MSV-2035 Astronomy Document - Inside Design - FINAL - FINAL

CONTENTS 1 Astronomy & Astrophysics Contents 1 Preface 5 The Working Group 7 Executive Summary 8 1 Introduction 11 2 Leading Astrophysical Questions 13 2.1 Fundamental Physics 13 2.2 Early Universe and Cosmology 13 2.3 Galaxy Formation and Large Scale Structure 14 2.4 Nearby Galaxies 15 2.5 The Milky Way Galaxy 15 2.6 The Interstellar Medium and Star Formation 17 2.7 Cosmic Chemistry 18 2.8 Compact Objects and Black Holes 19 2.9 Transients and Time-domain Multi-messenger Astronomy 20 2.10 Exoplanetary Science 21 2.11 The Sun 23 2.12 Solar System Objects 24 3 Status of Global R&D Efforts 25 3.1 UV-Optical-IR 25 3.1.1 Ground Based Facilities 25 3.1.2 Space Observatories 27 3.2 Radio 29 3.3 X-rays and ɤ -rays 30 3.4 Large Sky Surveys 31 3.4.1 Ground Based Surveys 31 3.4.2 All Sky Surveys from Space 32 3.4.3 Surveys for Solar System Objects 34 MEGA SCIENCE VISION-2035