Launch of ACME, a project built by and for the astroparticle and astronomy communities

With 40 world-class collaborating institutions from 15 countries, ACME brings together the astroparticle and astronomy communities in a joint effort to lay the foundation for enhanced long-term collaboration between these research infrastructures, regardless of their location, and improve access opportunities across Europe and beyond.

ACME’s objectives are to implement the recommendations of the roadmaps of the Appec consortium (AstroParticle Physics European Consortium) and the Astronet network (A planning and advisory network for European astronomy) and to act as a pioneer to expand and improve access to services and data from respective research infrastructures, to evaluate new models for better coordination and large-scale service delivery, to provide harmonized transnational and virtual access, to develop centers of expertise, to improve the management of scientific data products, to improve interoperable systems for the rapid identification of transient astrophysical events as well as the distribution of alerts to optimize their monitoring, to improve observations, to ensure the training of a new generation of scientists and engineers, to open up astrophysics and astroparticle physics datasets to other disciplines and to increase interest in participatory science.

The ACME project coordinator, Prof. Antoine Kouchner (APC-CNRS Laboratory/Paris Cité University), and the co-coordinator Paolo D’Avanzo (INAF), represent each community to ensure balance and promote collaboration between the two fields scientists.

« With ACME the astrophysics and astroparticle communities are getting even closer. The bridge between the communities has already been strengthened during the preparation phase for project submission. This augurs a real rapprochement and a productive dialogue to advance science», rejoices Antoine Kouchner, vice-president International Relations at Paris Cité University and deputy director at the APC laboratory.

The APC (coordinator), CPPM, IJClab, IPHC, L2IT and LLR laboratories of IN2P3, the LUTH laboratory, IRAP and ORN of INSU as well as the LSBB are participating in this project.