In anticipation of the call for proposals for U.S. time on the Gemini 8-m telescopes, as well as for community access time on the Hobby-Ebberly Telescope and the 6.5-m telescope of the MMT Observatory, NOAO's SCience OPErations Division is re-inventing the proposal review process to handle the increase in proposals. The traditional Extragalactic and Galactic Telescope Allocation Committees must be expanded to a larger number of panels to provide a careful and thorough review of all proposals received. As the number of panels is increased, we face a more complex problem in needing to merge recommendations of all panels fairly to produce a single telescope schedule.
A welcome increase in proposals in the area of solar system astronomy for the second semester of 1998 provided a good opportunity to develop new TAC procedures. A new TAC was convened to review solar system proposals. We are grateful to Jeff Cuzzi, Carol Neese, William Hubbard and Michael Belton for their exemplary service on this first Solar System TAC.
Following the meetings of all three NOAO nighttime TACs, the rank-ordered lists were merged to produce a final list of ranked programs.
In subsequent semesters, we will be adding additional TACs as need and opportunity arises, so that by the time the Gemini telescopes are ready, we will have a new set of procedures in place.
Todd Boroson