Philip DiamondRadioNet Co-ordinator

University of Manchester Jodrell Bank Observatory

RadioNet Partners & Mission

• RadioNet has 20 partners: all of the major radio astronomy facilities and laboratories involved in technology development.

• Grew out of 25 years of cooperation in the European VLBI Network.

• Coordinated by Univ. of Manchester, UK

• Remit is to support the European radio astronomy community and to enhance the European radio astronomy facilities

• RadioNet was awarded €12.4M

• 4 more institutes wish to join in 2005; with others expressing interest.

The Telescopes & Trans-National Access

• Europe has some of the largest and most sophisticated radio telescopes on Earth. These facilities are working together more closely than ever under the RadioNet umbrella.

In 2004: TNA programme delivered 4200 hours of access; 40% of time went to new users.

Arp220: a starburst galaxy – optical image

Science with RadioNet Facilities

MERLIN: 18cm continuum

49 supernovae – starburst in action

Developing future technologyand software for radioastronomy.

3 JRAs: all running on time and on budget.

Networking Activities

• 8 NAs

• Range from management to policy planning to engineering workshops.

• In 2004 RadioNet funded 16 workshops on science, engineering, interference, operations and policy.

• Several hundred astronomers and engineers involved.

• 24 meetings planned for next 18 months.

• RadioNet is not enough!the future of radio astronomy in Europe seems to require

an umbrella organisation to provide greater coherence and integration as we enter the era of ‘Big Science’. RadioNet

isproviding the vehicle for discussions of the future and theestablishment of an organisation that might manage theconstruction of the Square Kilometre Array.

• Coordinated Outreach ProgrammesRadioNet is collaborating more closely with OPTICONand ILIAS in outreach programmes. RadioNet has just appointed a dedicated outreach officer.

• I3 Management~20-25 partners is optimum. The management

overhead at the time of the annual report is significant.

Issues

The Future• LOFAR : 2006 – strong link with ILIAS & astro-particle

physics

• SCUBA-2 – submm survey instrument on JCMT : 2006• Yebes 40m (EVN) : 2006• e-EVN - VLBI over Geant : 2008/9• e-MERLIN – 30x increase in sensitivity: 2008 • Sardinia Radio Telescope 64m (EVN) : 2007• ALMA : 2009 first science, 2012 operational• SKA :

– The fourth generation of radio astronomy– A true revolution in capability, 100x collecting area of VLA,

multi-user instrument.– Planning underway

• Developing plans for RadioNet in FP7