NRAO and GBO Users' Policy

  1. Introduction
    1. Purpose and Scope
  2. Observatory Users
    1. Registering with the Observatory
    2. Confidentiality of User Profile Information
    3. User Support
  3. Proposals: Call, Preparation, and Submission
    1. Eligibility and Responsibility
    2. Proposing Opportunities
      1. Semester Observing Opportunities
      2. Director’s Discretionary Time
      3. Joint Proposing Opportunities
    3. Proposal Preparation
      1. Proposal Requirements
      2. Compliance in Proposal Preparation
      3. Filler Programs
      4. Proposal Science Categories
    4. Proposal Submission and the Close of the Call for Proposals
      1. Compliance in Proposal Submission
      2. Extension of the Close of Call for Proposals
      3. Changes to Submitted Observatory Proposals
  4. Proposal Review Process
    1. Overview
    2. Proposal Assessment
    3. Outcomes and Disposition Letters
    4. Conflicts and Confidentiality in the Review Process
    5. Proposal Conflicts Policy
  5. Preparation and Execution of Observations
    1. Observation Preparation
    2. General and Shared Risk Observing
    3. Observation Scheduling, Project Completion, and Carry-over
    4. PI Errors in Preparation and Execution
    5. Data Delivery and Data Rights
      1. Data Property
      2. Data and Metadata
      3. Confidentiality of Proposal Data
      4. Proprietary Periods and Observational Data Access
      5. Extension of Proprietary Periods
      6. Calibration Data
      7. Test and Science Verification data
  6. Related Provisions
    1. Acknowledgement of Observatory Facilities
    2. Visiting the NRAO and the GBO
    3. Final Provisions
    4. Acknowledgements
  7. Appendices
    1. Abbreviations, Acronyms, Definitions, and Useful URLs
    2. Student Proposals and Dissertation Plans
    3. Definition of Duplicate Observation
    4. Commensal Observing

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The National Radio Astronomy Observatory and Green Bank Observatory are facilities of the U.S. National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

Founded in 1956, the NRAO provides state-of-the-art radio telescope facilities for use by the international scientific community. NRAO telescopes are open to all astronomers regardless of institutional or national affiliation. Observing time on NRAO telescopes is available on a competitive basis to qualified scientists after evaluation of research proposals on the basis of scientific merit, the capability of the instruments to do the work, and the availability of the telescope during the requested time. NRAO also provides both formal and informal programs in education and public outreach for teachers, students, the general public, and the media.

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