1. Wide Field Astronomy with ASKAP
Carole Jackson
ASKAP Project Team
5 November 2009

2. Wide Field Astronomy with ASKAP
ASKAP specifications
Survey science process & User policy
Survey science
ASKAP - what next
ASKAP - developed & built by CSIRO
Simon Johnston & Ilana Feain
ASKAP Project Scientists
ASKAP - fully funded
Many aligned Australian developments

3. ASKAP & SKA ASKAP = Australia’s Pathfinder contribution to the SKA
ASKAP - an SKA Pathfinder to
Demonstrate wide FoV, high dynamic-range imaging on a world-class array telescope (PAFs)
Demonstrate Australia’s candidate SKA site, the Murchison Radio Observatory (MRO).
ASKAP’s role as a radio telescope;
World’s fastest survey radio telescope at cm frequencies
Science surveys have been set: 10 international teams now working with the project

4. ASKAP Specifications High-dynamic range, wide field-of-view telescope
Number of dishes 36
Dish diameter m
Max baseline 6 km
Resolution (max) 8
Sensitivity < 50 K
Speed x105 m4/K2.deg2
Observing frequency 700 – 1800 MHz
Field of View 30 deg2
Processed Bandwidth 300 MHz
Channels 16k
Focal Plane Phased Array 188 elements (94x dual pol)

5. ASKAP - Array of phased arrays
Checkerboard: Inexpensive PAF architecture
Similar to AA’s but use dish to manage FOV,
control sidelobes-> high DR across wide FOV
PAF Design for SKA: Suzy Jackson (Thurs)

6. ASKAP @ Murchison Radio Observatory

7. ASKAP @ Murchison Radio Observatory
gazetted towns: 0
population: “up to 160”

8. 2012 – Australia’s new landmark

9. ASKAP – User Policy (2008)
ASKAP telescope time will be assigned to astronomical research projects subject only to scientific merit, and technical and operational feasibility.
ASKAP data and data products will be released publicly through the ASKAP Science Archive on a timescale designed to maximise scientific utilization and impact. No proprietary period.
The ASKAP Science Archive will be available to astronomers from all over the world.
There will be 3 classes of observing time allocated on ASKAP; Survey Science Projects, Guest Science Projects and Target of Opportunity over-rides.
The following principles define the framework within which ASKAP will operate. 9

10. ASKAP Survey Science Projects
Large (>1500 hrs) science projects with major science outcomes
During the first 5 years of ASKAP science operations,
up to 75% of observing time for these projects
Selected via an EOI/proposal process
+ competitive peer review
Membership and leadership of Survey Teams is open
with one CSIRO ATNF affiliated astronomer.
Projects will work alongside ASKAP early operations
Note that 1500 hours is too small to be an SSP and rather it could probably be more like a year. 10 10

11. ASKAP Survey Science Projects
WALLABY (Koribalski/Staveley-Smith) All sky HI survey to z~ M gals)
EMU (Norris) All sky continuum to 10 uJy rms
GASKAP (Dickey) Galactic and Magellanic HI and OH
VAST (Murphy/Chatterjee) Transients and variables (>5 sec)
CRAFT (Dodson/Macquart) Fast transients (<5 sec)
FLASH (Sadler) HI absorption to z~1
POSSUM (Gaensler/Landecker/Taylor) Polarization / RM grid
DINGO (Meyer) Deep HI emission survey
COAST (Stairs) Pulsar timing and searching
VLBI (Tingay) ASKAP as part of the LBA 11 11

12. ASKAP Survey Science Projects
Rank
type
Freq (MHz)
Θ (“)
δ (deg) range
Tpointing
(hrs)
Ttotal δυ
(kHz)
nchan
Stokes
(A)
WALLABY
EG HI emission 30
-90 to +30 8
9600 18
16384 I
EMU
Continuum 10
~12
15000
1000
256
(A-)
FLASH
EG HI absorption
-90 to +10 2
1700
VAST
Transients/Variables
various
0.01-1
4290
(50%)
10000
I,Q,U,V
GASKAP
Gal/MC HI & OH
30,60,
90,180
Low latitude
& Magellanic
6000
1.1*
15384
DINGO
0 or -33
7500
POSSUM
EG polarisation
5500
300
CRAFT
Fast transients
any
n/a SP
VLBI
4 TAB
1500
baseband
I, Q, U, V
COAST
Pulsar Timing & Pulsar Searching
20-30 TAB
~1hr
2250
3000
0.5kHz

13. ASKAP Next Steps
ASKAP Survey Science Projects now in the Design Study phase
Top ranked proposals are supported by CSIRO
Design Study Nov 2009 – early 2012
Kick-off meeting for SSPs - Oct 2009
Regular ongoing meetings/discussions
SSP Design Studies to be reviewed by committee
Includes early data from first 6-antenna ASKAP array (“BETA”)
Time assignment allocated on successful final Design Review
Final Design Study Review - Feb 2012

14. ASKAP Highlights - November 2009
Full-size ASKAP integration model at Marsfield
(Sydney). Complete end-to-end system
2. Phased array feed testing at Parkes testbed
(Patriot 12m antenna) - going well
3. Antenna 1 built, factory-accepted in China,
En route to MRO (Dec 2009) - build Dec/Jan
4. Digital systems CDR: October complete
5. Observatory - on site build late Nov 09 onwards
6. ASKAP survey science projects up-and-running
7. Strategic SKA Collaboration with IBM - SDB

15. < 0.5 mm rms

16. CSIRO Jobs

17. ICRAR Jobs

18. ASKAP - please keep in touch!
Keep up-to-date with project news:
ASKAP -
Aus-NZ SKA
Quarterly anzSKA Newsletters (general updates)
Bi-yearly Science newsletters (see me for one now!)
Keep an eye out for the ‘Super Science Fellowships’ - more jobs!

19. Thank you CSIRO Australia Telescope National Facility
Dr Carole Jackson
Phone:
Web:
Thank you
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