NOTE: This page is obsolete and describes the procedures for the first 2 years of the mission. Since 1998 all MDI data is available without restrictions. See the SOI Data Policy. P. Scherrer, July 2001.
Proposals are now being accepted for collaborative and individual investigations as part of the Solar Oscillations Investigation (SOI) using the Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) on the SOHO spacecraft.
The primary objective of the SOI investigation is to investigate the solar interior using the tools of helioseismology. The primary data set consists of measurements of the line-of-sight surface velocity field from which the oscillation modes and the structure and dynamics of the solar interior can be deduced. In addition to the primary objectives, the SOI program includes investigation of several associated science objectives. These associated objectives involve the study of observable solar phenomena using traditional techniques. (SOI General Description)
The SOI science investigation will be accomplished by a combination of "Science Working Groups" and "Team Science Working Groups". The Team Science Working groups and their proposed investigations are described in documents available on the SOI WWW pages (Team Science Investigations). Part of the proposal process involves refining these descriptions as appropriate. Science Working Groups may include individual Co-Investigators, Associated Investigators, and Guest Investigators, and collaborations among them for specific studies. Those interested in becoming Associated Investigators should contact Philip Scherrer at Stanford University (pscherrer@solar.stanford.edu). The distinction between the two types of working groups is that no SOI project resources are allocated to the support of non-Team Working Groups beyond the collection and distribution of required data. All science investigations which are part of SOI or which use MDI data prior to their unrestricted public availability will be conducted by Science Working Groups.
Proposed investigations may consist of analysis of archived data, use of the SOI Science Support Center at Stanford for pipeline processing of archived data, development and analysis of special MDI Campaign observations, Joint Observing Programs (JOPs) with other SOHO experiments, joint observing programs with other space- or ground-based observatories, etc.
Proposals for investigations should be for specific science goals using specific techniques. A proposal should NOT in general include all of the science investigations that an individual expects to participate in. It is expected that most Co-Investigators, for example, will participate in several investigations.
Except as seperately arranged with the SOI Co-Investigators, no funds are available from the SOI project to support proposed investigations. The opportunity announced here is for early access to specific SOI data (see SOI Data Availability).
Proposals should contain: the name of the lead investigator; the members of the collaboration; a short title for the investigation; a one paragraph abstract; a longer description which is complete enough to judge SOI-MDI suitability, possible overlap with existing SOI investigations, and resource requirements (MDI and SSSC).
Abstracts of all proposed investigations will be available via the SOI WWW pages to enable the exchange of ideas and to reduce the likelihood of needless duplication of effort. The proposals themselves will be held confidential until they are approved. Proposals may be rejected if they are determined to have too much overlap with previously approved efforts and if they cannot be joined to those efforts. They will also be rejected if they would require more project resources than will be available.
Descriptions of all selected investigations will be posted on the SOI WWW pages.