D&QS 2021 Working Group Application

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**This form is to apply to be on a Working Group.**

The Dark and Quiet Skies (D&QS) 2021 Conference will be held in-person and online 3-7 October 2021 to discuss how to implement the recommendations determined in the D&QS Workshop in 2020. More information is at http://research.iac.es/congreso/quietdarksky2021.

The Working Groups have three objectives:

1. With respect to artificial light at night, consolidate the recommendations from the D&QS Workshop in 2020 into a coherent, policy-level document with supporting technical information; and explore paths to local implementation with international endorsement.

2. With respect to radio observatories, we seek to create a broad-based roadmap for i) furthering the recommendations from the D&QS Workshop in 2020 , and ii) enhancing and protecting radio astronomy access to spectrum within and beyond the regulatory regime based on frequency allocations. Defining the structure, goals and possible products of the group will be subjects for group discussion. To promote a geographically distributed membership, the business of the group will be conducted by email or other methods of offline discussion.

3. With respect to satellite constellations, identify policy and regulatory instruments at the national and international levels, which can implement the recommendations from the D&QS Workshop in 2020 . Four sub-working groups will look at national policies, international law, industry engagement and efforts by observatories and the astronomy community to safeguard astronomical science.

We seek to form three Working Groups (WGs) to address key issues around Artificial Light At Night (ALAN), Radio Astronomy and Satellite Constellations. The WGs will meet regularly leading up to and after the workshop.

The D&QS 2021 Conference scientific organizing committee particularly seeks participation from stakeholders outside "traditional" academic astronomy career paths, early-career individuals (e.g., graduate students), members of groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM (e.g., BIPOC), and anyone whose life or work is impacted by ALAN, radio transmissions, or increasing numbers of low-Earth-orbit satellite constellations. We welcome international WG members.

To apply for WG membership, please complete this form. Application does not guarantee selection by the SOC. Most WGs will begin meeting around the last week of July 2021, so please apply today!

Full Name *

Primary Affiliation *

Workplace, institute, organization, or any other group you may represent

Additional Affiliations

Please select all that apply *

While the focus of D&QS 2021 Conference is on the implementation of the recommendations from the D&QS 2020 Workshop on ALAN, radio astronomy and the impact of satellite constellations on astronomy, we seek diverse WGs to ensure proposed collaborations and policies meet the needs of as many stakeholders as possible. We all share the night sky.

I work in law, policy, or a related regulatory field

I work for a satellite operator

I attended at least some of the Dark & Quiet Skies workshop (2020)

I am an undergraduate student

I am a member of a group traditionally underrepresented in STEM

I am a lighting designer

I have a cultural, traditional, and/or religious relationship to the night sky

I am a lighting consultant

I am a graduate student

I am an educator or a researcher in the field of light pollution

I am an astrophotographer, amateur astronomer, and/or astronomy enthusiast

I am an educator or a researcher in the field of lighting technology

I am decision maker or technical expert in a public body (municipality, county, region, country, etc.)

I work at or for an astronomical observatory

I am an educator or a researcher in the field of biodiversity

I am an educator or a researcher in the field of lighting metrology

I work in a non-astronomy STEM field

I primarily live and/or work outside the USA

I am working in lighting industry (manufacturer, trader, specifier)

I am an astronomer or work closely with astronomers

I attended at least some of SATCON1 (2020)

Other:

Required

The Three D&QS 2021 Conference Working Groups

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1. The ARTIFICIAL LIGHT AT NIGHT (ALAN) Working Group (co-chaired by Richard Green (U.Arizona, USA), Antonia Varela (IAC, Spain), James Lowenthal (Smith College, USA), and Costis Bouroussis (NTUA, CIE, Greece)) will build on the first D&QS 2021 Conference White Paper, which contains consensus conclusions about ALAN from the perspectives of protecting observatory sites, dark sky oases, and the bio-environment. Each of those working groups presented a separate set of recommendations for a protective framework. One goal of the current Working Group is to define a common framework based on the most beneficial elements, to provide supporting technical recommendations, and to delineate carefully any critical differences depending on the nature of the protection required. Another aim is to cast the merged framework with supporting details as a policy document suitable for UN endorsement, as well as a useful model for local regulatory adoption. We will also explore with national and regional policy experts the paths toward adoption and implementation, including identifying those aspects with broad commonality and those likely to require local modifications.

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2. The RADIO ASTRONOMY Working Group (co-chaired by Harvey Liszt (NRAO, USA and IUCAF) and Masatoshi Ohishi (NAOJ, Japan)) will consider the general question of radio astronomy access to spectrum. Possible subjects, in no particular order beyond the first item, include

I. COPUOS and the radio astronomy working group recommendations from D&SQ1:
- Increasing support in administrations and at COPUOS
- Finding other venues where these matters can be pursued
- Interacting with the new institute proposed by IAU

II. Satellites:
- Analyzing prospects for spectrum access in the presence of satellites; frequency bands to be used by satellite transmitters, especially downlink, (aggregate) power, etc
- Understanding regulatory measures (international and national) to avoid harmful interference from satellites -- national measures would be related with operating licenses
- Finding ways to capitalize on the vastly increased perception of the unintended consequences of mega-constellations

III. Radio Frequency Interference (RFI):
- Determining the extent of harmful RFI to radio astronomy stations in a systematic and coherent way, especially to stations in radio quiet zones
- Preventing or mitigating the damaging effects of observing in the presence of strong radiocommunication signals

IV. Radio Quiet Zones
- Finding ways to achieve increased regulatory recognition of radio quiet zones

V. Lunar radio astronomy
- Defining lunar radio astronomy missions so that these can be presented to the space science and space agency groups that are discussing support of missions

Preference will be given to prospective members of the working group with experience in one or more of these areas or other areas that might be addressed

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3. The SATELLITE CONSTELLATION Working Group (co-chaired by Andy Williams and Giuliana Rotola, both of ESO in Germany) will have the following themes and objectives.

Sub-working group 1 - National policy: identify how national policymakers and regulators can implement the recommendations and identify any key challenges. What existing regulatory instruments can be adapted to take account of astronomy, or which new instruments are needed?

Sub-working group 2 - Identification of the relevant international legal framework: review the applicability of the international legal framework for the protection of dark and quiet skies and identify other international instruments that have similar objectives to those of the astronomy community, with particular regard to the impact of space activities and satellite constellations on astronomical observations.

Sub-working group 3 - Observatories: review efforts to ensure that observatories can maximise their operations in the presence of satellite constellations, avoid negative impacts on science, and coordinate the community.

Sub-working group 4 - Industry Engagements: understand how the international astronomy community can coordinate efficiently and effectively with industry stakeholders to mitigate impacts, raise awareness and promote their interests while learning lessons from similar initiatives. Understand how to strengthen industry support on the recommendations and monitor industrial standpoints.

Which Working Group are you interested to join? *

Artificial Light at Night

Radio Astronomy

Satellite Constellations

1st choice

2nd choice

What contribution can you bring to your 1st choice Working Group? If you chose the Satellite Constellations Working Group, please note which sub-group you are applying for. *

What contribution can you bring to your 2nd choice Working Group?

If selected, will you contribute meaningfully to your Working Group's charge before, during, and after the D&QS 2021 Conference? Feel free to choose more than one answer. *

For most synchronous meetings, we will do our best to accommodate time zone constraints, enable asynchronous contributions, and respect everyone's time.

Yes: before the conference

Yes: during the conference

Yes: after the conference

Other:

Required

Have you been previously involved in committees or working groups related to any of the areas specified here? If so, please explain. *

Anything else we should know?

THANK YOU!

By submitting this form, you are acknowledging that everything you have said herein is true and correct.

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