TUNA Lunch Talk:

Kate Chow

CASS, CSIRO

The latest from ASKAP and the SKA in Australia

September 1

12:10PM, Room 230, NRAO, Edgemont Road

Abstract:

The Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) is an array of 36 12-metre steerable antennas spread across some six kilometres at CSIRO’s Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory (MRO) in Western Australia; when complete it will be the fastest cm-wave survey instrument in radio astronomy. Each ASKAP antenna will be fitted with one of CSIRO’s revolutionary phased array feed (PAF) receivers. Commissioning using six antennas equipped with first-generation PAFs has been underway since mid-2014. CSIRO is now in the process of installing second-generation PAFs and receiving systems on the remaining antennas. An early science program with the new feeds will begin by early 2016. I will provide an update on some of the early science results, as well as the status of the second-generation PAF installation. I’ll also provide an update on the SKA in Australia, and the SKA project in general.