The INTEGRAL Users Group (IUG) Tasks

 

The tasks of the INTEGRAL Users Group (IUG) are to:

  1. Advise the Project Scientist on all matters relevant to maximising the scientific return of INTEGRAL within the boundary conditions.
  2. Advise the Project Scientist on how to ensure that the INTEGRAL legacy observatory products satisfy the objectives of the scientific community at large.
  3. Act as a focus for the interests of the scientific community in INTEGRAL and act as an advocate for INTEGRAL within that community.
  4. Maintain contact with the wider scientific community on matters specific to INTEGRAL (e.g. coordinated observations, science operations and General Observer interface) and to provide an interface to the community to advise ESA on INTEGRAL's scientific goals from a general point of view.
  5. Monitor the ISOC and ISDC activities to ensure that they best meet the needs of the user community within the resources available.
  6. Identify, in consultation with the Integral Operations Coordination Group (IOCG), a coherent calibration and performance verification policy.
  7. Advise, in consultation with the IOCG, on the maintenance and possible further enhancement of the science ground segment with particular reference to the operational scenario, observatory products and database structure.
  8. Participate in major programme reviews.

 

The following applies:

  • The IUG shall meet approximately twice a year, and the meeting venue is normally either ESAC (Villafranca, ES), ESTEC (Noordwijk, NL), or ESOC (Darmstadt, DE).
  • The decision process in the IUG should be one of consensus. In case a voting is required, the voting rights as established for the XMM-Newton Users Group shall be applicable (ref.: ASTRO (2007)16).
  • The chairperson of the IUG will make annual reports to the AWG (Astronomy Working Group).
  • In all cases where the Mission Manager judges that the recommendations made by the IUG violate the resources available, or jeopardize the mission's safety, or if the ESA management otherwise disagrees, the recommendation will be taken to higher ESA management for a final decision. At that point, the chairman of IUG will also be invited to provide their input. It is, however, envisaged that these cases will be exceptional.

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