Astronomers in Italy will soon have a new coordinating body the National Institute of Astrophysics to regroup the 12 national observatories and strengthen ties with university astronomy departments and the 8 astronomical research institutes of the National Research Council.
The National Institute of Astrophysics (INAF) will be based on the successful organization of nuclear physics research within the INFN. The new administration looks set to bring together new collaborations.
“Any individual establishment was not really in a position to have dialogue with the INFN,” said Franco Pacini (director of the Arcetri observatory and president-elect of the International Astronomical Union), who is very much in favour of the new arrangement. “Both communities will now profit.”
Pacini identified instrumentation as one of the areas where collaboration could be beneficial.”Although classical astrophysics, with all kinds of instruments, is still providing the main ground for understanding the universe [the existence of dark matter was proven by observational astronomers], gravitational waves and particle astrophysics will become very important in the coming decades. Astronomers know better what’s around us; physicists are much more sophisticated in their experiments. With more interactions and joint ventures, INAF and INFN will benefit from each other.”
The INAF president and board will be selected before the end of the year and will become operational within about six months.
