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Legacy Program: Responsibilities of Investigators |
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Responsibilities of InvestigatorsThe Legacy Science teams have been established and funded well before launch. The approved teams are expected to implement a multi-year investigation of their choice, and will receive conditional funding as they proceed through the three stages of the Legacy Science Program. To proceed from one stage to another, the approved Legacy Science teams have to satisfactorily demonstrate competence in executing the tasks associated with each stage. The Spitzer Science Center assists the teams during the course of their investigations, as needed, and conducts periodic assessments of progress.
Stage OneStage One began when approved teams were initially funded in December 2000, and extends through the end of the nominal 60-day In-Orbit Checkout period, a total duration of 21 months. During this period, Legacy Science teams will revise their proposed observing plans (i.e., target lists/fields and AORs), as necessary, in response to recommendations made by the TAC and the observing time allocated by the SSC Director. The teams submitted these revisions, including unambiguous descriptions of targets/fields, to the SSC by April 2001. The teams also delivered the detailed specifications of their observations to the SSC by October 2001. [Legacy Science proposals did not need to include a full set of completed AORs at the time of proposal submission.]During Stage One, the teams will also begin to develop their project-specific post-pipeline data processing, if proposed. Finally, the teams will utilize this period to prepare for the analysis of Legacy Science data and (if proposed) begin to collect ancillary data to support their Legacy Science project. These ancillary data may involve other space-borne or ground-based observatories. Researchers may also begin planning for complementary modeling and/or simulations in support of their Legacy Science investigation.
Stage TwoStage Two begins with Spitzer's science operations phase, and extends for a period commensurate with the scope and level of activities proposed. The precise duration of this stage will depend on the nature and scheduling of the proposed observations and data processing activities associated with the project. The majority of Legacy Science projects will be executed in the first year of the Spitzer mission, and the duration of Stage Two for such projects cannot exceed two years after the launch of Spitzer. For the exceptional projects with a significant amount of second-year observations, either as a result of using second-generation observing modes or from second-look observations, the duration of Stage Two may extend for up to an additional year. This third year would be devoted primarily to producing post-pipeline data products based upon observational data taken during the second year.During Stage Two, the teams will first verify the soundness of the proposed observing strategy. This analysis will be accomplished using pipeline data products produced by the SSC (and tools developed by the teams) and products derived from observations taken as part of their Legacy Science project early in the science mission and/or the Spitzer First-Look Survey. The teams will also apply the algorithms and analysis tools developed by them and/or the SSC to the pipeline-processed data delivered to them by the SSC. If necessary, the teams will modify their observing strategies and data analysis plans, algorithms and/or analysis tools in response to on-orbit performance data. The teams will completely specify any observations utilizing the second-generation observing modes via submission of appropriate AORs. Furthermore, the teams will plan any second-look observations that are part of their approved project. Legacy Science teams will deliver any post-pipeline data products and/or software analysis tools to the SSC. Incremental versions of these products should be delivered to the SSC approximately every six months after the start of the science mission. During Stage Two, the teams will also start to extract scientific results from their data. Final data products and/or analysis tools must be delivered to the SSC by the conclusion of Stage Two, accompanied by explanatory documentation. Products based on data from first-generation observing modes should be delivered to the SSC within two years of launch, with incremental products delivered in time to affect planning for GO Cycle 2. [See nominal Spitzer science schedule.] Products based on data from second-generation observing modes (or from second-look observations, if executed in the second year of the Spitzer mission) should be delivered to the SSC within a year of the completion of the second-year observations. These data products should be delivered to the SSC no later than three years after launch, with incremental products delivered in time to affect planning for GO Cycle 3. Post-pipeline data products developed by the Legacy Science teams and delivered to the SSC will enter the public domain immediately upon SSC verification. The SSC will also verify any software analysis tools delivered by teams, assess its utility to the general user community, and plan for its release into the public domain.
Stage ThreeStage Three may extend for an additional one year, and is contingent on the successful completion of Stage Two. During Stage Three, the teams will continue to extract and publish scientific results based upon their Legacy Science data.
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on to Progress Reviews.
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help@spitzer.caltech.edu http://ssc.spitzer.caltech.edu/legacy/history/responsibilities.html
