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Australian Radio Astronomy Facilities

Australian Radio Astronomy Facilities. Tasso Tzioumis Australia Telescope National Facility CSIRO Spectrum Management Coordinator http://www.atnf.csiro.au. Overview. Radio Astronomy Facilities in Australia – current capabilities The Future – SKA Radio Astronomy – an exciting science.

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Australian Radio Astronomy Facilities

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  1. Australian Radio Astronomy Facilities Tasso Tzioumis Australia Telescope National Facility CSIRO Spectrum Management Coordinator http://www.atnf.csiro.au

  2. Overview • Radio Astronomy Facilities in Australia – current capabilities • The Future – SKA • Radio Astronomy – an exciting science A. Tzioumis

  3. Oz Radio Astronomy Facilities A. Tzioumis

  4. Summary of Oz RA facilities • Australia Telescope National Facility http://www.atnf.csiro.au/ - Parkes 64m; ATCA 6x22m; Mopra 22m • University of Tasmania http://www-ra.phys.utas.edu.au/observatories/ - Hobart (26m); Ceduna (30m) • NASA’s Tidbinbilla antennas (70m & 34m) • Long Baseline Array (LBA) – VLBI with all antennas • University of Sydney - MOST cylindrical reflector @843 MHz A. Tzioumis

  5. Parkes telescope – the “Dish” • 64m antenna, more than 40 years operation, National Facility • Receiver bands: 70,50,21,18,13,6,5,3,2,1cm (400 MHz – 22 GHz) • Multibeam (13 beams) at 21cm - Hydrogen gas mapping • Pulsars (~1/2 time) - most pulsars found (2/3) • Single dish operation • VLBI operations • NASA spacecraft tracking • Most sensitive • Most RFI susceptible A. Tzioumis

  6. Australia Telescope Compact Array • 6 x 22m antennas, near Narrabri, NSW on 6km rail-track • Synthesis array: increased sensitivity, better RFI immunity • Receiver bands: 20, 13, 6, 3, 1 cm (1 – 25 GHz) • 3mm system (80-110 GHz) June 2004 • Planned 7mm system • National Facility • Oversubscribed ~x3 • 40% international usage • Operation: 24/7 A. Tzioumis

  7. Mopra • ATNF 22m antenna – National Facility • 110 km from ATCA – short VLBI spacings • Rx 1-22 GHz bands – mainly VLBI • 80-115 GHz (3 mm) • Single dish & VLBI • VSOP support A. Tzioumis

  8. U Tasmania – Hobart (Mt. Pleasant) • 26m ex-NASA antenna, X-Y mount • Rx 1-22 GHz range • Single dish – pulsars, spectra, students • VLBI – LBA • VLBI – Geodesy • Near Hobart - RFI A. Tzioumis

  9. U Tasmania – Ceduna • In South Australia – ex-telecom dish • 30m beam-waveguide • Rx 2-25 GHz • Single-dish - spectra, fluxes • VLBI A. Tzioumis

  10. NASA – Tidbinbilla • Deep Space Network (DSN) tracking complex • 70m and 34m antennas • S/X tracking Rx/Tx • 1.6 & 22 GHz astronomy Rx • Spectroscopy – most sensitive - mainly at 22 GHz H2O masers • VLBI – LBA & Geodesy • Limited access for astronomy A. Tzioumis

  11. MOST  SKAMP • 2 x (778m x 11.6) EW cylindrical reflectors • 843 MHz (4 MHz bw) – Imaging; surveys • SKA demonstrator upgrade – 300-1400 MHz • Multibeaming • Linear feeds • RFI mitigation • No extra protection • EIS cooperation A. Tzioumis

  12. VLBI Telescopes in Oz A. Tzioumis

  13. The Long Baseline Array – LBA • The ATNF, UTas & NASA antennas operate in Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) mode • Extremely high resolution (milliarcseconds) • Recorded data on tapes (S2 system - VCRs) • Correlated later at LBA correlator in Sydney • National Facility support • Operate at all bands 1-22 GHz • Possible optical fibre network links (eVLBI) • Less susceptible to RFI A. Tzioumis

  14. National Facility Operations • ATNF facilities (ATCA, Mopra, Parkes, LBA) – open to all • Proposals every 6 months (June 1 & Dec 1) • Statistics: 30% ATNF; 30% Oz Unis; 40% international • Web info at http://www.atnf.csiro.au/ • Collaborations and help for new people. • Encourage to get in touch and propose!! A. Tzioumis

  15. Asia Pacific Telescope - APT • http://www.vsop.isas.ac.jp/apt/ • VLBI coordination for Asia Pacific • All telescopes in region (at cm) • Used in supporting VSOP • Astronomy and Geodesy • Collaboration for new entrants • (Note: Asia Pacific Telecommunity (APT)) A. Tzioumis

  16. RA Protection Measures • Licenses for main RA allocated bands for Parkes and ATCA • Details of allocations in Australian Spectrum Plan • Footnote AUS87 outlines all bands and telescopes for RAS in Australia. • Productivity Commission recommended “radio sensitive zones” around RA facilities • “Notification” and not protection zones • Experience with ACA, Defence and Industry - friendly and collaborative relations A. Tzioumis

  17. Future RA facilities - SKA • The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) • 1 km^2 of collecting area - extremely sensitive • Cost ~ US$1Billion; 12 country consortium • Frequencies: ~100 MHz - ~25 GHz • Technologically very challenging • RFI Mitigation built in • Currently in R&D phase A. Tzioumis

  18. SKA Philosophy A. Tzioumis

  19. SKA – Concepts Planar Array Netherlands “Arecibo” style reflector China Large Adaptive Reflector (LAR) Canada Luneburg Lense Australia Allen Telescope Array SETI Institute, US A. Tzioumis

  20. Possible SKA Configurations • Dense “core” (50%) + antenna “clusters” A. Tzioumis

  21. SKA timelines • Site proposals - Australia, China, South Africa, USA,…  2006 decision • Require: Modern infrastructure; “Radio quietness” ; local support • Australian advantage: “radio quietness” - WA – “best” site? • Concept decision 2008  demonstrator • 2009 Funding ; 2012 Construction start • 2015 Initial ops; 2020 Full ops A. Tzioumis

  22. SKA - New Technology Demonstrators • Funded to build technology demonstrators for many of the new ideas (>$10M) • CSIRO/Universities/Industry/Governments • 2 GHz BW at ATCA – by 2006 • Eager to demonstrate at WA site • HIFAR – instrument for red-shifted H - 200-1000 MHz bands? • NTDs under vigorous discussion and review. A. Tzioumis

  23. SKA - Spectrum implications • “Radio Quiet Zone” at SKA site • Strong Protection of “core” site • More protection & coordination needed • Requires Government support at all levels - local, State, Federal • Support from other stakeholders – Defence? • Easier in Australia as all SKA in 1 country A. Tzioumis

  24. Summary • Australia has many world-class RA facilities with international impact • SKA is the RA future and could be built in Australia. “Radio quiet” zone desired. • RA & other services e.g. Defence, Comms industries can work together. • Radio Astronomy is an exciting science - many “weird and wonderful” objects A. Tzioumis

  25. RA – Supernovae • Supernova SN1987A – 22 GHz ATCA - May 2004 • Large Magellanic cloud ~170000 light years away • Can be seen from South only A. Tzioumis

  26. RA – Pulsars • Neutron stars • Lighthouse effect • Very accurate clocks • 1st Binary pulsar • Parkes 2004 - Periods of 23 ms & 2.8s - 2.4 hr orbit - 2000 ly away A. Tzioumis

  27. RA – X-ray Binaries A. Tzioumis

  28. RA – Active Galactic Nuclei • ATCA image • 2356-612 • Radio (red) on optical (blue) • Jets into ISM • Black-hole in core • Accretion disk A. Tzioumis

  29. RA – Gravitational lenses A. Tzioumis

  30. A. Tzioumis

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