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(Radio) Astronomy in Taiwan

(Radio) Astronomy in Taiwan. Jeremy Lim Institute of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Academia Sinica (ASIAA), Taiwan. Taiwan (22.5 million). Malaysia (23 million). ASIAA established (1993). Growth of Astronomy in Taiwan. Taiwan only recently became a player in modern astronomy. 1980. 1990.

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(Radio) Astronomy in Taiwan

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  1. (Radio) Astronomy in Taiwan Jeremy Lim Institute of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Academia Sinica (ASIAA), Taiwan Taiwan (22.5 million) Malaysia (23 million)

  2. ASIAA established (1993) Growth of Astronomy in Taiwan • Taiwan only recently became a player in modern astronomy 1980 1990 2000 “Story of Modern Astronomy in Taiwan is very much the story of ASIAA”

  3. Why do Astronomy? Forefront Scientific Research • No secrets or patents – Discoveries openly published, Universe available to All • Friendly and Helpful Community: Open (competitive) access to forefront Telescopes Collaborations to build up Research or Instruments/Telescopes • Taiwan Funding Agencies – Academia Sinica, National Science Council, and Ministry of Education Improve Science and Technology • Graduate Education (Astrophysics, Mathematics, Engineering, Computers, …) • Technology transfer to Industry Public Support • Strong Public interest, stimulates Education among all Ages

  4. Main Astronomy/Astrophysics Institutes/Departments • Institute of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei (NTU) (10 faculty, ~17 postdocs, ~20 technical, ~15 assistants, ~15 students) • Graduate Institute of Astronomy, National Central University (NCU), Chung-Li (9 faculty, ~20 Masters, ~5 PhD, ~2 postdocs) • Institute of Astrophysics, National Taiwan University (NTU), Taipei (3 faculty, a few students) • Institute of Astronomy, National Tsing-Hua University (NTHU), Tsing-Hua (2 faculty, a few students) • Theoretical Institute for Advanced Research in Astrophysics (TIARA), NTHU-AS initiative (currently housed at ASIAA) • Astronomers on faculty in other University departments

  5. Main Telescope Research Projects “Builder, not just user” Radio Telescopes • Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) on Mauna Kea, Hawaii (USA, Taiwan), commissioned • Array for Microwave Background Anisotropy (AMiBA) on Mauna Loa, Hawaii (Taiwan, Australia, USA, Canada), under construction • Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) on Atacama, Chile (USA, Europe, Japan), under negotiation with Japan Optical Telescopes • Taiwan-American-Occultation Survey (TAOS) on Lulin mountain, Taiwan (Taiwan, USA, Korea), under construction • WIRCam for CFHT (3.6 m) on Mauna Kea, Hawaii (Canada, France, USA, Korea, Taiwan), under construction

  6. The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Overview • Partnership between Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) and ASIAA • Eight 6-meter antennas located at Mauna Kea, Hawaii (altitude 4080 m) • 2 antennas constructed by ASIAA – increases number of baselines from 15 to 28!

  7. The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Overview • Partnership between Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) and ASIAA • Eight 6-meter antennas located at Mauna Kea, Hawaii (altitude 4080 m) • 2 antennas constructed by ASIAA – increases number of baselines from 15 to 28! Hangar for Assembly Control Room

  8. The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Operating Bands • Receivers at 1.3 mm (270 GHz), 0.8 mm (345 GHz), and 0.4 mm (690 GHz)

  9. The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Mount & Reflector • Constructed and Assembled in Taiwan in partnership with Industry • Mount constructed by China Shipbuilding Company (CSBC) in Keelung

  10. The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Mount & Reflector • Constructed and Assembled in Taiwan in partnership with Industry • Carbon-Fiber Reinforced Plastic Tubes for Reflector Backup Structure constructed by NITE (bicycle company) in Taichung

  11. The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Mount & Reflector • Constructed and Assembled in Taiwan in partnership with Industry • Antenna Mechanical/Electrical Assembly by Aeronautic Research Laboratory (ARL) in Taichung

  12. The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Receiver Systems • Establishment of a Receiver Laboratory at ASIAA • All Receiver Systems assembled/tested by ASIAA Receiver Laboratory

  13. The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Junctions • Developing expertise to make Low-Noise Junctions for Receivers • 690 GHz SiS (Nb/SiO2) junction fabricated at ASIAA and National Tsing-Hua University (NTHU)

  14. The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Science • Array commissioned in November 2003 • General Purpose Astronomical Research: Solar System – Planetary Atmospheres Galactic Astronomy – Star Formation, Evolved Stars, Planetary Nebulae Extragalactic Astronomy – Dust and Interstellar Medium, Relativistic Jets

  15. The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Science • Science Program: Molecular Gas in Messier 51 (a nearby active galaxy) SMA: 12CO (2-1) @230 GHz

  16. The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Science • Science Program: Motion of Molecular Gas in M51 SMA: 12CO (2-1) @230 GHz

  17. The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Science • Science Programs: Feeding the Central Supermassive Black Hole in M51 12CO (1-0) @115 GHz Sakamoto et al. (1999)

  18. The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Science • Science Programs: Feeding the Central Supermassive Black Hole in M51 SMA:12CO (2-1) @230 GHz

  19. The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Science • Science Programs: Feeding the Central Supermassive Black Hole in M51 SMA:12CO (3-2) @345 GHz

  20. CMB observing frequency Array for Microwave Background Anisotropy (AMiBA) • Local Partners ASIAA and National Taiwan University (NTU) • Measure polarization of Cosmic Microwave Background at 3 mm (90 GHz) • Search for distant Galaxy Clusters from Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect at 3 mm, as tracer of Large-Scale Structure of the Universe CMB modified by SZ effect

  21. Array for Microwave Background Anisotropy (AMiBA) • Measurement of SZ-effect with Owens Valley Radio Observatory X-ray Contours X-ray False-Color X-ray Contours Radio False-Color X-ray Contours Optical False-Color Patel et al. (2000)

  22. Array for Microwave Background Anisotropy (AMiBA) • AMiBA Prototype (2 x 30 cm) dishes on Mauna Loa, Hawaii (2002) • Hardware Testing and Trouble-Shooting, Astronomy Test Observations Fringes on Moon Two-element Prototype

  23. Array for Microwave Background Anisotropy (AMiBA) • AMiBA to be deployed in 2004 (starting with 7 elements, 0.6 – 2.4 m dishes)

  24. Taiwan-American-Occultation Survey (TAOS) • Local Partners ASIAA and National Central University (NCU) • Determine size distribution of Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs) Discovery of first KBO The Solar System Jewiit & Luu (1993)

  25. Taiwan-American-Occultation Survey (TAOS) • Only KBOs ≥ 100 km detectable by even the largest optical telescopes • TAOS able to detect KBOs ≥ 2 km by occultation of Background Stars

  26. Taiwan-American-Occultation Survey (TAOS) • Instrument: Four 20 inch (50 cm) telescopes on Lulin Mountain, Taiwan

  27. Taiwan-American-Occultation Survey (TAOS) • Test observation: Occultation of Background Star by a known Asteroid 1 Frame (0.2 s)

  28. Astronomy in Taiwan: A Strong Growth Phase • Strong Growth anticipated for TIARA, NTU, and NTHU • ASIAA, with ~70 members currently, continues to expand to meet challenge of ALMA and other projects • Active Recruitment of Astronomers, Astrophysicists, Physicists, Engineers, and Computer Scientists (hardware and software) • Positions advertised in Physics Today and Job Register of American Astronomical Society • For more Information, please contact: Jeremy Lim (Chair, Postdoc Committee) jlim@asiaa.sinica.edu.twSun Kwok (Director, Executive Committee) kwok@asiaa.sinica.edu.tw

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