FY 1998 NSF Budget Request: Physics, Materials Research, Astronomical Sciences

This and subsequent issues of FYI will provide further details on FY 1998 budget requests of direct interest to the physics community. This FYI includes subactivitities of the National Science Foundation’s Mathematical and Physical Sciences Activity. Quotations are from NSF’s FY 1998 budget request to Congress.

PHYSICS SUBACTIVITY:

“The FY 1998 Budget Request for the Physics Subactivity is $148.22 million, an increase of $9.50 million, or 6.8%, over the FY 1997 Current Plan of $138.72 million.”

“Physics Research Project Support” would increase $2.0 million, or 2.0%, to $103.78 million. The request states: “This will provide increased support for atomic, molecular, optical, and plasma physics; biological physics; and astrophysics. It also supports research activities pursuant to the Large Hadron Collider project, which will enable research opportunities at the very highest energy frontier and at the most fundamental level.”

“Facilities” funding would increase $7.50 million, or 20.3%, to $44.44 million. The request states: “This includes support for initial LIGO commissioning and operations. The increment will allow continuation of the upgrade to the NSCL [Michigan State University National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory] which will increase luminosities by a factor of 100-1000, making possible forefront research in nuclear astrophysics and in the physics of exotic nuclei not found in nature.”

The budget request states: “This year will see the completion of the five-year luminosity upgrade of the CESR [Cornell Electron Storage Ring] facility, and the NSCL will be in the second year of a five-year upgrade of its accelerators.” This budget cites support of the Science and Technology Center for Ultrafast Optical Science, as well as facilities at Harvard University and Indiana University, and the University of Rochester.

The request notes: “The Physics Subactivity supports research and development activities for the Laser Interferometer Gravity Wave Observatory (LIGO) project, and provides resources for the development of a users’ program at the facility. This Subactivity oversees LIGO construction, for which NSF is requesting the last installment of funding this fiscal year.” A future FYI on NSF’s Major Research Equipment request will provide further information on LIGO.

MATERIALS RESEARCH:

“The FY 1998 Budget Request for the Materials Research Subactivity is $186.31 million, an increase of $2.91 million, or 1.6%, over the FY 1997 Current Plan of $183.40 million.

“Materials Research Project Support” funding would increase $1.01 million, or 1.2%, to $84.44 million. The request states: “Special emphasis will be placed on research addressing nanostructured and self-assembling materials, instrument development, and materials simulation. Additional support will be provided to expand funding for Focused Research Groups addressing materials problems in a variety of areas.”

“Materials Research Science and & Engineering Centers” funding would increase $0.90 million, or 1.6%, to $58.93 million. The request states: “There will be an open competition for MRSECs [Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers] in FY 1998, in which existing centers will re-compete with new proposals. Emphasis will be placed on collaborative, interdisciplinary research on complex problems, the integration of research and education, partnership with industry and other sectors, and shared experimental facilities.”

“National Facilities and Instrumentation” funding would increase $1.00 million, or 2.6%, to $38.94 million. The request states: “In collaboration with the Department of Energy (DOE), DMR will provide support for the development of facilities for materials and related research at the National Spallation Neutron Source planned by DOE. Additional emphasis will be placed on the development of instrumentation for shared use, including instruments resident at major facilities supported by other federal agencies such as DOE and NIST.”

ASTRONOMICAL SCIENCES:

“The FY 1998 Budget Request for the Astronomical Sciences Subactivity is $118.82 million, an increase of $2.50 million, or 2.1%, over the FY 1997 Current Plan of $116.32 million.”

“Astronomy Research and Instrumentation” funding would increase $1.00 million, or 2.2%, to $46.02 million. The request states that this funding will “support the scientific priorities for studies in cosmology, the formation of stars and planets, and planetary atmospheres. A number of these activities include interagency partnerships. Priorities in instrumentation support will continue for the development of adaptive optics systems for moderate-aperture telescopes, particularly focusing on the search for extra-solar planets. The additional $1.0 million will be provided to support partnerships with private and state-owned optical/infrared observatories to procure and develop state-of-the-art instrumentation on the new large-aperture telescopes under construction.”

“Facilities” funding would increase $1.50 million, or 2.1%, to $72.80 million. This funding, the request explains, would be for a number or programs: "$6.26 million, an increase of $900,000 from the FY 1997 Current Plan of $5.36 million, for the Gemini Observatories to provide increased operational support for the two 8-meter telescopes currently being constructed in Hawaii and Chile by the United States and its international partners.” In addition, this facilities funding would be allocated as follows: "$8.26 million for NAIC [National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center], level with the FY 1997 Current Plan. Support will be maintained for the operation and maintenance of the renovated Arecibo Telescope and for development of instrumentation to take advantage of its new capabilities.” Also, "$28.23 million, an increase of $600,000 from the FY 1997 Current Plan of $27.63 million, for NOAO [National Optical Astronomy Observatories]. Support is provided for operations and maintenance of the unique telescopes of these observatories, including the now-operational Global Oscillation Network Group.” Finally, "$30.05 million, level with the FY 1997 Current Plan, for NRAO [National Radio Astronomy Observatory] will provide for the operations and maintenance of these unique telescopes, such as the Very Large Array and the Very Long Baseline Array, and for the development of instrumentation at the Greenbank Telescope under construction in West Virginia.”