Radio, Millimeter and Submillimeter Planning Group

Transcription

1 Radio, Millimeter and Submillimeter Planning Group Martha P. Haynes (Cornell University) on behalf of the RMSPG Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee May 16, 2005

2 R*M*S Planning Group Premise: Recommendations as outlined in: Astro & Astrophys in the New Millenium From the Sun to the Earth And Beyond Connecting Quarks with the Cosmos New Frontiers in the Solar System Objective: Update/Implementation Plan Membership: Same as 2000 AASC Radio/Submm Panel Martha Haynes, Cornell/NAIC Geoff Blake, Caltech Don Campbell, Cornell John Carlstrom, Chicago Neal Evans, Texas Jackie Hewitt, MIT Ken Kellermann, NRAO Alan Marscher, BU Jim Moran, Harvard Steve Myers, NRAO Mark Reid, SAO Jack Welch, Berkeley Site includes a compilation of RMS facilities A community volunteer effort No special interaction with AUI/NRAO director

3 Progress towards AANM Initiatives New Ground Based Initiatives Prior Decade ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter Array) Major Initiatives EVLA (Expanded Very Large Array) Moderate Initiatives SKA (Square Kilometer Array) Technology CARMA (Combined Array for Research in mm Astronomy) FASR (Frequency Agile Solar Radiotelescope) SPT (South Pole Telescope) Small Initiatives LOFAR (Low Frequency Array) CMB experiments Numerous (ACBAR, CBI, CAPMAP, DASI, SZA, etc)

4 Progress towards AANM Initiatives New Ground Based Initiatives Prior Decade ALMA: under construction Major Initiatives EVLA: Phase I underway; Phase II under review Moderate Initiatives SKA: US effort limited by lack of NSF funding CARMA: under construction FASR: proposal for D&D about to be submitted SPT: under construction Small Initiatives LOFAR : Several initiatives underway/pending CMB experiments Numerous, on-going (TFCR)

5 RMS Roadmap Elements: Complete and support ALMA Complete and support EVLA Exploit those investments via other unique facilities Pursue aggressively the SKA concept as the next generation radio telescope Develop the new technologies required for new science Maintain competitive strength Train the next generation

6 ALMA: Imaging Origins Under construction; expected completion in 2012 Exploit the ALMA investment pre-alma: CARMA: pathfinder for ALMA science and development Wide area survey instruments Redshift machines Support ALMA beginning with partial array operations in 2008 Complement ALMA in ALMA era with unique capabilities

7 Exploiting the ALMA Investment Full return on the US investment in ALMA requires additional capabilities at these same wavelengths currently provided by UROs, GBT and SMA. Fast survey capabilities - Broad bandwidth incoherent detectors (mapping speed) Redshifts for large numbers of dusty objects Blind molecular searches over wide areas Unique instantaneous spatial dynamic range and image fidelity of CARMA s hybrid array Legacy surveys especially of Galactic plane (north and south)

8 EVLA: Revolutionized Capabilities Multiply by at least 10X the capabilities of the current VLA Phase I: underway; completion in 2012 Funded out of AST (not MREFC) Contributions from Canada and Mexico Phase II: proposal submitted; ready to go

9 The Most Distant Quasar Optical Image Walter et al VLA image of CO from the first known star formation Redshifted to 46 GHz Artist s conception of disk of molecules and dust

10 EVLA: Resolving Cosmic Evolution Resolution better than 160 light years anywhere in the universe and 3 AU at Orion AU-scale images of accretion disks and their connection to outflow regions around massive stars Resolve dusty cores of ULIRGs and submm galaxies: AGN or starbursts Evolution of GRB s, SNe, etc Combine EVLA + VLBA for full image fidelity EVLA is a pathfinder for high frequency SKA, technologically and scientifically

11 VLBA/HSA: sub-mjy at sub-mas - Time critical images of motions and source evolution - Unparalleled astrometry (microarcsec accuracy) GLAST/VLBA survey: both groundwork for the mission and followup Dark matter density in core of lensing galaxies Pulsar and maser parallaxes for MW structure Maser motions around supermassive black holes

12 Square Kilometer Array The SKA aims to be the next generation radio telescope. The SKA is an international project. The SKA requires revolutionary technology development. Science potential is thrilling: Thermal imaging at 0.15 AU resolution out to 150 pc Thousands of millisec pulsars forming a timing array to detect gravitational waves A billion rotation measures: evolution of magnetic fields, connection to structure formation Cosmic evolution of HI. Plus much more!

13 International SKA Timeline Timeline for the International SKA Project Decadal Survey Decadal Survey Science Case Conceptual Design + Technology Prototyping Site testing Decision on Siting External review of technical designs Includes prototyping of subsystems on existing telescopes + demonstrator array Technical design choice e.g. in the US: Allen Telescope Array EVLA + VLBA Arecibo, GBT (wideband feeds) MWA LWA DSN Array (dishes) TDP (technology develop. project pending at the NSF) e.g. International LOFAR MWA EMBRACE (aperture array) Small-dish arrays at mid-range frequencies (Australia, India, South Africa) FAST (China) CLAR (Canada) (focal plane arrays) + other Readiness Phase / Engineering Study 5-10% Prototype on selected site Approval of Full Array Operation s Construction Phase Ongoing Science Return

14 Arecibo: Pathfinder for the SKA Exploit AO s HIGH SENSITIVITY and RADAR capability Surveys with ALFA: galactic and extragalactic Pulsar surveys and timing: tests of GR Statistical characterization of continuum transients High Sensitivity Array for VLBI: time domain, mjy VLBI Solar System radar: NEAs, planetary surfaces, rings SKA testbed: wide bandwidth (2-11 GHz) focal plane array Partnerships for surveys, instrumentation, software etc.

15 GBT: Pathfinder for EVLA, SKA, ALMA Exploit the GBT s unique characteristics: Beam-forming array: Galactic HI Penn Array: pathfinder for SZ, dust Heterodyne array: CO, HCN, HCO+ in star forming regions Multibeam at 30 GHz: blind high-z CO Finder for EVLA, ALMA Steerability: globular cluster pulsars High frequency VLBI: H 2 0 masers Bi-static radar: NEA s, Titan

16 Ground-based CMB Experiments Direct observations of the CMB lie uniquely in the domain of RMS astronomy. Ground based experiments probe CMB anisotropy and polarization on different scales and thus complement results from space missions. RMS surveys critical for foreground determination. SPT wil map CMB/SZA. Task Force on CMB Research

17 Solar Radio Astronomy FASR Frequency Agile Solar Radio Telescope FASR was endorsed by the 2000 AASC as well as the Solar and Space Physics equivalent From the Sun to the Earth - and Beyond. A proposal to conduct D&D on FASR will be submitted to NSF GEO/ATM. Dedicated to solar weather, FASR will be a data machine not a PI facility.

18 LOFAR Dutch pursuing low frequency array on their own (= LOFAR) Low frequency regime (< 300 MHz) largely unexplored Science exciting Dark Ages neutral hydrogen First supermassive blackholes Continuum transients Solar/ionospheric phenomena Modest investment in next 3-5 years : Detection of neutral hydrogen during the Dark Ages Technology development towards major facility

19 RMS Roadmap: ALMA Complete and support ALMA Exploit that investment via other unique facilities Develop new technologies Pre-ALMA era: - CARMA as a pathfinder for ALMA science - Full survey of Galactic plane in key dust and molecular tracers - Wide area surveys, z-machines - Submm interferometry (SMA + CSO) ALMA era: - CARMA as a pathfinder for ALMA development - Unique CARMA science niche - Wide area complements FCRAO LMT CSO CCAT

20 RMS Roadmap: The EVLA (and Beyond) Complete and support EVLA Exploit that investment via other unique facilities Pursue aggressively the SKA concept as the next generation radio telescope The EVLA offers a huge increase in capability over the existing VLA: a new VLA! The EVLA+VLBA combination provides high fidelity imaging on all spatial scales for the first time. The VLBA+AO+GBT+phased VLA = HSA for precision astronomy and studies of faint sources. The EVLA is a critical step to the SKA as the next generation radio telescope. AO, GBT, ATA, MWA and LWA will likewise serve as SKA testbeds and demonstrators.

21 RMS Roadmap Towards the SKA: Technology Pathway Technology Development Area Antenna Manufacture Data transport Broadband feeds/rcvrs Correlator design Algorithms: Time domain Spectral domain Imaging domain Data Management Large-N/Small D concept Operations research of large N arrays ATA, DSNA Source/Venue Commercial, DSNA, SKA-TDP EVLA, evlbi, SKA(Int) ATA, AO, GBT, SKA-TDP EVLA, ATA, LOFAR, SKA(Int) ATA, EVLA, ALMA, LOFAR, MWA, LWA, SKA-TDP Matched filtering, wide FOV Wide field, high resolution Wide field, high res, high dynamic range AO/ALFA, ATA, EVLA, ALMA, SKA-TDP University OR, commercial, SKA-TDP

22 RMS Roadmap Towards the SKA: Science Pathway Science Area Epoch of Reionization Gravity, pulsars First AGNs Protoplanetary disks Cosmic magnetism Transient universe Galaxy evolution, e.g. HI mass distribution Weak lensing Dark energy EOS EVLA, GBT Instrument PaST, MWA, LWA, LOFAR AO/ALFA, GBT, ATA, SKA-demos EVLA/VLBA+OIR cross catalog, LWA, SKA-demos EVLA, ATA, GBT, LWA, SKA-demos AO/ALFA, GBT, EVLA, MWA, LWA, ATA, LOFAR EVLA, VLBA, GBT, AO/ALFA, ATA, MWA, LWA, SKA demos Plus connections to ALMA, JWST, GSMT, etc

23 Prior Decade ALMA Major Initiatives EVLA Moderate Initiatives SKA CARMA FASR SPT Small Initiatives LOFAR The RMS Roadmap Follows the Decadal Survey Strategy Driven by science Enabled by technology Maintains US strength CMB experiments Numerous (ACBAR, CBI, CAPMAP, DASI)

24 Radio, Millimeter and Submillimeter (RMS) Facility Acronyms ALMA Arecibo ARO ATA CARMA CCAT CSO DSNA EVLA FASR GBT LMT LWA MWA PaST SKA SMA SPT VLBA Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array 305m telescope of NAIC Arizona Radio Observatory Allen Telescope Array Combined Array for Millimeter Astronomy Cornell-Caltech Atacama Telescope Caltech Submillimeter Astronomy Deep Space Network Array Expanded Very Large Array Frequency Agile Solar Radiotelescope Green Bank Telescope Large Millimeter Telescope Long Wavelength Array Mileura Widefield Array Primeval Structure Telescope Square Kilometer Array Submillimeter Array South Pole Telescope Very Long Baseline Array MS R MS R M S S R R R RM M R R R R S S R

25 More R*M*S Acronyms EVLA I : First phase of EVLA project Begun 2001; Expected completion 2012 Modernize existing facility: correlator, receivers, software EVLA II 2 nd phase of EVLA project Proposal submitted 2004; under review Increase angular resolution by 10X with additional antennas spread throughout New Mexico evlbi: (Near) real-time VLBI imaging by transmission of data over internet to central correlator (vs physical shipment of disks) e2e: End-to-end development of software tools for users to aid from proposal submission to observations to data reduction HSA: High Sensitivity Array (VLBA + VLA + GBT + Arecibo) Large N/Small D: Large number of small diameter dishes NAIC: National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center NMA: New Mexico Array NRAO: National Radio Astronomy Observatory RMS: Radio, Millimeter and Submillimeter