|
|
|
|
European Radio Astronomy ConsortiumNewsletter Issue 01/2024
|
The first prototype dish of the SKA-Mid telescope constructed on site in South Africa has achieved first light. The prototype, known as SKAMPI, is a fully functioning single-dish radio telescope in its own right and was funded by Germany’s Max Planck Society for technical commissioning and scientific use. It was designed by the SKAO’s international Dish consortium, involving institutions in 10 countries and led by CETC54 in China, where it was also manufactured. SKAMPI is contributing to the SKA Observatory’s preparations for commissioning the much larger 197-dish SKA-Mid telescope, currently under construction in South Africa. Read here the SKAO press release. Image: © : SKAMPI Team; First light SKAMPI image of the Southern Sky at 2.5 GHz wavelength. The frame (in grey) shows the complete sky in galactic coordinates with the Galactic centre in the middle. The false colour image shows radio emission from the part of the sky which is accessible to the telescope in South Africa. Besides radio emission from the Galactic centre (Sgr A), the bright radio galaxy Cen A, both Magellanic clouds and star forming areas in Orion and Vela show up in the image.
|
An international team of astronomers, led by researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, have used the MeerKAT radio telescope to discover an intriguing object of an unknown nature in the globular cluster NGC 1851. The massive object is heavier than the heaviest neutron stars known and yet simultaneously lighter than the lightest black holes known and is in orbit around a rapidly spinning millisecond pulsar. This could be the first discovery of the much-coveted radio pulsar - black hole binary; a stellar pairing that would allow new tests of Einstein’s general relativity. See here the original paper A pulsar in a binary with a compact object in the mass gap between neutron stars and black holes (E. Barr et al., Science, January 19, 2024, Vol 383, Issue 6680, pp. 275-279, DOI: 10.1126/science.adg3005). Read here the MPIfR press release. Image: © MPIfR; Daniëlle Futselaar (artsource.nl); An artist’s impression of the system assuming that the massive companion star is a black hole. The brightest background star is its orbital companion, the radio pulsar PSR J0514-4002E. The two stars are separated by 8 million km and circle each other every 7 days. |
The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) Collaboration has released new images of M87*, the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy Messier 87, using data from observations taken in April 2018. The paper “The persistent shadow of the supermassive black hole of M87” (Astronomy & Astrophysics, https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202347932) presents new images from the 2018 data that reveal a familiar ring the same size as the one observed in 2017. This bright ring surrounds a deep central depression, “the shadow of the black hole”, as predicted by general relativity. Excitingly, the brightness peak of the ring has shifted by about 30º compared to the images from 2017, which is consistent with our theoretical understanding of variability from turbulent material around black holes. Read more. Image: © EHT Collaboration; The Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration has released new images of M87* from observations taken in April 2018, one year after the first observations in April 2017. The new observations in 2018, which feature the first participation of the Greenland Telescope, reveal a familiar, bright ring of emission of the same size as we found in 2017. This bright ring surrounds a dark central shadow, and the brightest part of the ring in 2018 has shifted by about 30º relative from 2017 to now lie in the 5 o’clock position. |
Observations presented in a detailed study using the ALMA radio observatory found four binary proto-stars, one triple, one quadruple and one quintuple system in one massive star cluster. This results, which have been published in Nature Astronomy (Li, S., Sanhueza, P., Beuther, H. et al. Observations of high-order multiplicity in a high-mass stellar protocluster. Nat Astron (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-023-02181-9), confirm our current understanding of the formation of massive stars: such stars are indeed born as multiples. Read here the MPIA press release. Image: © S. Li, MPIA / J. Neidel, MPIA Graphics Department / Data: ALMA Observatory; False-color image of the massive star formation region G333.23–0.06 from data obtained with the ALMA radio observatory. The insets show regions in which Li et al. were able to detect multiple systems of protostars. The star symbols indicate the location of each newly forming stars. The image covers a region 0.62 by 0.78 light-years in size (which on the sky covers a mere 7.5 times 9.5 arc seconds). |
An international team of astronomers has revealed mysterious star formation at the far edge of the galaxy M83. The research used several instruments, including the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) and the Green Bank Telescope (GBT) from NRAO, along with the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan's (NAOJ) Subaru Telescope and the NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX). Read here the ALMA press release. Image: Research on the far edge of galaxy M83 reveals unusual star formation in an extreme environment. This area, outlined in yellow, is shown in data from several different instruments. From left to right: optical image from CTIO, ultraviolet image from GALEX, HI 21cm image from VLA and GBT, and CO(3-2) image from ALMA. In this last image, the star-forming “hearts” of molecular clouds, circled with white, are shown. Credit: J. Koda et al. |
The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) has enabled a team of scientists led by Dr. Takafumi Tsukui to observe seismic-like ripples in the ancient galactic disk of BRI 1335-0417, the oldest known spiral galaxy at over 12 billion years old. This unprecedented observation reveals the galaxy's dynamic growth patterns, showcasing a vertically oscillating disk movement similar to ripples on a pond. This study marks the first time such phenomena have been detected in an early galaxy. Read here the scientific paper Detecting a disc bending wave in a barred-spiral galaxy at redshift 4.4 (Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 527, Issue 3, January 2024, Pages 8941–8949, https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stad3588) Image: © Bland-Hawthorn and Tepper-Garcia, University of Sydney; Simulation by Bland-Hawthorn and Tepper-Garcia illustrates a galaxy disk being disturbed, leading to the propagation of a seismic ripple throughout the disk. |
The SKAO, international partners and several national delegations have succeeded in putting radio astronomy back on the agenda of the International Telecommunication Union's World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) for the first time in a decade. Read more in the SKAO press release. Image: © ITU/D. Woldu; ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin addresses delegates at the ITU World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 (WRC-23) in Dubai, UAE. |
The EVN announced the relaunch of its virtual seminars. This EVN series of talks focus on the capabilities of Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) and its significant contributions to different astronomical fields. The first talk is scheduled for 14 February 2024, at 14:00 CET and will be presented by Jack Radcliffe from the University of Pretoria and the University of Manchester. Dr. Radcliffe will delve into the impact of VLBI on various areas of astrophysics. Read more about his upcoming presentation, titled “Opening up the radio sky with VLBI”, here. Read more here. Image: © JIVE |
China sent a new astronomical satellite named Einstein Probe (EP) into space to observe mysterious transient phenomena in the universe which flicker like fireworks, trying to reveal more about this violent and little-known side of the cosmos. The satellite is shaped like a lotus in full bloom and features 12 petals and two stamens. The 12 petals are actually 12 modules consisting of wide-field X-ray telescopes (WXT), while the two "stamens" consist of two modules of follow-up X-ray telescopes (FXT). These telescopes form a space observatory which is aimed at helping scientists capture the first light stemming from supernova explosions, search for and pinpoint X-ray signals accompanying gravitational wave events, and discover dormant black holes and other faint transient and variable celestial objects at the far reaches of the universe. Read more here. Image: © Zhang Jing/Xinhua; A Long March-2C carrier rocket carrying a new astronomical satellite named Einstein Probe (EP) blasts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, Jan. 9, 2024. China sent the satellite, which uses a new X-ray detection technology inspired by the lobster eye, into space on Tuesday to observe mysterious transient phenomena in the universe comparable to the flickering of fireworks, with the aim of unveiling the violent and little-known aspects of the cosmos. |
The International Astronomical Union (IAU) invites applications for the Gruber Fellowship 2024, a prestigious programme with the Gruber Foundation (GF) that supports young astronomers in the early stages of their research careers and promotes the science of cosmology and other branches of astronomy. The deadline for applications is 1 March 2024, and the IAU encourages all its members to draw the attention of their eligible colleagues to this excellent opportunity. Read more here. |
Prof. Philip Diamond, SKAO Director-General, has been awarded a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) medal in recognition of his services to global radio astronomy. In the course of his successful career among other things he not only served as Director of the University of Manchester’s Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, as Director of e-MERLIN and Deputy Assistant Director for the Very Large Array and Very Long Baseline Array, he also was the Coordinator of the first RadioNet project. We warmly congratulate him on this well-deserved award. Read more here. Image: © SKAO/Paul Worpole |
India’s government has announced that it intends to join the SKA Observatory as a full member, and approved funding for the next seven years of construction. Read more here. |
POLICY NEWS There are still challenges to broader and effective access to Research Infrastructures (RIs). The objectives of the ESFRI (European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures) are to identify these challenges, propose ways to address them and propose orientations for the revision of the European Charter of Access to Research Infrastructures. To this end, the ESFRI Drafting Group on Access implemented in May-June 2023 two parallel surveys: one detailed survey targeting research infrastructures and one targeting RI stakeholders. The outcome of the survey is presented in detail in the recently published ESFRI report Report on Access to Research Infrastructures and Charter on Access to RIs. See the report here. On 22 January 2024 the EC launched the new European Research Area platform. It provides space for researchers, innovators, citizens, and policymakers to connect, collaborate, and access the latest information, data and resources related to the European Research Area. EC has pucliched a policy brief that advocates for a tailored policy to harness the power of AI to accelerate research capabilities, fostering innovation and driving economic growth. It addresses science-specific needs related to AI, building on and complementing existing AI and R&I policies. Read more. |
Transnational Access CALLS:
|
The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) invites scientists to participate in the Semester 2024B Call for Proposals for the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) and the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), High Sensitivity Array (HSA), and Global mm VLBI Array (GMVA). See here the call text. Deadline: 31.01.2024, 17:00 EST (22:00 UTC) |
The Max Planck Society call for APEX Proposals is open. See the call here. Deadline: 23 February 2024 (18:00 CET). Image: © ESO, B. Tafreshi |
The European ALMA Regional Centre (ARC) provides the interface between the ALMA project and the European science community. The ARC is staffed by scientists with expertise in radio astronomy and interferometry and it supports its users throughout the lifetime of a project, from proposal preparation to data analysis. Users that want to visit an ARC node for a face-to-face visit can apply for funding through the ORP project. |
ALTA offers to the world-wide astronomical community free virtual access to data and scientific products produced from all sky surveys of the Northern sky that will be conducted with the new Apertif frontend of the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT), as well as tools to query, further exploit and perform data mining of these products adaptable to diverse research goals. The access/funding offered through the ORP project. |
LTA is a long-established archive and access facility supporting the international LOFAR telescope. It is currently the largest radio astronomical archive in the world already exceeding 45 PB from LOFAR’s past 10 years of operations. The LTA provides a central and key resource for all observed LOFAR astronomical science programs where the data become public within 12 months of first creation. The access/funding is offered through the ORP project. |
• Stockholm University - Assistant Professor of Astrophysics - position – deadline 05.02.2024
• SARAO – Hardware Engineer – position – deadline 06.02.2024; Systems Engineer – position – deadline 08.02.2024
• Julius-Maximilians-Universitaet Wuerzburg -– Postdoctoral Position in Experimental Radio Interferometry – position – deadline 09.02.2024
• ESO – Director of La Silla Paranal Observatory – position – deadline 04.02.2024; Quality Assurance Specialist – position – deadline 10.02.2024; Director of Engineering in Garching – position – deadline 11.02.2024; HR Analyst in Santiago/CL – position – 16.02.2024; Internship: Science Presenter at ESO Supernova – position – deadline 31.12.2024; Internship: Science Communication – position – deadline 31.12.2024
• ASTRON – Postdoctoral position on Pulsar Timing Arrays – position – deadline 20.02.2024
• NRAO – Scientist – position – deadline 23.02.2024
Check also EURAXESS
|
RadioNet - European Radio Astronomy Consortium
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
