GCN Circular 25777

Dear GW-EM Community,

We invite you to fill out this community survey, that is designed to assess how current
and near future NASA missions can best coordinate joint gravitational wave (GW) -
electromagnetic (EM) observations and science related to ground-based (e.g. LIGO/Virgo)
detections of compact binary mergers and their photon counterparts.

This survey should only take ~10 minutes, and we request your input by October 7, 2019.
https://forms.gle/sdUZG3bvr59SgKB78

NASA HQ has convened a GW-EM Task Force with the following charge, and this survey is
one of the major components.  Our report is due later this Fall, and will be made public after
presenting to NASA HQ.

For the currently operating NASA missions, assess:
- Their current contributions, or potential for contributions, to GW-EM Astrophysics
- Obstacles and barriers that need to be addressed for their optimal use including
observations, data access, analysis, and interpretation of the data.
- Existing gaps in either/both facilities and operations

For present and future operations, identify:
- A protocol to optimize the role of NASA in EM follow-up of LIGO and LIGO A+ sources
- How this protocol might change over time as more GW events are found and extensive
campaigns on individual mergers are replaced by studies of merger populations
- Investigate top-level needed capabilities for the distant (>10 yrs) future, in light of anticipated
GW-EM science drivers and already approved NASA missions.
- Identify specific actions to explore the feasibility of such capabilities (e.g., forming study teams).
- Identify near- and long-term practices NASA should adopt to optimize GW-EM return from its
missions (e.g., R&A, archives format, etc.).
- Address ways to optimize interagency collaboration between NASA and NSF.

Full Terms of Reference Letter: https://pcos.gsfc.nasa.gov/news/NASA_GW-EM_final_signed.pdf

Your input is extremely valuable, and we thank you for your time.  We apologize if
you received this message more than once.

Regards,
Judy Racusin (co-chair)
Mansi Kasliwal (co-chair)
Dan Kocevski (co-chair)
Wen-fai Fong
Dan Kasen
Brad Cenko