Radio Astronomy Program Murray Lewis AUSAC Meeting · March 9, 2009

Radio Astronomy ALFA consortia Highlights Coming developments Meetings, MoU, etc RAG involvement with proposals Service functions RAG staff AUSAC Meeting · March 9, 2009

ALFA: A Camera for Arecibo Installed 2004 Apr Surveys initiated Feb 2005 7 beams x 2 pol (linear) = 14 “pixels” 1225-1525 MHz full range Unmatched sensitivity (SEFD = 2.4 to 3 Jy) 3.3’ x 3.8’ beams on 11’ X 13’ ellipse Unprecedented capability for mapping the sky Survey consortia self-organized by community 2004 AUSAC Meeting March 9, 2009

2008 PRIORITY getting all the ALFA sub-consortia onto telescope I-gALFA (3 of 5 fields completed -- galactic dark time) those depending on Mock spectrometers (300 MHz BW) AUDS (monopolize 07:15-09:00 & 15:45-18:00) GALFACTS (receiver saturation issue) pALFA (share Galactic dark time, Pulasar FITS) Commensal with pALFA ZoA RRL

Challenge -- to satisfy all subconsortia Already had ALFALFA, AGES, (disk-halo, TOGS & TOGS2) To accommodate GASS, OH mega-masers, & ALFA consortia pALFA, I-gALFA share Galactic dark-time expect I-gALFA finish in 2009, to share GALFACTS in 2010 time for ALFALFA:AGES:GASS ~ 2:1:1 Expectation through 2009 that ratio surveys: PI pgms ~ 80:20 In 2008, actually nearer 60:40 (due to an overhang of pgms from before painting began, last Saturn access for more than a decade, other radar, & ASS in early 2008 bias results)

RAG members heavily involved:-- I-gALFA efficiently operating (now remote observing, automatic script generation) GALFACTS (ditto), BUT ALFA has saturation issues to work through likely to bring ALFA down ~Sep. to fix LNAs Commissioning spectral-line use of Mock spectrometers (for ZoA, RRL in particular)

2.15 msec 95 d orbit e 0.43667 1.74±0.04 Mo J1903+0327 AUSAC Meeting 9 March 2009

Optical only red; HI only blue; both green 5670 galaxies with cz < 8000 km/s 07:30 < RA < 16:30 & 08° < Dec < 16°

A Spectral Scan of Arp 220: 1.1 – 10 GHz Arp 220 is a star-burst galaxy at a distance of 250 Mly. It is forming stars at 100-times the rate of the Milky Way. It is the result of a collision between 2 galaxies now in the final stages of merging. (VLA:Radio Wavlength 6cm)‏ (HST:Optical)‏ AUSAC Meeting March 9, 2009

The Spectrum of Arp 220 – Prebiotic Molecules Methanimine (CH2NH) observed for the first time outside of the Milky Way (where it has only been observed in one source!)‏ This is probably a maser emitter. “Bending” transitions of HCN observed for the very first time in the radio region. These lines are at L-, C-, C-Hi & X-band. HCN at S-band. AUSAC Meeting March 9, 2009

next developments enable 1 GHz single-pixel operation with Mock spectrometers (software development with CIMA & system) benefits pulsar-timing accuracy, molecular-line surveys enable 2 GHz single-pixel operation with Mock spectrometers (hardware development underway to provide a 4 GHz IF/LO to match development of 4 GHz BW receivers) ditto enable queue observing functionality in CIMA (Mikael provided the basic system: to be completed) benefits single-pixel surveys such as GASS expand CIMA functionality to support VLBI observing modes Provide 715-820 MHz capability for summer/fall 2009

Future Arecibo science requires a robust, current program of R&D of hardware, software and data management systems, including: 1 - 2 GHz coherent dedispersion backends for precision pulsar timing -- adopt NRAO’s GUPPI when completed Phase-reference antenna, 10 GB fiber connectivity to the US (for VLBI), & Haystack’s Mark 5C when it is available Wideband feed development (1-10 GHz & 4-8 GHz feed capability) for pulsars, transients, Faraday rotation measurements, and surveys for complex molecules ~40-pixel phased-array feed to cover 1300-1430 MHz -- next generation ‘ALFA’ for a deep Virgo Cluster HI survey. Three-horn feed cluster for 0.8 to 1.2 GHz for extragalactic HI, transients, and pulsar surveys AUSAC Meeting · March 9, 2009

other Washington recommendations Arecibo needs to invest in resources and tool development for archival and curation of data produced in surveys and in survey follow-up. These data are precious legacies with life cycles that need careful planning. Arecibo needs to invest resources and proactively engage its community in improving RFI mitigation, both in the development of hardware & software AUSAC Meeting · March 9, 2009

meetings, MoU, etc Evolution of Galaxies through the HI Window (Feb 08) NanoGrav Meeting (in Aug 08) {MSP timing} 3rd US VLBI technical Meeting (Nov 07) GWDAW in San Juan (Jan 09 ) {gravitational waves} AAS DPS Meeting in PR, 4-9 October 2009 Single-dish Summer School [Arecibo & Green Bank] (12-18 July 09) Alfalfa student workshop (Jan 08, Jan 09) Nano-Grav (Brownsville student visit March 08, fall 08) MoU with UPR_Humacao (VLBI: phase ref. antenna) MoU with UPR_Rio Piedras (VLBI: GB connectivity) AUSAC Meeting · March 9, 2009

REU PAARE CREST Cosmic Dust (to NASA) personal proposals of RAG

Service Functions Telescope friending Governance (reports & presentations - AUSAC,VC,NSF, Management Rev. etc.) Public Relations (Newsletter, Mtg. Posters & display, etc.) RFI coordination, outreach & mtgs. REU mentoring, etc. web documentation, etc VLBI infra-structure/organization meetings (3+/yr) PR outreach activity funding proposal contributions/activity telescope guiding activity, etc

RAG Staff Astronomy Radar Murray Lewis Mike Nolan Chris Salter John Harmon Tapasi Ghosh Ellen Howell Robert Minchin Patrick Taylor (PostDoc) Paulo Friere** (Steven Gibson) Ji-hyun Kang (PostDoc) other (Julia Deneva, PostDoc) Mikael Lerner** Lou Nigra (pre-doc) Hector Hernandez Aaron Parsons (pre-doc)

What strategic planning can be done to engage broader community involvement in Arecibo science? Repeat the Washington meeting every couple of years Promote more Arecibo science meetings at AAS AUSAC Meeting · March 9, 2009