Periodic Reporting for period 4 - PRE-EST (Preparatory Phase for the European Solar Telescope)
Período documentado: 2021-10-01 hasta 2022-09-30
The EST inclusion in the 2016 ESFRI roadmap favoured the beginning of its Preparatory Phase. Relevant actions have been taken in order to provide the EST consortium and their funding agencies with a detailed EST implementation plan. Thus, PRE-EST key goals are:
1. explore possible legal frameworks and related governance schemes to jointly establish, construct and operate EST
2. explore funding schemes and sources for EST
3. compare the possible sites for EST in the Canary Islands Observatories and prepare site agreements
4. engage funding agencies and policy makers for commitment which guarantees the construction and operation of EST
5. involve industry in the EST design
6. enhance and intensify outreach activities and strategic links with national agencies and the EST users
EST’s main mission is to closely observe the sun. This observation of solar processes depends on instrumentation which can deliver data with the greatest detail. By peering into the physical mechanisms of the solar atmosphere, down to the smallest possible detail, EST will address long-standing questions: the structure and evolution of solar magnetic fields, including sunspots; the emergence of magnetic fields through the solar surface; the dynamics and heating of the chromosphere; the trigger mechanism of flares and the magnetic coupling of the solar atmosphere. These studies are crucial to understand the modulation of the properties of the interplanetary medium by the solar activity and will improve our knowledge of space weather and its impact on the Earth’s environment.
1. explore possible legal frameworks and related governance schemes to jointly establish, construct and operate EST
2. explore funding schemes and sources for EST
3. compare the possible sites for EST in the Canary Islands Observatories and prepare site agreements
4. engage funding agencies and policy makers for commitment which guarantees the construction and operation of EST
5. involve industry in the EST design
6. enhance and intensify outreach activities and strategic links with national agencies and the EST users
EST’s main mission is to closely observe the sun. This observation of solar processes depends on instrumentation which can deliver data with the greatest detail. By peering into the physical mechanisms of the solar atmosphere, down to the smallest possible detail, EST will address long-standing questions: the structure and evolution of solar magnetic fields, including sunspots; the emergence of magnetic fields through the solar surface; the dynamics and heating of the chromosphere; the trigger mechanism of flares and the magnetic coupling of the solar atmosphere. These studies are crucial to understand the modulation of the properties of the interplanetary medium by the solar activity and will improve our knowledge of space weather and its impact on the Earth’s environment.
Important advances have been done during the project for making EST a reality, due to the involvement of all partners and groups of internal and external stakeholders.
Since the establishment of the Board of Directors (BoD), with representatives of the EST partner institutions and funding and governmental agencies, decisions have been made in the selection and development of the legal figures for the construction, operation and the interim phases.
After a comparative analysis, the EST Board agreed that the ERIC is the most appropriate legal figure for construction and operation phases. During this period an important effort has been done for the development of the ERIC legal structure and financial schemes. Its statutes and related documentation have been developed and reviewed internally and externally, and are ready for application once the needed national ministries commitment will be reached. In order to guarantee the financial feasibility of EST, partners and participating national agencies have been boosting the involvement of national funding authorities for the inclusion of EST in their National Roadmaps.
An Interim Phase will start at the beginning of 2023 that will be a bridge towards Construction Phase. A Canarian Foundation (CF) has been selected as the interim legal entity that will be established until readiness for an ERIC legal entity is achieved. EST-CF legal documentation and financial schemes have been produced and approved at the BoD meetings.
The EST Project Office (PO) main goal is to get ready for the construction and operation of EST in an optimal way. The PO has worked side by side with the advisory teams to define the technical requirements of the telescope based on the scientific requirements.
After several interactions with the International Scientific Committee (CCI) of the Canarian Observatories the site for the construction of EST at the Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory (La Palma, Canary Islands) was approved. This important milestone opened the door for the fine-tuning and optimisation of the telescope building and services during the EST preparatory phase.
The telescope design has been improved. It now includes a modern large (800 mm diameter) adaptive secondary mirror. EST will be the first solar telescope to incorporate such an innovative technology. Science benchmark has been carried and EU experts have worked together analysing the final scientific requirements for EST. The outcome has provided more precise estimates of the capabilities of EST to address key science issues.
Following these combined works, the instrument suite has been revised. Different instruments consortia have been created to include the most modern technologies.
An important advance has been done to involve EU industry in this phase, defining collaboration agreements and working on the preparation of the resolved and upcoming industrial calls for tenders. The preliminary design of telescope systems has also been carried out through own work and dedicated open calls for tender. The granted companies have made a significant progress towards the definition of the telescope.
Finally, important efforts have been deployed to maintain EST’s pan-European communication strategy. The EST Communication Office has directly performed or coordinated a wide range of activities to reach relevant stakeholders. Through these activities, the project has also approached new audiences, such as amateur astronomers, the educational community and the ESFRI community, broadening its reach and achieving an effective communication of the relevance of EST.
Since the establishment of the Board of Directors (BoD), with representatives of the EST partner institutions and funding and governmental agencies, decisions have been made in the selection and development of the legal figures for the construction, operation and the interim phases.
After a comparative analysis, the EST Board agreed that the ERIC is the most appropriate legal figure for construction and operation phases. During this period an important effort has been done for the development of the ERIC legal structure and financial schemes. Its statutes and related documentation have been developed and reviewed internally and externally, and are ready for application once the needed national ministries commitment will be reached. In order to guarantee the financial feasibility of EST, partners and participating national agencies have been boosting the involvement of national funding authorities for the inclusion of EST in their National Roadmaps.
An Interim Phase will start at the beginning of 2023 that will be a bridge towards Construction Phase. A Canarian Foundation (CF) has been selected as the interim legal entity that will be established until readiness for an ERIC legal entity is achieved. EST-CF legal documentation and financial schemes have been produced and approved at the BoD meetings.
The EST Project Office (PO) main goal is to get ready for the construction and operation of EST in an optimal way. The PO has worked side by side with the advisory teams to define the technical requirements of the telescope based on the scientific requirements.
After several interactions with the International Scientific Committee (CCI) of the Canarian Observatories the site for the construction of EST at the Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory (La Palma, Canary Islands) was approved. This important milestone opened the door for the fine-tuning and optimisation of the telescope building and services during the EST preparatory phase.
The telescope design has been improved. It now includes a modern large (800 mm diameter) adaptive secondary mirror. EST will be the first solar telescope to incorporate such an innovative technology. Science benchmark has been carried and EU experts have worked together analysing the final scientific requirements for EST. The outcome has provided more precise estimates of the capabilities of EST to address key science issues.
Following these combined works, the instrument suite has been revised. Different instruments consortia have been created to include the most modern technologies.
An important advance has been done to involve EU industry in this phase, defining collaboration agreements and working on the preparation of the resolved and upcoming industrial calls for tenders. The preliminary design of telescope systems has also been carried out through own work and dedicated open calls for tender. The granted companies have made a significant progress towards the definition of the telescope.
Finally, important efforts have been deployed to maintain EST’s pan-European communication strategy. The EST Communication Office has directly performed or coordinated a wide range of activities to reach relevant stakeholders. Through these activities, the project has also approached new audiences, such as amateur astronomers, the educational community and the ESFRI community, broadening its reach and achieving an effective communication of the relevance of EST.
Under a technical point of view, and after the changes introduced in the telescope design and instrumentation, EST is a state-of-the-art facility that uses the most recent advances which, in turn, will lead to a more efficient scientific facility to accomplish its science objectives. Key elements have been designed within PRE-EST with the goal of having the complete final construction proposal during the Interim Phase.
Benefits in terms of capacity and capability enhancement, as well as direct economic and indirect societal impacts are also expected. EST will generate positive impacts at medium and long term in aspects such as education and economy. The technology required to make EST happen will be developed all over Europe, favouring new jobs and industry as it goes along.
These new technology and innovation opportunities will directly bring about 200 M€ for the construction of EST, besides the operation costs (6% of the construction costs over 30 years lifetime), and will have a ripple effect over other economic activities (technical supplies, basic support infrastructures, maintenance service, tourism, start-up’s, spin-off’s ...). At local and European level, it is expected also a considerable increase in training activities related to solar physics research.
As part of the backbone of the ERA, EST will be a driver for the economic development of the countries involved in its construction, favouring the creation of more competitive economies and boosting economic recovery in times of crisis by revitalising the economy. The engineering works required to make EST happen are going to be developed all over Europe. High technology jobs will be created as a result of the progress of EST.
Therefore, we can conclude that the socio-economic impact of the European Solar Telescope, both regionally and internationally, is so positive that now is the right time to join forces and make EST a reality.
Benefits in terms of capacity and capability enhancement, as well as direct economic and indirect societal impacts are also expected. EST will generate positive impacts at medium and long term in aspects such as education and economy. The technology required to make EST happen will be developed all over Europe, favouring new jobs and industry as it goes along.
These new technology and innovation opportunities will directly bring about 200 M€ for the construction of EST, besides the operation costs (6% of the construction costs over 30 years lifetime), and will have a ripple effect over other economic activities (technical supplies, basic support infrastructures, maintenance service, tourism, start-up’s, spin-off’s ...). At local and European level, it is expected also a considerable increase in training activities related to solar physics research.
As part of the backbone of the ERA, EST will be a driver for the economic development of the countries involved in its construction, favouring the creation of more competitive economies and boosting economic recovery in times of crisis by revitalising the economy. The engineering works required to make EST happen are going to be developed all over Europe. High technology jobs will be created as a result of the progress of EST.
Therefore, we can conclude that the socio-economic impact of the European Solar Telescope, both regionally and internationally, is so positive that now is the right time to join forces and make EST a reality.