)
- What are the extreme conditions of the universe? (Understanding the physical limits of the universe).
- Why are planetary systems so diverse, and could other planets host life? (How planets form and evolve, the composition of exoplanets and their atmospheres, and the study of protoplanetary disks.)
Observatories are of course key to Canada’s success in gathering astronomical data to answer these four questions. Large investments (more than $30 million) should be made in the Very Large Optical Telescope and participating in Phase 1 of the Square Kilometer Array, which are in line with the 2010 version of the long-range plan when these observatories were at a less mature stage of construction, the report says. The scientists also recommend investing in the Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer and the Next Generation Very Large Array.
The report recommends more modest investments ($5 million to $30 million each) in ground-based facilities, especially in telescopes where Canada already participates: the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), the Gemini Observatory, and the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope. For new investments, CASCA recommends putting money into the Canadian Hydrogen Observatory and Radio-transient Detector (CHORD), the Cosmic Microwave Background Stage 4 experiment (CMB-S4), and the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST).
Space astronomy also cannot be neglected, and CASCA points to the Cosmological Advanced Survey Telescope for Optical and ultraviolet Research (CASTOR) as a potential, very large-scale (more than $100 million) investment the Canadian community can make. Other large ($25 million to $100 million) considerations include the Japanese-led Lite satellite and infrared astronomy, while smaller (less than $25 million) projects include the James Webb Space Telescope and the Photometric Observations of Extrasolar Planets, along with “scientific and technical participation” in working on NASA’s new flagship missions, CASCA said.
There are goals as well for growing the Canadian astronomy community. The National Research Council of Canada’s Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Centre (HAA), which operates and administers government established or maintained observatories, could use an additional $1 million annually to support early-career personnel for “scientific and operational support”, CASCA said. It also said that the National Research Council and Canadian universities should establish partnership programs for university-led initiatives and astrophysics laboratories.
Structural changes are recommended for the nearly 50-year-old Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics (CITA) at the University of Toronto. CASCA says the footprint should decentralize while growing, and calls for more theoretical research outside the University of Toronto and in diverse regions.
As expected, CASCA says there needs to be more digital research infrastructure to support expanding computing needs for astronomy. The society also calls for more equity, diversity and inclusion in astronomy and support for early-career astronomers. It further calls for more support from the Canadian government, the Association of Canadian Universities for Research in Astronomy, the Canada Foundation of Innovation and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada or NSERC (among other organizations) to assist CASCA with funding and implementing the report priorities.
CASCA makes nearly 90 recommendations spanning matters such as infrastructure, training, diversity and the other needs of astronomy, making this a comprehensive report to consult for everything from workplace culture to astronomical priorities. Some other matters addressed in the report include:
- Detailed recommendations on infrastructure and facilities to meet the science goals, including recommendations on setting the locations of the facilities and infrastructure where relevant;
- Guidelines to coordinate the various funding agencies to avoid duplication of effort;
- Recommendations to support theoretical astrophysics and to support training of new astrophysicists, such as through fellowships and expansion of postdoctoral programs;
- Observational needs across different wavelengths of light;
- Indigenous engagement to ensure meaningful participation by that important community.