Introduction.
Recently, the National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF), following the recommendations presented by an international Visiting Committee (RadioAstronomy Visiting Committee, RaVC) on how to strengthen Italian radio astronomy, initiated the procedure to establish a new second-level structure within INAF: the Observatory of Radio Astronomy (ORA), resulting from the merger of the Astronomical Observatory of Cagliari (OAC) and the Institute of Radio Astronomy of Bologna (IRA), already second-level research structures of the national entity.
The position of OAC Staff.
The staff of the OAC has always declared, on every occasion, at all institutional levels, to be completely in favor of contributing to any effective form of coordination of Italian Radio Astronomy, provided it maintains the propositional and directive autonomy of the OAC, following the example of other facilities of perhaps even greater complexity, such as aerospace missions, which are efficiently managed cooperatively and synergistically by other INAF structures. At the same time, they have declared, and continue to declare, firmly and unanimously against the idea of a merger.
The OAC staff also expresses concern about a modus operandi of the INAF Management that apparently does not take into account the unanimous opposition expressed by the entire staff of one of the two structures involved and intends to proceed despite the lack of consensus.
First statement from OAC staff (February 28, 2015)
Second statement from OAC staff (March 11, 2015), issued following the meeting with the President and the main governing bodies of INAF)
Text of the petition promoted by the OAC staff addressed to INAF staff and the astronomical community. The petition is available at this link.
Coordination proposal for Italian radio astronomy sent to the INAF Board of Directors
Opinion of the Scientific Council
As an addition, the opinion of the Scientific Council is attached, consulted according to the procedures provided by art.17, paragraph 3, of the Statute.
The strategic commitment of the Regional Government
The Autonomous Region of Sardinia (RAS), always aware of the scientific and technological excellence of the Sardinia Radio Telescope, has not only directly participated in the funding of SRT and the related construction works but has also been a proponent of a true strategic development plan for astrophysics and related technologies, with a total investment of about 20 Million euros.
Following the news of the initiation of the ORA creation process, the Sardinia Region issued several statements reiterating the need to ensure the essential autonomy for the Astronomical Observatory of Cagliari and calling for alternative coordination solutions:
RAS Press Release March 4, 2015
RAS Press Release March 11, 2015
Regional Council – motion 124 presented on March 18, 2015
Also noted is the parliamentary question 4-08289, session of March 6, 2015, presented by Meloni, Cani, Mura, Pes, Sanna, Scanu.
Letter from President Pigliaru to Minister Giannini (cc to President Bignami)
Genesis of the merger proposal
The RaVC recommendation fits well within the path outlined by the request repeatedly presented by the IRA to the INAF Management in recent years for the creation of a single Institute, controlled and managed by the IRA itself.
The need for general coordination to enhance Italian radio astronomy is not a new issue and has been addressed differently in past years by the two institutes involved. In this context, the proposal for the creation of a National Radio Astronomy Laboratory, with coordination functions for Italian radio astronomy facilities, was rejected by the IRA staff. The OAC staff had already declared themselves against any merger proposal that would remove the OAC’s project and directive autonomy, turning it into an outpost of the IRA. In total respect of the opposing opinions expressed by the IRA staff, the proposal to establish National Laboratories was no longer considered by OAC.
Following the RaVC report, which visited the various sites last autumn, the merger hypothesis was resumed and the INAF Board of Directors was mandated to initiate procedures for the creation of a Radio Astronomy Observatory (ORA), merging OAC and IRA and the antennas they manage (SRT, Medicina, and Noto).
The IRA agreed with this hypothesis, however, reiterating the need to locate the headquarters of the new unified structure in Bologna, accepting its location only temporarily in Rome, and not elsewhere.
The OAC staff, on the other hand, declared themselves unanimously and absolutely against the merger hypothesis, considering it useless, demoralizing, and above all ineffective, given the territorial distance of the two sites. At the same time, the OAC staff declared themselves open to discussing alternative coordination and management hypotheses for Italian radio astronomy.