PhysCOS TDAMM Initiative

In response to the Astro2020 decadal report’s recommendation that time-domain and multi-messenger (TDAMM) astrophysics is the highest-priority sustaining activity in space, the NASA Astrophysics Division directed the Physics of the Cosmos Program Office to:

1. Organize or support TDAMM Workshops at regular intervals,
2. Coordinate with the relevant community-driven Science Interest Groups and Science Analysis Groups,
3. Conduct a three-phase TDAMM Study investigating ways to improve coordination within the NASA fleet (Phase 1), with U.S. ground-based observatories (Phase 2), and internationally (Phase 3), and
4. Recommend implementation strategies for enabling TDAMM science.

The Astrophysics Cross-Observatory Science Support (ACROSS) pilot is an outcome of the TDAMM Study, which identified needs for:

1. A web portal providing access to open-source software and data systems that facilitate cross-observatory workflows,
2. A help desk to provide subject-matter expertise and facilitate coordination, and
3. An open science community grant program to incentivize innovation.

The PhysCOS TDAMM Initiative executes the above tasks on behalf of the Astrophysics Division and leads implementation of the ACROSS pilot.

Points of Contact

Related Information

• Time-Domain and Multi-Messenger Astrophysics (TDAMM) Science Interest Group
• New Great Observatories Science Analysis Group (Active)
• Future Innovations in Gamma Rays Science Analysis Group (Active)
• TDAMM Space Communications Science Analysis Group (Completed 2024)
• Multi-Messenger Astrophysics (MMA) Science Analysis Group (Completed 2020)
• GW-EM Task Force (Completed 2019)