Bye Bye Physics & Astronomy
Due to the Science & Technology Funding Councils budget blunder, physics and astronomy in the UK is in a spot of bother:
• We will cease investment in the International Linear Collider.
• We will revisit the on-going level of our investment in a number of projects, including the experiments for the direct detection of gravitational waves i.e. GEO600 and Advanced LIGO; experiments in the direct detection of dark matter i.e. Zeplin III using the Boulby mine; and the cosmic microwave background experiment, CLOVER.
• We will cease to invest in high-energy gamma ray astronomy experiments.
• We plan to withdraw from future investment in the twin 8-metre Gemini telescopes.
• We will cease all support for ground-based solar-terrestrial physics facilities.
• We will target our investment in astronomy grants taking account of reduced facility availability [1].
• As part of the programmatic review we will consider the case and our financial capacity for further investment in the operation of the UK infrared telescope (UKIRT) in Hawaii, Merlin, the Liverpool Telescope, Astro-Grid and whether and at what level we should invest in the US-led Dark Energy Survey.
• [regarding current ESA projects] Subject to programmatic review, we will reduce our post-launch support for existing missions by around 30%.
• ISIS is the world’s most productive pulsed neutron spallation source. In the short-term, given financial constraints, we may have to consider reducing availability to UK users in universities.
[1] i.e. we'll get rid of loads of facilities so we don't have to employ as many people and hand out as many research grants.
All other things (what's left) will remain at current levels, more or less.
• We will cease investment in the International Linear Collider.
• We will revisit the on-going level of our investment in a number of projects, including the experiments for the direct detection of gravitational waves i.e. GEO600 and Advanced LIGO; experiments in the direct detection of dark matter i.e. Zeplin III using the Boulby mine; and the cosmic microwave background experiment, CLOVER.
• We will cease to invest in high-energy gamma ray astronomy experiments.
• We plan to withdraw from future investment in the twin 8-metre Gemini telescopes.
• We will cease all support for ground-based solar-terrestrial physics facilities.
• We will target our investment in astronomy grants taking account of reduced facility availability [1].
• As part of the programmatic review we will consider the case and our financial capacity for further investment in the operation of the UK infrared telescope (UKIRT) in Hawaii, Merlin, the Liverpool Telescope, Astro-Grid and whether and at what level we should invest in the US-led Dark Energy Survey.
• [regarding current ESA projects] Subject to programmatic review, we will reduce our post-launch support for existing missions by around 30%.
• ISIS is the world’s most productive pulsed neutron spallation source. In the short-term, given financial constraints, we may have to consider reducing availability to UK users in universities.
[1] i.e. we'll get rid of loads of facilities so we don't have to employ as many people and hand out as many research grants.
All other things (what's left) will remain at current levels, more or less.