1. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007 An Overview of the INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo Giuseppe S. Vaiana December 2007

2. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007 1790 Observatory Foundation 1923 Reduction to Univ. Observ. 1988 Again National Observatory Always hosted in Palazzo dei Normanni (Pisana Tower). The spaces shared with Astronomy Section of DSF&A are OVERCROWDED (Sept. 2002 Earthquake) ‏ A NEW BUILDING IS NEEDED SOME FUNDAMENTAL “MOMENTS”

3. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007 Programs & Projects 2004-2007 Instrumentation for Optical/IR Spectroscopy for Large Telescopes Physics of Young Stellar Physics of Young Stellar & Planetary Systems, & Planetary Systems, & Young Pop. & Young Pop. Experimental AstroBiology AstroBiology Instrumentation for X-ray Astronomy: Filters, Optics, Detectors Physics of the Sun and solar-like stars Algorithms for Analysis of Astronomy Data High Perfomance Calculation & Applications to Astrophysical Plasma High Perfomance Calculation & Applications to Astrophysical Plasma SNRs and SNs and SNRs and SNs and interaction with ISM

4. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007 Context of OAPA Research Activities Univ. Chicago: FLASH PROJECT FLASH PROJECTCINECA/INAF: KEY PROJECTS KEY PROJECTS COMETA CONS: PI2S2 PI2S2 INAF Res. Struct. INAF Res. Struct. & Community & Community CfA: CHANDRA/HRC ESA: CV Proposals ESA/ASI: XMM/EPIC PROG. PON & PRIN/COFIN ESO: FLAMES, XSHOOTER With Other INAF Res. Structures INAF Res. Struct. European Collab. ESA/NASA/ASI: SOHO UVCS CFA/NASA:XRT/HINODEYOHKOHTRACECOFIN/PRIN INAF/PRIN MARIE CURIE UE Fellowhips INT PROGs.: COUP, N1893 (Chandra) ‏ XEST, DROXO, ORION A (XMM) INAF Res. Struct. International Collaborations

5. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007 PERSONNEL: 2000 - 2007 PERSONNEL: 2000 - 2007 2 Chair (Ordinari) [but one busy in Rome] 2 Chair (Ordinari) [but one busy in Rome] 3 Senior (Associati), 8 “Junior” (Ricercatori) => 13 3 Senior (Associati), 8 “Junior” (Ricercatori) => 13 Support Personnel: 5 Administration, 2 Library, 3 Computer Services, Support Personnel: 5 Administration, 2 Library, 3 Computer Services, 3 Laboratory Support, 4 Building Maintenance & Gen. Support => 17 3 Laboratory Support, 4 Building Maintenance & Gen. Support => 17 INAF Associate : 1 Ordinario Prof., 2 Associati Prof. == > 3 INAF Associate : 1 Ordinario Prof., 2 Associati Prof. == > 3

6. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007 2007: 3 Marie Curie Fellows, 2 OAPA Post-Docs, 2 UNIPA Post- Docs, 5 Grad. Students, 3 COMETA Contracts, 3.5 OAPA Contracts,1 assigned to OAPA for the Museum ==> 19.5

7. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007 Criticalities: -) Activities & Projects must “involve” temporary personnel or Graduate Students... with too limited perspective to or Graduate Students... with too limited perspective to “stabilize” some of them and their competences “stabilize” some of them and their competences -) Too few technical/scientific personnel to devote to key -) Too few technical/scientific personnel to devote to key scientific/technological programs scientific/technological programs

8. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007 IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS ARE COVERED ONLY BY TEMPORARY STAFF OR ARE LEFT “UNCOVERED” IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS ARE COVERED ONLY BY TEMPORARY STAFF OR ARE LEFT “UNCOVERED” (e.g. Secretary, Personnel Handling, etc.) ‏ (e.g. Secretary, Personnel Handling, etc.) ‏ ADMINISTRATIVE LOAD TOO HIGH. VERY LIMITED (IF ANY) HELP FROM CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION. AS OF TODAY NO REAL CENTRALIZED SERVICE IS WORKING (for SALARIES, PENSIONS, CAREERS,ETC.). AT THE SAME TIME A “TOO STRINGENT” REMOTE “BUROCRATICAL” CONTROL HAS BEEN ATTEMPED ADMINISTRATIVE LOAD TOO HIGH. VERY LIMITED (IF ANY) HELP FROM CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION. AS OF TODAY NO REAL CENTRALIZED SERVICE IS WORKING (for SALARIES, PENSIONS, CAREERS,ETC.). AT THE SAME TIME A “TOO STRINGENT” REMOTE “BUROCRATICAL” CONTROL HAS BEEN ATTEMPED CRUCIAL IS THE IMPOSSIBILITY TO PLAN THE USE OF FUNCTIONING (including “FREE RESEARCH”) RESOURCES OVER MORE THAN ONE YEAR CRUCIAL IS THE IMPOSSIBILITY TO PLAN THE USE OF FUNCTIONING (including “FREE RESEARCH”) RESOURCES OVER MORE THAN ONE YEAR FURTHER CRITICAL ELEMENTS STILL, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONTINUE TO WORK

9. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007 OAPA Organization - 2007 DIRECTION (without secretary) ‏ Administrative Office (1 Responsible, (1 Responsible, 4 staff +1 t.p.) ‏ 4 staff +1 t.p.) ‏ OAPA STAFF (& Associate DSF&A Prof.) ‏ OAPA STAFF (& Associate DSF&A Prof.) ‏ Library Library (1.5 staff) ‏ (1.5 staff) ‏ General & Maint. Services (4 staff) ‏ General & Maint. Services (4 staff) ‏ Public Outreach Public Outreach (0.2 staff + 2 t.p. + other ext. supp.) ‏ (0.2 staff + 2 t.p. + other ext. supp.) ‏ Computer System for Research & Administration Computer System for Research & Administration (3 staff) ‏ (3 staff) ‏ Machine Shop & Laboratories (3 staff + ~ 1 t.p.) ‏ RESEARCHPROGRAMS 13 + 3 Researches, 5 + 2 Post-Docs, 5 Graduate Students RESPONSIBLES XACT: X-Ray Astrobiology Lab. SCAN: Par. Calc. 3 YEAR PLAN & YEARLY BUDGET

10. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007 Resources for ~ 20 support staff, 30 researchers, 10 students. Redundancy for high availability, extensive centralized services, and support. “Standard” Computer System & HPC Parallel System (+ COMETA Parallel System) ‏ ~ 120 accounts, ~70 workstations, ~ 10 gen. purp. servers State-of-art LAN COMPUTERSYSTEM

11. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007 Library OAPA-INAF and DSFA-UNIPA books and journals jointly managed Current and historical (up to 1960) sections 1650 monographes (up to 1830), ~ 6000 monographes (from 1960), > 1000 “journal” titles (since 1740), ~ 70 current journals OAPA Library grows at the rate of bigger INAF research structures (~100 monographes/year). Annual cost similar to that of Brera and Padua Observatories Quite remarkable historical collection, and historical archive. Most of info available through the OAPA WWW site

12. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007 XVI-XVII Century150 XVIII Century860 XIX Century600

13. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007 Museo della Specola: Official Opening in March 2001

14. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007 Public Outreach and Museum related activities Guided Visits, > 5000 visitors/year, 90% are students Agreement with Town government for a program of free visits in 2006 Exhibitions Local Small/Charme Museum WEB Networks Conferences

15. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007

16. Human Resources Distribution Human Resources Distribution (in person-months) (in person-months) 8 Interconnected Research Lines Research Lines or Projects or Projects + Public Outreach & Museal Activity & Museal Activity Staff 11 month/year, Graduate Student 5 month/year, Associate Prof. 6 month/year

17. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007 Human Resources for Research Line/Project Where appropriate human resources include technicians

18. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007 FUNDS: 2000 – 2007 FUNDS: 2000 – 2007 CHANGE OF BUDGET STRUCTURE Residuals due to planned, but not done expenses: mostly for expected salary increases

19. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007 FUNDS: 2000 - 2007 FUNDS: 2000 - 2007PERMANENT STAFF SALARIES ON “CENTRAL” FUNDS

20. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007 FUNDS: 2000 - 2007 FUNDS: 2000 - 2007 ASI FUND CRISE EXPLAINS THE “2003 VALLEY”

21. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007 FUNDS: 2000 - 2007 FUNDS: 2000 - 2007

22. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007 RESOURCE USE: 2000 - 2007

23. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007 TOGETHER WITH DSF&A ASTRONOMY SECTION People in 201? (OAPA+IASF/PA)‏ T.D. + T.I. ~ 80 Graduate Students ~ 6 Undergraduate ~ 6 Students in stage ~ 6 Visitors ~ 4 TOTALE 102 “Office” Spaces 2000 sq.m. AVERAGE PER PERSON ~ 20 sq.m. SPACES: TODAY & TOMORROW SPACES: TODAY & TOMORROW TOGETHER WITH DSF&A ASTRONOMY SECTION People at OAPA (2007) ‏ T.d. + T.i. ~ 45 Graduate Students ~ 5 Undergraduate ~ 4 Students in Stage ~ 4 Visitors ~ 2 TOTAL 60 “Office” Space 590 sq.m. AVERAGE PER PERSON ~ 9 sq.m.

24. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007 MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS: 2004-2007 3 EU MARIE CURIE PROGRAMS 3 EU MARIE CURIE PROGRAMS MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS TO XACT (->PON-1)‏ MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS TO XACT (->PON-1)‏ MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS OF MACHINE SHOP (-> PON-1)‏ MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS OF MACHINE SHOP (-> PON-1)‏ 1 TECHNOLOGICAL TRANSFER PROGRAM (-> PRISMA/MEF)‏ 1 TECHNOLOGICAL TRANSFER PROGRAM (-> PRISMA/MEF)‏ NEW PARALLEL COMPUTER FOR OAPA/SCAN (-> REG. SIC.)‏ NEW PARALLEL COMPUTER FOR OAPA/SCAN (-> REG. SIC.)‏ BIG PARALLEL COMPUTER IN PALERMO (->PI2S2/COMETA) BIG PARALLEL COMPUTER IN PALERMO (->PI2S2/COMETA) MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS TO INTERNAL NETWORK & MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS TO INTERNAL NETWORK & COMPUTER SYSTEM (-> PON-2)‏ COMPUTER SYSTEM (-> PON-2)‏ SOLAR & NIGHT OBSERVATION PROGRAM SOLAR & NIGHT OBSERVATION PROGRAM

25. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007 MAJOR SCIENCE PROJECTS MAJOR SCIENCE PROJECTS PARTICIPATON TO CHANDRA/HRC (1988 -> )‏ PARTICIPATON TO CHANDRA/HRC (1988 -> )‏ PARTICIPATION TO EPIC of XMM-NEWTON (1989 -> )‏ PARTICIPATION TO EPIC of XMM-NEWTON (1989 -> )‏ SIMBOL-X (Hard X-Ray Imaging Mission) (2005 -> 2013+)‏ SIMBOL-X (Hard X-Ray Imaging Mission) (2005 -> 2013+)‏ XEUS (2002 -> SELECTED ESA CV FOR STUDY -> 2020+ )‏ XEUS (2002 -> SELECTED ESA CV FOR STUDY -> 2020+ )‏ XSHOOTER x VLT (2002 -> 2008+)‏ XSHOOTER x VLT (2002 -> 2008+)‏ HPC KEY PROJECTS INAF/CINECA (2003 ->)‏ HPC KEY PROJECTS INAF/CINECA (2003 ->)‏ PI2S2 (i.e. GRID/HPC) @COMETA (2005 -> 2008+)‏ PI2S2 (i.e. GRID/HPC) @COMETA (2005 -> 2008+)‏ PARTICIPATION SOHO-UVCS (1989 -> )‏ PARTICIPATION SOHO-UVCS (1989 -> )‏ PARTICIPATION XRT/HINODE [Launch 2006] (2002->)‏ PARTICIPATION XRT/HINODE [Launch 2006] (2002->)‏ PARTICIPATION TO SOLAR ORBITER (2007 ->)‏ PARTICIPATION TO SOLAR ORBITER (2007 ->)‏ MICRO-CALORIMETERS for X-RAY Astronomy (1999 ->)‏ MICRO-CALORIMETERS for X-RAY Astronomy (1999 ->)‏ KEY CHANDRA & XMM-Newton Projects on Star Formation KEY CHANDRA & XMM-Newton Projects on Star Formation

26. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007 MARIE CURIE UE PROGRAMS “Interplay between coronae and...”: 3 Post Docs ISHERPA: 3 Post Docs, 2 Sen. Scient. Ext. Visits PHOENIX: 2 Post Docs CONSTELLATION Network: 1 Post Doc COMIS Network: 1 Graduate Student These programs are a key way for enlarging & strengthening OAPA research themes as well for reinforcing the European (& International) connections of OAPA scientists. We have recruited 2 from Spain, 1 from France, 1 from Germany, 1 from Argentina, 1 from Austria, 2 from USA, 1 from Russia, 2 from UK. More to come (we hope...)

27. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007 INDICATORS OF “EFFICIENCY”/SCIENTIFIC IMPACT Yearly average over years 2004-2006 Yearly average over years 2004-2006 REFEREED PUBLICATIONS 38 REFEREED PUBLICATIONS 38 INVITED TALK 7 INVITED TALK 7 Participation to Nat./Inter. Committee, TAC, etc.: 5 Participation to Nat./Inter. Committee, TAC, etc.: 5 SPIE PUBLICATIONS 5 SPIE PUBLICATIONS 5 Non-FFO/FFO Funds 1,2 -- 3,5 Non-FFO/FFO Funds 1,2 -- 3,5 Laurea Theses (with DSF&A, Informat., Engin.)2,5 Laurea Theses (with DSF&A, Informat., Engin.)2,5 Ph.D. Theses (with DSF&A) 2,5 Ph.D. Theses (with DSF&A) 2,5 Stages (including non-Italian students)6--8 Stages (including non-Italian students)6--8 Univ. Course (apart professors) 1,5 Univ. Course (apart professors) 1,5

28. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007 OAPA - PLUSES OAPA - PLUSES Research Lines focussed along a well defined “field of view”, but with a reasonable articulation Research Lines focussed along a well defined “field of view”, but with a reasonable articulation All the activities or projects are part of an Italian network (MIUR-PRIN, INAF-PRIN), European (e.g. XMM- Newton, X-Shooter, UE Marie-Curie) and International (e.g. Chandra, XRT/HINODE, XEUS, Key/Large Space Projects) All the activities or projects are part of an Italian network (MIUR-PRIN, INAF-PRIN), European (e.g. XMM- Newton, X-Shooter, UE Marie-Curie) and International (e.g. Chandra, XRT/HINODE, XEUS, Key/Large Space Projects) Strong synergy among the activities of OAPA and those of the Astronomy Section of DSF&A of UNIPA. Strong synergy among the activities of OAPA and those of the Astronomy Section of DSF&A of UNIPA. Interactions with IASF/PA researchers on projects of common interest (Simbol-X, Ultra-light X-ray Mirrors, PI2S2) ‏ Interactions with IASF/PA researchers on projects of common interest (Simbol-X, Ultra-light X-ray Mirrors, PI2S2) ‏ A very diffuse collaborative attitude A very diffuse collaborative attitude Personnel of high professionalism Personnel of high professionalism

29. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007 OAPA - CRITICALITIES OAPA - CRITICALITIES Lack of enough spaces to pursue all the activities in adequate operative conditions. Lack of enough spaces to pursue all the activities in adequate operative conditions. Notwithstanding the ample synergy among the research lines, often activities are limited by available man-power (“fortunately” we have the Marie Curie Post-Docs). Notwithstanding the ample synergy among the research lines, often activities are limited by available man-power (“fortunately” we have the Marie Curie Post-Docs). Workload on some sectors (administrative office, technical support to laboratories) is above the guard level. The lack of a well defined sharing of responsibility between center and structures and of qualified services by central administration is a serious problem. Workload on some sectors (administrative office, technical support to laboratories) is above the guard level. The lack of a well defined sharing of responsibility between center and structures and of qualified services by central administration is a serious problem. A crucial part of the strategic activities (R&D, technological projects) are seriously hampered by the lack of financial resources for covering running costs (since 2004) and new hardware costs (since 2006) A crucial part of the strategic activities (R&D, technological projects) are seriously hampered by the lack of financial resources for covering running costs (since 2004) and new hardware costs (since 2006)

30. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007 ISSUES FOR THE NEAR FUTURE ISSUES FOR THE NEAR FUTURE Adequate Financial Resources to cover the growth of incompressible running costs, to the basal research, to “amplify” resources through participation to “co-funded” AOs Space Astrophysics future and, more specifically, the future of R&D activities ? Typical 2 year funding programs not well suited for multi-annual (at least 4-5 year) R&D projects (Solution attempted: Italy-China FIRB Proposal for 5 years) ‏ Improvement/Increasing of Human Resources: FORMATION & RECRUTING PLAN, PEOPLE CAREARS Realization of the new building, and moving of research activities there. Upgrade of the agreement with UNIPA (within the new INAF- Universities national framework agreement). Special attention to young people education and Ph.D. program

31. S. Sciortino – Visiting Committee Presentation Decembre 2007 The End and Thanks for all your effort