About NAOC
1. History, Mission and Organizations
The National Astronomical Observatories (NAOC) were officially founded in April 2001 through the merger of four observatories, three observing stations and one research center, all of which were sub-organizations of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). NAOC is headquartered in Beijing and there are four subordinate units distributed across the country: Yunnan Observatory (YNAO); Nanjing Institute of Astronomical Optics and Technology (NIAOT); Urumqi Observatory (UAO); and Changchun Observatory. Purple Mountain Observatory (PMO) and Shanghai Astronomical Observatory (SHAO) are separate institutes of CAS, but are subject to coordinated academic strategies and research policies of NAOC.
Aiming at the forefront of astronomy and astrophysics and making outstanding contributions toward understanding the Universe, NAOC operates major national facilities, develops astronomy–oriented state-of-the-art tehonology, and conducts cutting-edge astronomical studies. Besides researches that yield profound insights in astronomy and cosmology, technological innovations and specific inventions linked with new astrophysical visions are also an integral part of the mission of NAOC.
Distribution of the National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of sciences
Under the mission, fourteen research groups have been organized based on different fields. One scientific and application center of lunar and deepspace exploration was established in 2003. In addition to the research groups and center, NAOC operates 6 laboratories (including 3 CAS Key Laboratories: Optical Astronomy, Astronomical Optics and Technology, and Solar Activity) and 6 major observing stations. Those stations are: Xinglong Station, Hebei Province；Huairou Station, Beijing Municipality；Miyun Station, Beijing Municipality；Urumqi Nanshan Station, Xinjiang Autonomous Region; Lijiang Gaomeigu Station, Yunnan Province；and Changchun Jingyuetan Station, Jilin Province.
The number of staff affiliated with NAOC is 585, among those there are 5 Academicians of CAS, 80 Research Professors, and 140 Associate Research Professors. In addition, there are 22 Postdoctoral Research Fellows under training. Currently, 146 Doctoral students and 241 Master students are enrolled in the graduate program of NAOC. Each year there are more than 100 visiting scientists and technologists working at NAOC.
2. Research and Accomplishments
Main research fields of NAOC cover a broad spectrum of topics, on scales from planets, stars, galaxies, to the Universe. Anually, NAOC researchers publish about 350 refereed papers (more than 250 in SCI/EI journals), and a few new patents are issued.
The past years have witnessed great advance in the development of NAOC. Seven National Awards have been awarded to researchers at NAOC for excellence in astronomy research and related technological innovation. Showcased below are some of the achievements that have been awarded in recent years. “Probing the Mass Distribution of the Universe With Graviational Lensing” found a steep mass profile toward the central regions of clusters of galaxes, used the statistic properties of giant arcs as a probe to measure the cosmic density parameter and cosmologcal constant, and discovered a mass dicrepancy in the central cores of clusters between gravitational lensing and conventional method. “Explore the Magnetic Fields of our Milky Way Galaxy” has revealed the properties and structures of the Galactic magnetic fields, and has greatly enriched our knowledge of dynamics of interstellar medium, star formation, origin and transportation of cosmic rays. “The Study of Galactic Chemical Evolution Through Stellar Abundances” indicates that Galactic evolution is accompanied by complicated physical processes, and En route, a new formula for calculating the non local thermal equilibrium effect of neutral hydrogen collisions is given for the first time, which dramatically improves the accuracy of abundance determination of several specific elements.
NAOC is also invloved and plays an important role in China’s Lunar Exploration Program. The ground segment for data, science and applications is built and operated by NAOC. The 50-m and 40-m radio telescopes serve as data downlink stations; both two and another NAOC’s radio telescope in Urumqi are in the VLBI network. China’s first lunar map is also constructed at NAOC.
NAOC established and published an international refereed journal Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics (RAA), previously Chinese Journal of Astronomy and Astrophysics (ChJAA). The journal has been included in the Science Citation Index (SCI) since 2005, and gains greater influence among the international astronomical community, as demonstrated by its evergrowing increase of impact factor.
3. Facilities
NAOC constructs and operates a wide variety of instruments including a 2.4-m optical telescope, a 2.16-m aperture reflector telescope, a multiple-tube solar magnetograph, two 50-m and 40-m radio telescopes, just to name a few.
A national large-scale science project, Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopy Telescope (LAMOST) was completed in 2008, and is now in the commission period. The innovative concept and technology development (active optics for both thin mirror and segmented mirror on the Schmidt corrector MA, parallel controllable fiber positioning system) make it feasible to fulfill the requirements of a large aperture and a wide field of view (FOV) simultaneously. Equipped with this large FOV optics and up to 4000 fibers on the focal plane, this 4.8m/6.1m meridian reflecting Schmidt telescope promises an unparalleled observing efficiency and a wealth of new discoveries. It will prove invaluabe in understanding the structure and evolution of the universe, and of our own Galaxy as well.
The official ground-breaking ceremonies of another national large-scale science project, Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST), took place in late 2008. When finished, it will be the world’s largest single-dish radio telescope. It will provide astronomers the otherwise unattainable tools and resources to detect galaxies at unprecedented distances and faint fast-period pulsars.
The 21 Centimeter Array (21CMA) has been formally in operation since 2007, The array consisting of 81 pods along two perpendicular arms (6km+4km) allows us to reach an angular resolution of 4 arcmin and a sensitivity of about 1 mK per day. Detection of 21 cm emission/absorption signatures of neutral hydrogen at z=6-50 against cosmic microwave background will provide a unique tool for study of formation of first stars/QSOs in the universe, for understanding of reionization histories and for mapping of 3D matter distribution at high redshifts. 21CMA is regarded as a pioneer project among the international efforts for this purpose. Besides, 21CMA can also be used for radio detection of tau neutrinos.
NAOC has also made steady progress in space mission program. NAOC initiated the Chinese-French Space Variable Object Monitor (SVOM) mission, a multi-band Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB) project. It is designed to detect about 80 GRBs of all known types per year, including those at very high redshift. NAOC is also a major partner of World Space Observatory – Ultraviolet (WSO-UV), and in particular, is responsible for designing and constructing the Long Slit Spectrograph on board the satellite. With the capability in the UV domain, Chinese astronomers are especially interested in the study of the reionization and the formation of large scale structure, and atmospheric composition of extrasolar planets.
Since the Chinese exploration team reached Dome A, the highest point of the Antarctic ice cap, in 2005, China shows its aspiration to build an Antarctica station and carry out related scientific researches. NAOC and PMO had led a comprehensive site evaluation of Dome A. Based on the results, Dome A may boast the best observational conditions on earth. China is planning to establish observation platforms and build optical/infrared wide field survey and sub-millimeter/THz telescopes on Dome A. These facilities will provide a critical opportunity to address the nature of dark matter and dark energy, search for extrasolar planets and supernovae, and monitor transient objects, etc.
In planning future large facilities, apart from the Chinese Antarctic Observatory, NAOC and the Chinese astronomical community has reached the concensus that China should join the international efforts in building next generation 30m Class Telescopes. This will help promote Chinese astronomical scientific and technical research and cultivate next generation of Chinese astronomers. Chinese astronomers and technical experts alike are working together to advance the project.
4. International Collaborations
Fruitful international collaborations have been well established between international astronomical communities and NAOC. For example, the success of the Dome A Robotic Observatory is a joint effort of China, Australia and the US; a Sino-German 6cm polarization radio survey of the Galactic Plane is in the productive mission phase; an international laboratory was jointly launched between China and France to tackle the astrophysical origins of matter and life in the universe.
NAOC is committed to consolidate existing scientific and technical collaborations and initiate new high-level research partnerships (from individual to institution level). Specific attention will be on, but is not limited to, key projects, such as collaborations on LAMOST survey, construction of large astronomical facilities (e.g. the successful startup of FAST), and possible collaborations on 30m class telescopes (e.g., GMT, TMT, and E-ELT).
5. Summary and Outlook
During the last decade, NAOC has experienced enormous advances, among which the most significant progress is reflected by the construction and development of large astronomical facilities. Ground-based and space facilities have been or are planned to be built in recent years, e.g., LAMOST, FAST, 21CMA, and WSO. Future large astronomical projects will put even more emphasis on international collaborations; perspective, advice and input from international colleagues are appreciated.