Radio, Millimeter and Submillimeter Planning Group

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Radio, Millimeter and Submillimeter Planning Group
Martha P. Haynes (Cornell University) on behalf
of the RMSPG
Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory
Committee February 15, 2005
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RMS 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

http//www.astro.cornell.edu/haynes/rmspg Site
includes a compilation of RMS facilities

• A community volunteer effort
• Funding to date provided by AUI
• No special interaction with AUI/NRAO director

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RMS Astronomy
Key points

• RMS science addresses a broad range of key
  astrophysical questions, either uniquely (e.g.
  CMB, microarcsec imaging, nanosecond pulsar
  timing, radar) or in complement with other
  datasets.
• RMS facility portfolio (National University
  facilities) provides observing capability over 5
  orders of magnitude in wavelength (10 MHz to 1
  THz) and angular scales down to 100
  microarcseconds.
• Support for the RMS community is crucial.
• Effective return on facilities investment
• Balance of large versus small science
• Hands-on training of next generation
• The US program is arguably foremost in the world
  and almost exclusively in the NSF domain.

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Foremost Science Questions

• How did the Universe begin? (CMB experiments)
• What is the fate of the Universe? (SKA)
• How did the Dark Ages end? (MWA, PaST, LWA,
  SKA)
• When and how did the first galaxies form? (ALMA,
  CSO/CCAT, EVLA, VLBA/HSA, GBT, surveys)
• When and how did supermassive black holes form?
  (EVLA, ALMA, SKA, VLBA/HSA)
• Was Einstein right? (Arecibo, GBT, EVLA, SKA)
• How do stars and substellar objects form?
  (CSO/CCAT, LMT, ALMA, CARMA, SMA, VLBA/HSA)
• How do planets form? (ALMA)
• Does extraterrestrial life exist? (ATA, Arecibo)

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RMS Centimeter to Meter Wavelengths National
Center Facilities
Arecibo 0.3 - 10 GHz 3.5 at 21cm Collecting area
GBT 0.1 - 115 GHz 9 at 21 cm Unblocked aperture
EVLA 0.1 - 50 GHz 0.4 at 6cm Imaging array
VLBA 0.3 - 96 GHz .001 at 86 GHz Imaging array

• National facilities are the worlds best radio
  telescopes.
• There are no comparable private facilities but
  partnership needed with university community for
  future developments (surveys, ATA, LWA, MWA,
  SKA).
• National centers provide both access and
  leadership.

The radio astronomy community is justifiably
proud of both its national centers, NRAO and
NAIC, ... 2000 AASC Radio Submillimeter Panel
Report
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Arecibo Revolutionized Capabilities

• Exploit the big dishs 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
• SKA testbed wide bandwidth (2-11 GHz) focal
  plane array
• Partnerships for surveys, instrumentation,
  software etc.

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GBT Revolutionized Capabilities
Exploit the GBTs unique characteristics

• Unblocked aperture (galactic HI)
• Active surface (high frequencies)
• Full steerability (70 of sky)
• Location in NRQZ (low RFI)
• Wide frequency coverage
• 3mm bolometer array
• Wideband spectrometer
• Dynamic scheduling

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EVLA Revolutionized Capabilities

• Multiply by at least 10X the capabilities of the
  VLA
• Increased continuum sensitivity by 2 40 X
• Complete frequency coverage from 1 50 GHz
• Noise limited imaging in all bands
• Huge increase in spectral capabilities
• Correlator contributed by Canada
• Increase spatial resolution by 10X (NM Array)
• e2e user access tools and data products

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VLBA/HSA sub-mJy at sub-mas

• The VLBA is the worlds only dedicated VLBI
  array.
• Full complement of instrumentation
• Time critical images of motions and source
  evolution
• Unparalleled astrometry (microarcsec accuracy)
• High Sensitivity Array (HSA) Arecibo/GBT/VLA
• Sub-milliarcsec resolution at sub-mJy levels
• eVLBI (near) real-time imaging

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RMS Centimeter to Meter Wavelengths
Development program for this decade

• Enhance capabilities of existing instruments,
  emphasizing unique capabilities of Arecibo, EVLA,
  GBT , VLBA and HSA
• Develop new approaches, leading towards Next
  Generation Radio Telescope SKA
• EVLA-II the path to the high frequency SKA
• ATA demo of large N/small D concept
• MWA 80-300 MHz for EOR/transients
• LWA 15-80 MHz to open new window
• Develop a dedicated Solar capability FASR
• Make telecopes easier to use and produce uniform,
  publicly accessible images and data products
  (e2e)
• Foster the training of young scientists
• Foster the preservation of the radio spectrum
• Educate the public about RMS science

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RMS Millimeter to Submillimeter Wavelengths
ALMA 84 950 GHz 0.02 at 1 mm Imaging array
CARMA 115-345 GHz 0.10 at 1 mm Imaging array
SMA 180-900 GHz 0.15 at 0.45mm Imaging array
LMT 75-345 GHz 6 at 3 mm Collecting area
CSO 180900 GHz 30 at 1 mm Surveys, spectroscopy
SPT 90-1500 GHz 1 at 2mm Surveys, SZ effect
ARO 65-490 GHz 21 at 1 mm Molecular searches

• Technological developments and new facilities at
  superb sites are revolutionizing astronomy in the
  millimeter to submillimeter range.
• ALMA and the SMA will provide exquisite detail
  over small fields. Other facilities will provide
  the source surveys and spectroscopy (especially
  redshifts).

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ALMA Imaging Origins

• CO or CI emission from Milky Way at z 3
• Gas kinematics in protostars and protoplanetary
  disks around young Sun-like stars at 150 pc
• Detection of gaps created by forming planets in
  disks
• Precision imaging at angular resolution of 0.1

Partners North America, Europe, Japan MREFC
funded 2002-2010 completion 2012 Partial array
science 2007-8 Location at 5000 m in Atacama
altiplano
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RMS Millimeter to Submillimeter Wavelengths
Developments for MS in the ALMA era

• Development of large bolometer arrays for wide
  area mapping
• Enhancement of high sensitivity, broadband
  spectroscopic capabilities (z-machines)
• Large aperture (25 m class) submillimeter Atacama
  Telescope (CCAT)
• Millimeter VLBI using ALMA, LMT, JCMT, CSO, CCAT
  (Schwarschild radius scale in Sgr A, M87, Cen A)
• Foster a growing MS community at all levels
• Foster the training of young scientists
• Educate the public about RMS science

In this decade, MS is maturing as a field.
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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.

Task Force on CMB Research Ray Weiss
presentation tomorrow
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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 DD on FASR will be
  submitted to NSF GEO/ATM.
• Dedicated to solar weather, FASR will be a data
  machine not a PI facility.

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Role of RMS University Community

• University groups use the RMS facilities for
  their research.
• Targeted experiments (CMB, SZA, EOR, surveys) are
  carried out by university research groups,
  leading to science results as well as the
  production of public access data products.
• Instrument development is carried out by
  university groups for both university and
  national facilities.
• The ATA is the large-N/small D SKA
  demonstrator.
• Millimeter-wave interferometry expertise has
  historically resided principally in the
  universities.
• The MS university facilities complement ALMA
  scientifically, providing hybrid configurations,
  redshift machines and wide area surveys.
• University facilities train the next generation
  by involving students in instrument development
  and operations in ways that e.g., ALMA, as a huge
  international project, cannot.

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RMS Astronomy Technology Drivers

• Huge advances in digital technology
• Real-time imaging for EVLA/VLBA
• Signal processors for pulsars, spectroscopic
  surveys, solar studies, transient detection, rfi
  mitigation
• Electronic steering
• Huge advances in camera technology
• Bolometer arrays
• Focal plane arrays for centimeter bands
• Superb sites
• Possibilities for submillimeter/FIR from the
  ground (Atacama, South Pole)
• Low RFI environment for low frequencies (Mileura)
• Innovative designs for large apertures
• Low frequency arrays (LWA, MWA, PaST)
• Large N/small D (ATA, SKA)

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RMS Radio to Millimeter to Submillimeter
Wavelengths
Synergies with NASA/DOE facilities/missions

• RMS science addresses forefront questions from
  unique perspective which adds to the view derived
  at other wavelengths.
• Ground based CMB experiments and RMS surveys to
  determine foregrounds in combination with space
  missions will characterize anisotropy and
  polarization.
• Radar studies of NEAs thermal emission from
  KBOs
• Deep space probe tracking (VLBA/VLA/GBT/Arecibo)
• Space weather (FASR, Arecibo)
• Technology development (wideband receivers,
  bolometer arrays, cm-band focal plane arrays,
  high speed data transmission, rfi mitigation,
  large N/small D, etc).
• Space VLBI offers the highest resolution.

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RMS Radio to Millimeter to Submillimeter
Wavelengths
RMS facilities provide a suite of instruments
with little overlap in capability constrained
budgets are a reality.
Principal Challenges in 2005

• Must maintain healthy portfolio of large
  (expensive) facilities but also develop the next
  generation instruments.
• Must provide adequate support for fast, targeted
  experiments/surveys by university research
  groups.
• Must nurture innovative technology development to
  drive future science discoveries.
• Must support community to use the facilities
  efficiently and effectively, to train the next
  generation, and to educate the public.

RMS is not alone in these challenges.
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Astronomical Discovery Space The
Frequency-Resolution Plane
Coverage of various future/current instruments is
shown. Upper limit set by diffraction, or
detector. Lower limits set by telescope or
antenna field of view.
10 mas
10 mas
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RMS Radio to Millimeter to Submillimeter
Wavelengths
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RMS Radio to Millimeter to Submillimeter
Wavelengths
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Radio, Millimeter and Submillimeter (RMS)
Facility Acronyms
ALMA Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array MS
Arecibo 305m telescope of NAIC R
ARO Arizona Radio Observatory MS
ATA Allen Telescope Array R
CARMA Combined Array for Millimeter Astronomy M
CCAT Cornell-Caltech Atacama Telescope S
CSO Caltech Submillimeter Astronomy S
DSNA Deep Space Network Array R
EVLA Expanded Very Large Array R
FASR Frequency Agile Solar Radiotelescope R
GBT Green Bank Telescope RM
LMT Large Millimeter Telescope M
LWA Long Wavelength Array R
MWA Mileura Widefield Array R
SKA Square Kilometer Array R
SMA Submillimeter Array S
SPT South Pole Telescope S
VLBA Very Long Baseline Array R
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More RMS Acronyms

• EVLA I
• First phase of EVLA project
• Begun 2001 Expected completion 2012
• Modernize existing facility correlator,
  receivers, software
• EVLA II
• 2nd 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