Transcript Andrew Faulkner University of Manchester Jodrell Bank Observatory

Andrew Faulkner
University of Manchester
Jodrell Bank Observatory
RadioNet Partners & Mission
Support and enhance
European radio astronomy
• RadioNet has 20 partners:
– major radio astronomy facilities
– technology development laboratories
• RadioNet was awarded €12.4M
• Based on 25 years of cooperation in the
European VLBI Network.
• Coordinated by Univ. of Manchester, UK
RadioNet Objectives
• European access to world-class facilities
• Enhance facilities with an integrated R&D programme
• Greater collaboration in engineering, software and science
• Train & nurture next generation of astronomers and engineers
• A common and unified approach to user support
• Prepare for next generation of radio instruments:
• Strengthen European astronomy via close links with
ILIAS, OPTICON, EUROPLANET...
The Telescopes
Europe has some of the largest, most sophisticated radio telescopes on Earth.
These facilities are working together very closely as part of RadioNet
In 2004: TNA programme delivered
4200 hours of access; 40% of time
went to new users.
Radio Astronomy & Gravity Waves
Verification
Sources
Detection
Radio Astronomy & Gravity Waves
Weisberg & Taylor (priv. comm)
Verification
Hulse & Taylor (1974)
Sources
Detection
Orbit shrinks 1cm every day
Confirmation of existence of gravitational waves
Radio Astronomy & Gravity Waves
Verification
1.5
2
Sources
Detection
s
 1.000  0.002
exp
s
Kramer et al.(2004)
1
0.5
obs
0
Testing GR:
Mass B (MSun)
Pb=2.4 hrs, d/dt=17 deg/yr
vel ~ 0.1% c
0
0.5
1
Mass A (MSun)
1.5
2
Radio Astronomy & Gravity Waves
Verification
Discovery of the Double Pulsar dramatically increases
predicted, observable coalescence rates:
Sources
Detection
Ligo I
Ligo II
ref.
2001
0.0003 – 0.25
2 – 1300
Kalogera et al. 2001
2002
0.001 – 0.03
4 – 140
Kim et al. 2002
2003
0.004 – 0.2
20 – 1000
Kalogera et al. 2003
Events per year (95% confidence)
Radio Astronomy & Gravity Waves
Verification
Look for Gravity Waves of known
ephemeris from solitary Pulsars
LIGO Consortium, Kramer & Lyne
(2005)
Sources
Detection
LISA should observe GW from the
Double Pulsar directly: ~2x10-4 Hz
Radio Astronomy & Gravity Waves
Verification
Sources
Detection
B-mode signature of gravitational waves…
….. ‘smoking gun’ of inflation
-8
-6
Radio Astronomy & Gravity Waves
Verification
-12
Millisecond pulsars
act as arms of
huge detector
Detection
-16
-14
Sources
Log10 (Ωg(f)h2)
-10
Look for global spatial pattern
in pulsar timing residuals
-15
-10
-5
0
Log10 (f/Hz)
Complementary
in frequency with
LISA and LIGO/VIRGO
5
10
The Square Kilometre Array
The Square Kilometre Array
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Internationally co-ordinated
Europe in SKADS is developing:
– technology for 0.15 - 2 GHz
– large field-of-view
– multiple beams
Next generation radio telescope
Frequency range 0.15 - 25 GHz
Collecting area of 106 m2
>50x sensitivity & >105 survey speed of
today's best instruments
A ‘discovery’ instrument
Phased Arrays of receivers
Aperture Arrays
Focal Plane Arrays
“electronic fish-eye lens”
“radio cameras”
The revolution in radio telescopes
SKA Demonstrators
KAT & xNTD
Collaboration
KAT/xNTD Aims
• 2 teams building similar systems:
• Australia
xNTD
• South Africa KAT
• Science delivery
• Technology demonstration
• Test bed for phased array
technology
• Test possible SKA site
• Attract the full SKA
Hardware & software
Description
•
•
•
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20 x 15m Dishes
0.7 – 1.75 GHz
Fitted with phased FPAs
FOV 50 deg2
Baselines <10Km
Completion 2009
SKA Timeline
‘Hydrogen Array’
Wilkinson 1991
Working
Group
92
96
‘1% SKA’
Science
Legal
Entity
Formed
SKADS
start
Science
Case pub.
ISSC
MoU
2000
SKA
concept
04
05
06
SKADS
Mid-review
07
08
09
SKA system
defined
Concept
exposition
Design & Build
Demonstrators
KAT & xNTD
1% SKA
Now
‘10% SKA’
Science
SKADS
report
Site
Selection
SKA
Complete
……
10
14
18
Phase 2
Build
50% SKA
Phase 1
Build
10% SKA
Phase 3
Build
100% SKA
22
The SKA will….
•
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•
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Improve timing of pulsars 100 fold
Discover all the pulsars in the Galaxy
Find the elusive Black hole-Pulsar binary
Detect MBH-MBH binary GWs
Plus….
•
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Hydrogen survey of all Galaxies to z ~2
Fundamental neutrino research
Detect inter-galactic magnetic fields
Very high precision galaxy power spectrum
‘Cradle of life’ + planetary formation & SETI
etc. etc….
Summary
Radio Astronomy makes complementary
GW observations
New technology will revolutionise Radio Astronomy
RadioNet brings coherence to European RA teams
Opportunity for a joint FP7 funded science program?
ILIAS-GW and RadioNet can make a
great team in Fundamental Physics!
3 JRAs: all running on
time and on budget.
Developing future technology
and software for radio
astronomy.
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.
KKL - 1992
KKLB+ - 1993
8
180
Note KKLB+
model accounts for
fainter pulsars – so
rate increased by
~3.2x
The ‘Answer’*, again…
Ligo I
Ligo II
ref.
2001
0.0003 – 0.25
2 – 1300
KNST
2002
0.001 – 0.03
4 – 140
KKL
2003
0.004 – 0.2
20 – 1000
KKLB+
Events per year (95% confidence)
1 per 13
years
* Using model from KKL
Daily!!