The committee addresses several structural issues in ground-based astronomy and astrophysics.

• U.S. ground-based optical and infrared facilities, radio facilities, and solar facilities should each be viewed by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the astronomical community as a single integrated system drawing on both federal and nonfederal funding sources. Effective national organizations are essential to coordinate, and to ensure the success and efficiency of, these systems. Universities and independent observatories should work with the national organizations to ensure the success of these systems.

• Cross-disciplinary competitive reviews should be held about every 5 years for all NSF astronomy facilities. In these reviews, it should be standard policy to set priorities and consider possible closure or privatization.

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) and the National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center (NAIC) currently serve as effective national organizations for radio astronomy, and the National Solar Observatory (NSO) does so for solar physics. The National Optical Astronomy Observatories (NOAO) as currently functioning and overseen does not fulfill this role for ground-based optical and infrared astronomy. A plan for the transition of NOAO to an effective national organization for ground-based optical and infrared astronomy should be developed, and a high-level external review, based on appropriate, explicit criteria, should be initiated.

The Department of Energy (DOE) supports a broad range of programs in particle and nuclear astrophysics and in cosmology. The scientific payoff of this effort would be even stronger with a clearly articulated strategic plan for DOE’s programs that involve astrophysics.

• Given the increasing involvement of the Department of Energy in projects that involve astrophysics, the committee recommends that DOE develop a strategic plan for astrophysics that would lend programmatic coherence and facilitate coordination and cooperation with other agencies on science of mutual interest.

Front Matter (R1-R24)

Executive Summary (1-16)

1. Recommendations (17-50)

2. The Science Behind the Recommendations (51-94)

3. The New Initiatives: Building on the Current Program (95-136)

4. Benefits to the Nation from Astronomy (137-158)

5. The Role of Astronomy in Education (159-176)

6. Policy for Astronomy and Astrophysics (177-208)

References (209-212)

Appendix: Definitions (213-228)

Index (229-246)