FY 2009 NAIC Progress Report & Research Plan Review 16 – 17 November 2009 Radio Astronomy & Future Plans Chris Salter (with thanks to Murray Lewis) Arecibo Observatory (National Astronomy & Ionosphere Center) ‏

FY 2009 NAIC Progress Report & Research Plan Review 16 – 17 November 2009 Arecibo Astronomy Observing Parameters -- 80% of astronomy telescope time for large (≥300 hr) survey projects: currently all using ALFA or LBW receivers % of astronomy telescope time for other astronomy projects. -- Frequency coverage: 327, 430 & 800 MHz, GHz via 6 receivers + ALFA.

FY 2009 NAIC Progress Report & Research Plan Review 16 – 17 November 2009 ALFA: The Arecibo L-band Feed Array Installed Apr 2004, surveys initiated Feb beams × 2 poln (linear) = 14 pixels Bandwidth = MHz Unmatched sensitivity: SEFD ≈ 3 Jy HPBW=3.3′ × 3.8 ′ on 11 ′ × 13 ′ ellipse Commensal operations for sky surveys ALFA consortia self-organized by community LEDs retro-fitted during 2009 to aid recovery from saturation by radar-RFI

FY 2009 NAIC Progress Report & Research Plan Review 16 – 17 November 2009 Current Arecibo Survey Projects Pulsar Search: PALFA Survey, commensal with ZoA & RRL. Galactic λ21-cm HI: Individual-area GALFA Surveys; I-GALFA commensal with GALFACTS & ZoA. Extragalactic λ21-cm HI: ALFALFA, AGES, both commensal with GALFA-TOGS, and AUDS. Continuum: GALFACTS (Full-Stokes), commensal with GALFA- TOGS2 & ZoA. Single-Pixel Surveys: (a) Zeeman-effect survey of magnetic fields in ULIRGS; observations completed, (b) GASS (GALEX Arecibo SDSS Survey) survey of HI in 1000 massive galaxies.

FY 2009 NAIC Progress Report & Research Plan Review 16 – 17 November 2009 Pulsar Highlights PSR Period = 2.15 ms Binary Period = 95 day Orbital Eccentricity = 0.44 PSR mass = 1.68±0.01M o → implications for EOS of cold ultra-dense matter Pulsars can accrete significant mass during recycling. PALFA PSR J Radio and γ-Ray Pulsars Arecibo pulsar, J is found to be one of the strongest γ-ray emitters by Fermi/GLAST. Of 9 new γ-ray pulsars in the Arecibo sky from Fermi/GLAST, J is found to be a radio pulsar (P= s). With S 1.4 GHz = 3 μJy, and a distance ~ 3 kpc, it is the second least luminous pulsar known!

FY 2009 NAIC Progress Report & Research Plan Review 16 – 17 November 2009 AGES – the Arecibo Galactic Environment Survey Observes nearby galactic environments and volumes before and behind them. ‏ About 40% complete. Rms noise level ~0.75 mJy/bm. Almost all detections have an optical counterpart. One that does not is shown above. ALFALFA & AGES ALFALFA – Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA Survey. Observations 77% complete. Spänhauer diagram for galaxy detections. Large number of detections of galaxies with M HI < 10 8 M o. HI Census → HI Mass Function 1350-MHz FAA Radar

FY 2009 NAIC Progress Report & Research Plan Review 16 – 17 November 2009 ALFALFA – Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA Survey Will cover 7000 deg 2. 0 o <Dec<+36 o, 22 h <RA<3 h & 7.5 h <RA<16.5 h to z < ×sensitivity, 4×angular resolution, 3×spectral resolution, 1.6×velocity coverage of Parkes HIPASS survey. Five data catalogs, plus 15 refereed science papers, have been published. Has cataloged more HI detections than the total known pre-ALFALFA. Has more than 60 participants. Undergraduate-ALFALFA “Groups of Galaxies” project. HI Mass Function for Leo 1 Group. The low mass slope is steeper than the optical luminosity function, but shallower than predictions of ΛCDM structure formation simulations. In Perseus-Pisces Void, not one galaxy detected with HI where 38 are expected.

FY 2009 NAIC Progress Report & Research Plan Review 16 – 17 November 2009 I-GALFA‏ – The Inner Galaxy ALFA low-b HI Survey I-GALFA covers 35°≤ l ≤85°, |b| ≤10°. Observations were completed in September HPBW=3.35', T rms = 0.25 K, Δv chan = 0.18 km/s, |v lsr | < 750 km/s. (Triple) Commensal with ZOA & GALFACTS2. Prominent is the HI/continuum supershell GS , probably lying in the Sagittarius spiral arm. (top) I-GALFA HI image – v lsr = +27 km/s; (bottom) GALFACTS2 L-band continuum image

FY 2009 NAIC Progress Report & Research Plan Review 16 – 17 November 2009 TOGS/TOGS2 is commensal with GALFACTS, ALFALFA & AGES, mapping large areas of sky in HI at no overhead in observing time. Used to study, (a) Galactic structure, (b) correlation of HVC HI and dust contents, (c) HI clouds surrounding M33 attributed to M33–M31 tidal interactions, (d) HI content of Local Group dwarf galaxies, and (e) HI content of globular clusters. GALFA-TOGS/TOGS2 Wide-Area HI Survey TOGS = “Turn On GALFA Spectrometer!” HI for -5 ≤ v lsr ≤ 0 km/ s (Image includes I-GALFA data)

FY 2009 NAIC Progress Report & Research Plan Review 16 – 17 November 2009 GALFACTS (GALFA Continuum Transit Survey) GALFACTS is a full-Stokes, all-Arecibo-sky, continuum survey. It uses the Mock spectrometer, and an original multi-beam CLEAN. The GALFACTS survey began November 2008, and is about 12% complete. Studies of a) Galactic magnetic field via both point-source and foreground polarization, b) thermal/nonthermal separation of Galactic foreground, & c) SNRs, HII regions and the Galactic loops. Bandwidth = 300 MHz → Faraday tomography, I p (x, y, RM).

FY 2009 NAIC Progress Report & Research Plan Review 16 – 17 November 2009 Red Dwarf “Pulsars” – TVLM Arecibo provides the wide bandwidth and high spectral resolution not available with the VLA → dynamic spectra of the pulses from TVLM 513. Pulses resolved in both time and frequency → Brightness temperature > K for this electron cyclotron maser emission. Radio emission occurs at electron cyclotron frequency → magnetic field strength of kiloGauss. June 2009 Arecibo observations of TVLM 513 were made simultaneously with H-α, optical photometry, and NIR spectrophometry allowing correlation for 4-band variability in both phase and time.

FY 2009 NAIC Progress Report & Research Plan Review 16 – 17 November 2009 Molecular-Line Studies H 2 O maser in host galaxy of QSO J (z=2.64) monitored at 6- week intervals Top Formaldehyde Absorption and (bottom) excited-line OH maser emission in LIRG, NGC 660 Excited satellite line OH maser in PPN, CRL 618 Methanol in NGC 2264-IRS1 CH main line at 724 MHz in W51

FY 2009 NAIC Progress Report & Research Plan Review 16 – 17 November 2009 HI Absorption in the Host Galaxy of QSO CTA 21 CTA 21 at arcsec resolution: contours= radio; greyscale=optical CTA 21 at milliarcsec resolution Optical Spectrum of CTA 21 Radio Spectrum of CTA Frequency (MHz)‏ Flux Density (Jy)‏ HI absorption in the host galaxy of CTA 21 against the continuum emission of the central quasar Observed at Arecibo on 20 & 21 September 2009  Observed at Arecibo on 20 & 21 September 2009  Redshift, z =  Distance = 7,335,000,000 light years  CTA 21 is seen at 46% of the present age of the Universe Central Frequency = MHz Analog-to-Digital migration of TV transmissions in June 2009 temporarily freed up the 700–800 MHz band. Arecibo has provided and commissioned a receiver.

FY 2009 NAIC Progress Report & Research Plan Review 16 – 17 November 2009 Arecibo VLBI Highlights – Continued HSA, EVN and Global Array operations. Regular eVLBI science runs at 256 & 512 Mbit/sec. Imminent acquisition of 12-m antenna for VLBI Phase-referencing. Acquisition of 2 х Mark-5C recorders, and the ordering of 2 х digital back-ends (DBEs) for de;ivery in the coming months.

FY 2009 NAIC Progress Report & Research Plan Review 16 – 17 November 2009 The Arecibo 12-m Antenna Current Status – O rder soon to be placed for a Patriot 12-m antenna. The antenna should arrive at the Observatory in February 2010, with assembly in March. When commissioned, its primary use will be for VLBI phase referencing. Freq. Coverage – An S/X receiver has been ordered from Patriot Antenna Systems Inc. It is intended that a broadband front-end will be installed at a later date. Single Dish Uses – Education and research applications with Puerto-Rican universities and other educational establishments. Other Potential Uses – (a) Participation in VLBI2010; (b) At L-band, the voltage beam-width of a 12-m antenna contains all 7 beams of the ALFA receiver, opening up the possibility of multi-beam interferometric applications.

FY 2009 NAIC Progress Report & Research Plan Review 16 – 17 November 2009 The Arecibo 12-m Antenna Site The Arecibo 12-m Antenna Site 12-m Antenna Site The AUT Patriot 12-m Antenna Arecibo Site Work (11/12/09)‏

FY 2009 NAIC Progress Report & Research Plan Review 16 – 17 November 2009 Arecibo eVLBI Astronomy Observing time = 2 hr. Antennas = Cm, Kn, Jb2, Mc, On, Tr & Wb. Observing time = 8 hr. Antennas = Cm, Da, Jb1, Mc, On, Tr, Ef & Ar (for 2 hr 20 min.)‏ 1.6 GHz; J GHz: J Image of J made during the IYA “24 hours of eVLBI” by Ar plus 16 other telescopes on 5 continents, 5 GHz: SS433 ToO observations of SS433 made between November 6 & 19, 2008.

FY 2009 NAIC Progress Report & Research Plan Review 16 – 17 November 2009 Expected Developments over Completion of Mock spectrometer “single-pixel” option allowing a 1-GHz bandwidth with 0.15 km/s velocity resolution at 10 GHz, as requested by consortium proposal for spectral survey of Galactic molecular-line sources. Improvement to the system temperature and sensitivity of the 700 – 800 MHz receiver. Continued development towards a 40-beam focal-plane phased feed array to give an HI mapping array with the observing speed of ASKAP or MeerKAT. Developments towards replacing the present four receivers covering 2 to 8 GHz with two broader-band systems, and bringing the receiver RF directly to the Control Room. Completion of VLBI equipment upgrade to a digital backend and Mk5C recorders allowing regular recording at up to 4 Gbits/sec.

FY 2009 NAIC Progress Report & Research Plan Review 16 – 17 November 2009 Muchas Gracias

FY 2009 NAIC Progress Report & Research Plan Review 16 – 17 November 2009 Receivers 800

FY 2009 NAIC Progress Report & Research Plan Review 16 – 17 November 2009 Existing Arecibo VLBI Capability DAR - VLBA4 MK5A Max 1-GHz IF The Big Dish (Gain~10k/Jy,SEFD~3-5 Jy)‏ Correlator Internet FedEx 1024 Mbps256 MHz (max)‏ 2 x 8, 16 MHz.05,.5 (#1,2 Rxs), 1 GHz 327, 800, L, S-Lo, S- High, C, C-High, X Total data rateTotal single-pol RF Bandwidth # of BBCs & Max ∆ν/BBC Max. IF bandwidth/Rx Receivers Co-Observing Networks: 1.VLBA + Ar & the HSA (HSA, includes the phased-VLA, GBT, EF)‏ 2. European VLBI Network + Ar 3. Global - Network 4. eVLBI (Real-time VLBI via internet: as yet with the EVN only)‏

FY 2009 NAIC Progress Report & Research Plan Review 16 – 17 November 2009 Ultra-Wideband VLBI (UVLBI) ‏ The ultra-sensitive Arecibo-GBT baseline was used to search for the anticipated weak central images in 8 gravitational-lens systems. 2 × Mk5B VLBI recorders and a digital backend were loaned by Haystack Observatory allowing 4-Gbit/sec data rates. In a 10-sec integration on the Ar-Gb baseline, a signal-to-noise ratio of 1700:1 was achieved on a 122 mJy compact source. The noise level is 230/√T(sec) μJy/beam. This is the “most sensitive radio interferometry in history!”

FY 2009 NAIC Progress Report & Research Plan Review 16 – 17 November 2009 eVLBI: Test Run at 512-Mbit/sec First trans-Atlantic eVLBI fringes at a data rate of 512 Mbits/sec on 9 September Fulfills an ExPRES project milestone. Data arriving at JIVE Arecibo Fringes with EVN Telescopes Between 12 midnight and 6 a.m. data rates of 512 Mbits/sec are possible, with a rate of 256 Mbit/sec being available at other times. Data leaving Arecibo

FY 2009 NAIC Progress Report & Research Plan Review 16 – 17 November 2009 A continuum observation, =18-cm, data-rate=512 Mbps, i.e. 128 MHz of RF bandwidth, dual-polarization,  = 120 minutes on source: Arecibo’s Contribution to the Arrays A spectral-line observation, =18-cm, 64 channels over 1-MHz, 2 pol, 120mins mJy/beam/ch mJy/beam/ch VLBA+Y27+Gb+ARVLBA+Y27+GBVLBAEVN+AREVN 1σ Image noise = 2.5 μJy/beam 4.7 μJy/beam Global (EVN+VLBA+Y27+Gb)+Ar -Ar 1σ Image noise = 3.8 μJy/beam 9 μJy/beam EVN+Ar -Ar 1σ Image noise = 3.3 μJy/beam 7.1 μJy/beam HSA (VLBA+Y27+EF+GB+Ar)‏ -Ar