Australian Radio Astronomy Facilities

Australian Radio Astronomy Facilities

Tasso Tzioumis

Australia Telescope National Facility CSIRO

Spectrum Management Coordinator

http://www.atnf.csiro.au

May 2004 A. Tzioumis 2

Overview

• Radio Astronomy Facilities in Australia – current capabilities

• The Future – SKA

• Radio Astronomy – an exciting science


Oz Radio Astronomy Facilities


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


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


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


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


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


U Tasmania – Ceduna

• In South Australia

– ex-telecom dish

• 30m beam-waveguide

• Rx 2-25 GHz

• Single-dish - spectra, fluxes

• VLBI


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


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


VLBI Telescopes in Oz


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


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!!


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))


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


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


SKA Philosophy


SKA – Concepts

“Arecibo” style reflectorChina

Large Adaptive Reflector (LAR)Canada

Allen Telescope ArraySETI Institute, US

Planar ArrayNetherlands

Luneburg LenseAustralia


Possible SKA Configurations

• Dense “core” (50%) + antenna “clusters”


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


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.


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


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


RA – Supernovae

• Supernova SN1987A

– 22 GHz ATCA

- May 2004

• Large Magellanic cloud

~170000 light years away

• Can be seen from South

only


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


RA – X-ray Binaries


RA – Active Galactic Nuclei

• ATCA image

• 2356-612

• Radio (red) on

optical (blue)

• Jets into ISM

• Black-hole in core

• Accretion disk


RA – Gravitational lenses

http://www.atnf.csiro.au/people/jlovell/1830-211/1830-211_schematic_2.gif

http://www.atnf.csiro.au/people/jlovell/1830-211/1830-211_schematic_2.gif


Documents

Australian Radio Astronomy Facilities