University of Dayton Chautauqua Course
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Chautauqua Course DAY-6
Interferometry in Radio Astronomy, the VLA and the VLBA
DAVID G. FINLEY and STAFF, National Radio Astronomy Observatory
July 9-11,
2008 in and near Socorro, NM --- Apply to the Dayton Center --- To apply for this course now - click here
Note: This course is
cosponsored by and offered at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Socorro, New
Mexico. Applications
should be sent to the DAY
Field Center. Limited on-site lodging will be available to
early applicants. This course, along
with the course The Radio Universe and
the Green Bank Telescope (DAY-5), form a two‑session pair. Applications from individuals applying for
both and received by the end of February will receive priority consideration. Single course applications are also welcome
for both.
Multiple radio telescopes
used in concert can form a synthetic antenna providing the resolving power of a
much larger dish. These techniques of interferometry are the focus of this
course. Twenty‑seven identical
reflector antennas operating together on the Plains of San Agustin in New Mexico form the Very
Large Array (VLA). They are interconnected, and each can be moved to different
observing stations over an area of about 20 by 20 miles. The 25 meter (82‑foot)
antennas are precise, yet strong enough to stand the snow and wind at the 7000‑foot
elevation of the site. They are moved
every few months to different locations in the Y‑shaped layout. They are
controlled by a central observing station to which they return data. The VLA is
an extremely versatile research instrument and a valuable tool for
investigations ranging from planetary and other solar‑system observations,
to studies of stellar life cycles, galactic structure and evolution, and
cosmological studies of the far‑distant universe. Dedicated in 1980, the VLA now is undergoing
a major expansion, aimed at replacing older technologies with equipment at the
current state of the art. This project,
resulting in an Expanded VLA (EVLA), will increase the scientific capabilities
of the instrument tenfold.
The Very Long Baseline Array
(VLBA) is composed of ten identical 25‑meter reflector antennas located
at independent sites geographically distributed across the United States, from Hawaii
to the Virgin Islands. Each antenna
independently records data, which is then synthesized into output with the
resolution of an 8000‑kilometer (5000 miles) single radio telescope. The
VLBA's extremely high resolution makes it a premier tool for researchers
studying the details of stars and other objects within the Milky Way, as well
as distant galaxies, quasars and gravitational‑lens systems. In addition,
the VLBA provides important data on Earth's plate‑tectonic movements.
The course will be held at
the NRAO Array
Operations Center
in Socorro, NM.
It will feature lectures by research astronomers on areas of current
research in which the VLA and the VLBA play world-leading roles. Techniques for radio astronomy interferometry
will be described. Participants will
tour control rooms and central computer processing facilities at the Operations Center.
On the second day of the course, participants will take an in-depth tour
of the VLA. Current and future observing
programs with the VLA, EVLA, and VLBA will be discussed, along with the
scientific contributions expected from the Atacama Large Millimeter Array
(ALMA), an international millimeter-wavelength interferometer under construction
in Chile's high Atacama Desert.
For college teachers of: all
disciplines. Prerequisites: the Chautauqua course, The Radio Universe and the
Green Bank Telescope, or equivalent elementary knowledge of radio astronomy.
Costs for 2008
Application fee: $100 [$50 if
received by February 29, 2008]
Course fee: $295 [Due in March
2008]
Optional on-site lodging: $25 per person per night in a single
David G. Finley is Public Information Officer for the National Radio Astronomy
Observatory in Socorro, NM. A former
science editor and writer for The Miami Herald,
he taught astronomy and geology at Florida
International University
in Miami. Author of one book and co-editor of another,
his articles on astronomy and other topics have appeared in numerous
publications, including Astronomy and Air & Space. He has lectured extensively at observatories,
museums, universities, national parks, aboard cruise ships and to clubs and
organizations. The staff includes other
scientists, electronics engineers and programmers.
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University of Dayton Chautauqua Course