French contributions and responsibilities

French contributions and responsibilities

France is contributing significantly to the Euclid mission.

Among the main contributors (ESA and consortium), France leads the way (33%), followed by Italy (25%), the United Kingdom and Germany (10% each).

France is also on the Euclid Consortium Board (ECB) through the IAP astrophysics institute in Paris (CNRS) as Euclid Consortium Lead (ECL). There are currently 35 French research laboratories in the Euclid Consortium, one of which is providing the SGS Scientist at ESA’s Project Office, who is a member of ESA’s Euclid Science Team (EST).

Through this consortium, France’s responsibilities and contributions—overseen by CNES—are:

• Near Infrared Spectro Photometer (NISP): instrument lead responsible for developing and delivering the instrument, with the LAM astrophysics laboratory in Marseille (CNRS) as prime contractor, in partnership with numerous European research institutes. The CPPM particle physics laboratory in Marseille (Aix-Marseille University/CNRS-IN2P3) and the IP2I institute of physics of the two infinities in Lyon (Claude Bernard University Lyon 1/CNRS-IN2P3) are in charge of developing the instrument’s Focal Plane Assembly (FPA) and characterizing its detectors.
• VISible Instrument (VIS): delivery of instrument contributions, i.e. the Focal Plane Assembly (FPA) and Power and Mechanisms Control Unit (PMCU) by the IRFU research institute into the fundamental laws of the universe (CEA), and the Calibration Unit (CU) by the IAS space astrophysics institute (CNRS).
• For the Science Ground Segment (SGS):
• Delivery of the Science Data Centre (SDC-France) in partnership with the Data Processing Centre at the IN2P3 national institute of nuclear and particle physics (CC-IN2P3 Villeurbanne)
• Development and delivery of processing functions (PFs) that will be used at SDCs, with three deliveries as lead, three as co-lead and four contributions to PF development or specifications with other nations. All development work will be conducted in laboratories at CEA, IN2P3 and the INSU national institute for universe sciences.
• CNES is leading the system team for the Euclid Consortium’s Science Ground Segment (SGS-EC).
• CNES is also Deputy Lead for the SGS-EC, under Italian leadership.

• Funding of work at the following 13 laboratories and institutes:
• CPPM particle physics laboratory in Marseille (Aix-Marseille University/CNRS-IN2P3)
• IP2I institute of physics of the two infinities in Lyon (Claude Bernard University Lyon 1/CNRS-IN2P3)
• APC astro-particles and cosmology laboratory (Paris Diderot University/CNRS-IN2P3)
• LPC subatomic physics and cosmology laboratory (Grenoble/CNRS-IN2P3)
• IAS space astrophysics institute (Orsay/CNRS-INSU)
• IAP astrophysics institute in Paris (Pierre and Marie Curie University/CNRS)
• IRAP astrophysics and planetology research institute (Toulouse 3 - Paul Sabatier University/CNRS)
• Joseph-Louis Lagrange Laboratory (Côte d'Azur Observatory/CNRS/Nice Sophia Antipolis University)
• LAIM astrophysics, instrumentation and modelling laboratory (Paris Diderot University/CNRS)
• LERMA astrophysical and atmospheric radiation and matter research laboratory (Paris Observatory)
• LAM astrophysics laboratory in Marseille (CNRS)
• IRFU research institute investigating the fundamental laws of the Universe (CEA)
• Data Processing Centre at the IN2P3 national institute of nuclear and particle physics (CC-IN2P3 Villeurbanne)