Information: About TASC and TASOC

TESS Asteroseismic Science Consortium (TASC)

[TESS]

In agreement with decisions taken by the TESS Team, Jørgen Christensen-Dalsgaard will be the PI of TASC with the overall responsibility for science and management. This will include setting up and ensure funding for a TASC data centre (TASOC) at Aarhus University in Denmark. Hans Kjeldsen will be Project Scientist for TASC and the data centre in Denmark.

The main components of TASC are:

  • TASC is a scientific collaboration formed around the asteroseismic activities of the TESS mission. The goal of TASC is to gather a large fraction of the relevant research groups around the world.
  • TASC will maintain a database (TASOC) with TESS photometry data in several data forms as well as processed and analysed data. The TASC data centre will also analyse raw TESS data when needed.
  • TASC will contain a working group structure that will be an optimized collaborative structure and is aimed at initiating collaboration between many individual researchers and research groups around the world. Postdocs and PhD-students will via TASC find an easy and direct way to take part in collaborations.
  • TASC will organize workshops aiming at target selection, science collaboration and data analysis. Those activities will be coordinated with the KASC workshops.
  • The Management structure of TASC includes a Board with the aim of advising the PI.

TASC Board

The TASC Board contains the following members:

  • Jørgen Christensen-Dalsgaard (TASC PI)
  • Bill Chaplin
  • Steve Kawaler
  • George Ricker (TESS PI).
  • Roland Vanderspek (TESS Team).
  • Sarbani Basu (selected by the US asteroseismic community)
  • Hans Kjeldsen (TASC Project Scientist).

The members are selected to set up the TASC and ensure contact directly to the TESS Science Team and the US asteroseismic community. The TASC Project Scientist (Hans Kjeldsen) is the secretary for the TASC Board. The TASC Board has the following tasks:

  • Ensure and maintain an optimized collaboration with the TESS Science team.
  • Ensure that all relevant research groups around the world are invited to participate in the TASC activities in order to ensure full use of TESS opportunity.
  • Advise the TASC PI.
  • Revise and optimize the TASC policies.
  • Approve new WGs and appoint chairs for the WGs.
  • Appoint additional members to the TASC SC in relation to specific TASC tasks.
  • Solve disagreement on WG membership.

TASC Working Groups (TASC WG)

The working groups form the basic structure of TASC. The TASC Steering Committee (WG chairs are members of this committee) will ensure that the TASC planning is coordinated and functional. Each working group has the following structure and will have the following responsibilities:

  • A working group (WG) has clear and scientifically well-defined tasks and aims. The main tasks will be
    • Target selection and prioritization of targets.
    • Provide requirements on basic analysis of non-standard data products (e.g. full frames and high cadence exposures).
    • Organizing ground-based observations (target classification, target selection and follow-up).
    • Coordination of data analysis, frequency extraction and publications.
    • Define data and publication policies within the WG.
    • Ensure a high level of information, e.g., by setting up a webpage for the working group activities.
    • Coordinate activities with the TESS Team and other relevant missions (e.g. Kepler, K2, PLATO or GAIA).
    • Organize splinter sessions at the TASC workshops and telecons/meeting within the WG when relevant.
  • Each working group has a chair consisting of two people and a steering committee.
  • The chairs of each working group are appointed by the TASC Board after consultation with the community.
  • The chairs will appoint the steering committee for the specific working group.
  • Working groups with a large number of members may form sub-groups with specific tasks. The sub-group chairs would then be a member of the WG steering committee.
  • The work in the working group and the sub-groups is organized by the Steering Committee. Membership is open and any member of TASC can apply to become a member of a given WG. Each member of a specific WG is expected to take an active part in the working group activities.
  • Each WG should ensure that the work is structured and well-defined and that postdocs and PhD-students are being prioritized and we shall ensure that PhD projects can be defined and protected within the boundaries of a working group.
  • New working groups can be suggested and the TASC Board can approve the formation of new groups and appoint a chair person.

The TASC working groups are:

TASC Coordinated Activities (TASC CA):

Perpendicular to the TASC working groups, TASC also feature a set of so-callled coordinated activities. These groups have specific responsibilities that are not related to specific types of target.

TASC Steering Committee (TASC SC)

The TASC Steering Committee (TASC SC) contains the following members:

  • The chairs of each TASC working Group and coordinated activity.
  • The TASC Board members.
  • Additional members selected by the TASC Board in relation to specific TASC tasks.

The TASC Project Scientist (Hans Kjeldsen) is the secretary for the TASC SC. The TASC SC has the following tasks:

  • Ensure that the TASC database and TASC membership list are maintained
  • Ensure a continuation of the TASC workshops and approve future workshops (time, place, goal)
  • Support the collaboration with the TESS Science.
  • Ensure that targets for TESS are selected in agreement with the mission requirements and that those targets are selected to serve the whole asteroseismic community.
  • Ensure maintenance of tasc and tascnews mailing lists.
  • Maintain a TASC webpage for data and information.
  • Select an editor for the TASC newsletter and ensure up to date information to the TASC.
  • Coordinate press releases and media events and decide on asteroseismic outreach and press events.