1. Andrew Faulkner University of Manchester Jodrell Bank Observatory

2. RadioNet has 20 partners: –major radio astronomy facilities –technology development laboratories RadioNet was awarded €12.4M Based on 25 years of cooperation in the European VLBI Network. Coordinated by Univ. of Manchester, UK Support and enhance European radio astronomy RadioNet Partners & Mission

3. RadioNet Objectives European access to world-class facilities Enhance facilities with an integrated R&D programme Greater collaboration in engineering, software and science Train & nurture next generation of astronomers and engineers A common and unified approach to user support Prepare for next generation of radio instruments: Strengthen European astronomy via close links with ILIAS, OPTICON, EUROPLANET...

4. Europe has some of the largest, most sophisticated radio telescopes on Earth. These facilities are working together very closely as part of RadioNet The Telescopes In 2004: TNA programme delivered 4200 hours of access; 40% of time went to new users.

5. Radio Astronomy & Gravity Waves Verification Sources Detection

6. Radio Astronomy & Gravity Waves Verification Sources Detection Weisberg & Taylor (priv. comm) Orbit shrinks 1cm every day Confirmation of existence of gravitational waves Hulse & Taylor (1974)

7. Radio Astronomy & Gravity Waves Verification Sources Detection 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 Mass A (M Sun ) Testing GR: Kramer et al.(2004) P b =2.4 hrs, d  /dt=17 deg/yr vel ~ 0.1% c Mass B (M Sun ) 0 0.5 1 1.5 2

8. Radio Astronomy & Gravity Waves Verification Sources Detection 20010.0003 – 0.252 – 1300 Kalogera et al. 2001 20020.001 – 0.034 – 140 Kim et al. 2002 20030.004 – 0.220 – 1000 Kalogera et al. 2003 Ligo ILigo IIref. Events per year (95% confidence) Discovery of the Double Pulsar dramatically increases predicted, observable coalescence rates:

9. Radio Astronomy & Gravity Waves Verification Sources Detection LIGO Consortium, Kramer & Lyne (2005) Look for Gravity Waves of known ephemeris from solitary Pulsars LISA should observe GW from the Double Pulsar directly: ~2x10 -4 Hz

10. Radio Astronomy & Gravity Waves Verification Sources Detection B-mode signature of gravitational waves… ….. ‘smoking gun’ of inflation

11. Radio Astronomy & Gravity Waves Verification Sources Detection -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 Log 10 (f/Hz) Log 10 (Ω g (f)h 2 ) -16 -14 -12 -10 -8 -6 Millisecond pulsars act as arms of huge detector Complementary in frequency with LISA and LIGO/VIRGO Look for global spatial pattern in pulsar timing residuals

12. The Square Kilometre Array

13. Next generation radio telescope Frequency range 0.15 - 25 GHz Collecting area of 10 6 m 2 >50x sensitivity & >10 5 survey speed of today's best instruments A ‘discovery’ instrument Internationally co-ordinated Europe in SKADS is developing: –technology for 0.15 - 2 GHz –large field-of-view –multiple beams The Square Kilometre Array

14. Phased Arrays of receivers The revolution in radio telescopes Aperture Arrays “electronic fish-eye lens” Focal Plane Arrays “radio cameras”

15. SKA Demonstrators KAT & xNTD Description 20 x 15m Dishes 0.7 – 1.75 GHz Fitted with phased FPAs FOV 50 deg 2 Baselines <10Km Completion 2009 KAT/xNTD Aims Science delivery Technology demonstration Hardware & software Test possible SKA site Attract the full SKA Collaboration 2 teams building similar systems: Australia xNTD South AfricaKAT Test bed for phased array technology

16. SKA Timeline 9296 04050607080910 141822 SKADS start SKADS report SKA concept Working Group Phase 2 Build 50% SKA Phase 3 Build 100% SKA SKA Complete Now Design & Build Demonstrators KAT & xNTD 1% SKA Phase 1 Build 10% SKA ‘10% SKA’ Science ‘1% SKA’ Science …… ISSC MoU Site Selection Science Case pub. Concept exposition ‘Hydrogen Array’ Wilkinson 1991 Legal Entity Formed 2000 SKA system defined SKADS Mid-review

17. The SKA will…. Improve timing of pulsars 100 fold Discover all the pulsars in the Galaxy Find the elusive Black hole-Pulsar binary Detect MBH-MBH binary GWs Hydrogen survey of all Galaxies to z ~2 Fundamental neutrino research Detect inter-galactic magnetic fields Very high precision galaxy power spectrum ‘Cradle of life’ + planetary formation & SETI Plus…. etc. etc….

18. Summary Radio Astronomy makes complementary GW observations New technology will revolutionise Radio Astronomy RadioNet RadioNet brings coherence to European RA teams Opportunity for a joint FP7 funded science program? RadioNet ILIAS-GW and RadioNet can make a great team in Fundamental Physics!

20. Developing future technology and software for radio astronomy. 3 JRAs: all running on time and on budget.

21. Networking Activities 8 NAs Range from management to policy planning to engineering workshops. In 2004 RadioNet funded 16 workshops on science, engineering, interference, operations and policy. Several hundred astronomers and engineers involved. 24 meetings planned for next 18 months.

22. KKL - 1992KKLB+ - 1993 180 8 Note KKLB+ model accounts for fainter pulsars – so rate increased by ~3.2x

23. The ‘Answer’*, again… 20010.0003 – 0.252 – 1300 KNST 20020.001 – 0.034 – 140 KKL 20030.004 – 0.220 – 1000 KKLB+ Ligo ILigo IIref. Events per year (95% confidence) * Using model from KKL 0737 inc rate by 6-7 times Daily!! 1 per 13 years