March 2009LOFAR MKSP Update: SKA and PrepSKA Paul Alexander

March 2009LOFAR MKSP Overview –Internationally coordinated project has really started – PrepSKA –SKA Programme Development Office (SPDO) coordinating development work –Three concept specifications defined (Memo 100) –Reference science plan currently being constructed against which concept specifications will be tested –Costed system design by 2012 Q2 (2013 Q2)

March 2009LOFAR MKSP

March 2009LOFAR MKSP Specifications Freq RangeCollectorA eff /T sys Survey Speed m 2 K -1 m 4 K -2 deg 2 70 – 450MHzSparse AA4-10,0003x – 1000MHzDense AA10,0002 x MHz 0.8 – 10 GHZ m Dish10,0004x10 7 Wide-band 1.4 GHz

March 2009LOFAR MKSP Frequency (MHz) Sky Brightness Temperature (K) A eff A eff /T sys Fully sampled AA-hi Sparse AA-lo T sky Becoming sparse above f AA A eff / T sys (m 2 / K) Tailoring the AA system Dishes 800MHz

March 2009LOFAR MKSP Conceptual Configuration Station Core ~5km dia Central Processing Facility Comms links Not to scale! 180km Dishes spread along spiral Dishes AA-hi AA-lo ~250 Aperture array stations ~2500 Dishes

March 2009LOFAR MKSP Where are we in the Global Project? 2020-Operations and science exploitation 2020Completion of Phase Construction of Phase-2 and Initial science Production verification and Phase-1 construction 2011Site selection Technology development 2006Short listing of sites Technology research 2000Start of global project SKADS PrepSKA

March 2009LOFAR MKSP ESFRI Body set up by European Science Ministers To develop a strategic roadmap for major Research Infrastructures (RIs) in Europe Based on international peer- review RIs must be –Of Pan-European interest –At a mature level –Some projects of global dimension ELT FAIR KM3NET SKA (Global) SPIRAL2

March 2009LOFAR MKSP PrepSKA Awarded €5.5M from EC + larger national matching funds PrepSKA will address the following: Design of the SKA SKA location Legal framework and governance structure for the SKA Cost-effective mechanisms for SKA procurement SKA funding Socio-economic impact of the SKA WP #TitleBudget (€k) 1 PREPSKA Mgmt SKA Design SKA Site Studies SKA Governance SKA Procurement + industrial involvement Developing SKA funding model Production of implementation plan 60 Total 5500 Will deliver the design and plan for a coordinated funding proposal submission to governments in early 2012.

March 2009LOFAR MKSP SKA Global Collaboration

March 2009LOFAR MKSP SKA Project organisation SSEC SKA Science & Eng. Committee FAWG Funding Agencies Working Group SSEC SKA Science & Eng. Committee FAWG Funding Agencies Working Group SPDO SKA Project Development Office SPDO SKA Project Development Office Project Engineer Executive Officer Project Scientist Director

March 2009LOFAR MKSP 06 |08 |10 |12 |14 |16 |18 |20 | System Design Phase 2 construction and commissioning Sites short-listed EC-FP7: PrepSKA System design, Funding Governance, Procurement, Site Selection Preliminary SKA specs External Engineering Review of design Reference Design selected Pathfinder Suite Construction Early Science SKA mid+low Phase 2 Complete SKA Pathfinders Complete Pathfinder science Phase 1 complete Concept Design Site Select Phase 1 construction and commissioning SKA timeline AAVP AnticipatedSKAFundingDecison SKAFundingDecison Target cost for Phases 1 & 2: €1.5B

March 2009LOFAR MKSP Global Collector R&D USA Canada S.Africa Australia NL EMBRACE+2PAD

March 2009LOFAR MKSP T1T2T3T4T5T6T7T8T9 P1 SKA design SKA concept delineation SKA specification & simulations SKA life cycle study SKA operation SKA support model SKA cost optimisation SKA manufacturing studies SKA-P1 technical doc SKA system design P2 SKA-P1 Sub-system spec & evaluation SKA-P1 sub- systems specification P3 Initial Verification System IVS specification IVS construction IVS Int. & Test Aperture array verif. programme P4 Dish design & optimization Dish design 1 Basic metal Dish design 2 Composite Dish design 3 Carbon fibre Dish design 4 Hi-perf. metal P5 Feed prototyping Wideband single-pixel feeds WFoV: Aperture array tiles WFoV: Phased array feeds WFoV: Multiple-feed clusters P6 Receiver prototyping Low-noise amplifiers Integrated receivers New-gen. cryo solutions P7 Signal transport prototyping Intra-antenna data links Intra-station data links Station-core data links LO and timing Monitor & control P8 Signal processing prototyping Station DSPCorrelators Interference mitigation Non-imaging processors P9 Computing specification & prototyping Computing & software specification Computing hardware Software engineering Data products & VO plan Calibration Science post Processing P10 WP2 design study management PM SPDO project management SKA Technology Work Package Structure (ISPO)

March 2009LOFAR MKSP AAVP Aperture Array Verification Programme AAVP Coordination of the European technical work, primarily for the aperture arrays; Ensure that the verification programme for aperture arrays meets the requirements of the SKA Project; Provides a focus and information exchange for European SKA development work

March 2009LOFAR MKSP AAVP Principle Deliverables 1. Approved and verified design for Phase 1 AA integrated into the SKA-P1 system. 2. Clear development path to SKA Phase 2 AA system. A design provided with ‘Request for Quotation’ documents with substantial technical detail for industrial competitive selection and delivery of pre-production parts. These parts are expected to integrated within 2 years after funding availability (assumed coincident with PrepSKA end); Design performance verification in the form of independently refereed documentation

March 2009LOFAR MKSP AAVP Organisation Chart ESKAC + EU-PrepSKA PI’s (the ‘Board’) SPDO A3IV ASTRON Build and test astronomically capable AA. Use EMBRACE & derivatives for ongoing test and development. Domain Leaders SSEC Director & PE DAAVS UK Build, test & calibrate an all digital AA. On a representative site. Use 2-PAD & derivatives for ongoing test and development. AA-SEM Portugal Provide a site, infrastructure and power for a representative site, including solar power. Assist with detailed testing of AAs installed. AA-Tech ASTRON The development programmes for the AA sub-systems. The technology developed here are used in the demonstrators. AA-SDS UK System design studies with close connection to the requirements to meet the science goals. Inc. simulations, costing & processing requirements. AA-Lo INAF/IRA Development of the low frequency specific AA components. Most sub-systems will be re-used from AA-hi. Use lessons learned from activities in LOFAR and other LF Arrays. AAVP Team Programme - CoordinatorEngineer System EngineerScientist

March 2009LOFAR MKSP Wideband RF Beamformer 1 12 n …. Dual Pol Antennas Wideband RF Beamformer 2 12 n …. Wideband RF Beamformer m 12 n …. ….. Digitisation Signal Processing Defined Interface ….. Beamformer Control & Monitor ….. Tile processing Board: m channels 1 2 p.. Station processing & Control & Monitor ….. Calib- ration Control System Time standard Output Data Control Information Time Standard RFI Shield b, Dual Pol Beam(s) PWR One Generic Aperture Array…..

March 2009LOFAR MKSP AA-Tech Antenna elements and array design LNA and Matching RF Beamforming & analogue transport Digital processing Hardware Beamforming Algorithms Calibration Hardware & implementation Mechanical infrastructure Development of the antenna element, mechanical integration, matching with LNA and testing LNA design, differential, packaging. Works closely with element and array design. RF beamforming development, analogue input to the RFI shield bunker and input signal cond. Digital processor implementations and trade-offs. Software algorithm, development and implementation Hardware required, methodology and algorithms Structural, materials, production engineering, RFI performance. MTBF and MTTR analysis UK & NL NL France UK NL UK Italy LeadPrepSKA WP2. mapping: / 3.4

March 2009LOFAR MKSP The Technology Programme UK contribution to core SKA technology Contribute to development of AA technology for use in the SKA (following on from SKADS) Theme A Theme B

March 2009LOFAR MKSP Workpackages & Tasks Task A.1.1 Cost and design tool.2 AA cost modelling & design coord.3 Real time control & monitoring.4 System simulation A.2.1 Data Links.2 Phase transfer A.3.1 Signal processing A.4.1 Fourier-plane processing.2 Calibration & image-plane effects.3 Algorithms for transient detection.4 Data management, data flow.5 Eff. imaging algorithms & parall’n Task B.1.1 Mid-Frequency Array.2 Low frequency Array B.2.1 LNAs and element matching.2 InP LNA development.3 Gain, filtering and equalization.4 Analogue signal transport.5 Digitization B.3.1 AA infrastructure B.4.1 Calibration for the AA B.5.1 UK Contribution to the AAVP

March 2009LOFAR MKSP Conclusion Three aspects of proposed UK strategy eMERLIN – world-leading science now LOFAR – exceptional low- frequency pathfinder science soon Final goal – transformational science with the SKA

March 2009LOFAR MKSP