Progress on Post-CARA Entity

Recognized need for an umbrella organization

• International partners need U.S. organization
• Management of resources must be scientifically driven

PCE: Projects under the umbrella organization

• International major projects:
  • IR program
  • large aperture submm-wave telescope, 10-m proposal
  • ICE-CUBE
• Existing projects
  • AMANDA
    • Deep Ice NSF-STC proposal
  • CARA
    • AST/RO, VIPER, DASI, (AASTO)
  • Individual NSF-OPP PI projects

PCE: Update since last year

• Major outreach to community at 1998 June San Diego AAS meeting with workshop on the "Future of Antarctic Astrophysics"
  • mixed reaction from community
  • access to site being most serious drawback
• Interim OPP director & DASI difficulties hampered progress, at least our spirits
• 10-m proposal turned down

PCE: Current Status

• Serious talks between AMANDA and CARA
• Discussions regarding management provided by SSEC at Madison (Space Science and Engineering Center)
  • Preserve polar operation knowledge, Yerkes people.
  • Build on strong ties between CARA and AMANDA
• New pro-active OPP director, Carl Erb
  • "clear" message from OPP to pursue PCE and to help manage scientific support
  • peer reviewed projects, with input from NSF-AST, -PHY etc.

PCE: Plan

• CARA & AMANDA develop strawman organization to
  • meet needs and concerns of principals
  • allow peer review of all projects
  • community input into future directions
  • support small projects while facilitating large projects
  • provide mechanism to allow fair access (not a closed shop)
• Encourage C. Erb to hold OPP sponsored workshop later this year on the management of science at the Pole
  • present CARA/AMANDA plan at workshop
• Prepare proposal for new entity for June 2000 submission