FOURANNUAL REPORT 2014 CAASTRO 1 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

CONTENTS

Introduction from the Chair 2 Vision & Mission Statement 4 Director’s Report 6 Research Programs 8 Case Studies 24 Activity Plan for 2015 36 2014 Publications 39 Student Life 46 Governance 52 Membership 54 Awards & Honours 56 Gender Action Committee 57 Presentations 59 Workshops 75 CAASTRO acknowledges the support of the Australian Research Council and of NSW Trade and Investment. We also acknowledge the fi nancial Conferences 79 and in-kind support provided by our participating organisations – The University of Sydney, The University of Western Australia, The University Education & Outreach 82 of Melbourne, Swinburne University of Technology, the Australian National University, Curtin University and The University of Queensland. CAASTRO Locations 86 © CAASTRO 2015. Linkages 122 This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, reproduction of any part by any process without Collaborations 126 prior written permission from the ARC Centre of Excellence for All-sky Astrophysics is not permitted. Requests and inquiries concerning KPI dashboard 130 reproduction and rights can be made by contacting Ms Kate Gunn, Chief Operating Offi cer (University of Sydney). Financial statements 131 www.caastro.org CAASTRO People 134 Design by Go Media Design 2 CAASTRO 3 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

If science is a race and CAASTRO an entrant I am Australia is well positioned in astronomy and has made pleased to report that its competitive rate of laps is major investments in telescope infrastructure, but the INTRODUCTION made possible by skilled drivers and a support crew rest of the world is making even bigger investments. that constantly monitors performance and tweaks Nevertheless, we have our own competitive advantage parameters. A high volume of quality research is in our instruments and our talent. That talent is publicly constantly underway and the KPIs are being met. evident in the CAASTRO scientifi c staff, but is also The big change this year was the departure of the abundantly evident in ‘the A team’ of administrative FROM founding Director, Professor Bryan Gaensler, to head staff that ensure that everything works all the time, the Dunlap Institute at the University of Toronto. My with a minimum of fuss. colleagues on the Advisory Board join me in wishing From my amateur perspective, astronomy is about to Bryan much success in this new role and we are enter a golden age of telescope development with huge pleased to note that Bryan will continue his relationship optical and radio telescopes coming on line that will THE CHAIR with CAASTRO as a Partner Investigator. I already deliver major increases in sensitivity and resolution. If DR ALAN FINKEL AM FTSE knew Bryan for several years before CAASTRO I were to be reborn, one of the requests on my wish CHAIR, CAASTRO ADVISORY BOARD was conceived but it was only after the CAASTRO list would be to be an astronomer, ideally working at bid got underway that I became familiar with his CAASTRO. prodigious capacity for multitasking and hard work that It’s not just about science. CAASTRO is actively complements his academic expertise. Together, these committed to improving gender balance through skills enabled him to conceive of and build CAASTRO providing a conducive workplace and promotional into a world-class organisation. opportunities. We have an ever growing outreach The heartbeat of the organisation hesitated when program for schools and communities. And we provide Bryan announced his intention to resign but I am mentoring programs and workshops for early career pleased to report that it continues to beat strongly. scientists in our organisation. Our current Director, Professor Elaine Sadler brings her Finally, on behalf of all of us on the Advisory Board own style and academic experience. Elaine is a high I offer my gratitude to those colleagues who retired achiever in international astronomy and is well known during the year for various personal and work-related inside CAASTRO as the head of the team studying reasons. Alistar Robertson, Guy Robinson and Tanya extragalactic hydrogen absorption. Elaine has a superb Monro, you participated actively around the table and research record in widefi eld astronomy combined with made a real difference. Our ongoing Board members leadership experience that makes her eminently suited (profi led elsewhere in this report) are fabulous to lead CAASTRO across its range of activities. contributors and I look forward to the participation of CAASTRO was reviewed twice this year. The fi rst our incoming Board members Hugh Durrant-Whyte, was an internally initiated, mini science review Rachel Nowak, and Bronwyn Evans. undertaken by our own Advisory Board members Astronomers look into the past. As Chair of the Kenneth Freeman, Ron Ekers, Martha Haynes and Garth CAASTRO advisory board I’m in a position to look to Illingworth. This was of enormous value because it the future. There is a lot to be done, and at CAASTRO led to acknowledgement of our strengths, areas that we have the scientists and staff to do it well. needed development and several opportunities. I thank Ken, Ron, Martha and Garth for their effort, which was enthusiastically offered by them and was above and beyond the call of duty. The second was the Mid-Term Review by the ARC. The results from the ARC were very positive, and I can say that participating in the review reinforced for my colleagues and me the breadth of fronts across which the organisation is operating, while always maintaining effi ciency and good humour. 4 Professor Steven Tingay (centre) hosts Australia’s Foreign CAASTRO 5 Minister The Hon Julie Bishop MP (right) and the UK Science ANNUAL REPORT 2014 Minister (left) on a visit to the MWA. Credit: Steven Tingay

The CAASTRO Vision The CAASTRO Mission CAASTRO aims to be an CAASTRO is carrying out key science with 21st century telescopes. international leader in wide-fi eld Our underlying goals are: astronomy, positioning Australia DISCOVER To make ground-breaking advances in our understanding of to address fundamental the Universe, thereby cementing Australia’s reputation as a world leader in unsolved questions about the astrophysical research; Universe with the dramatic capabilities of next-generation INNOVATE To develop innovative new ways of surveying the entire sky, telescopes and advanced of processing enormous volumes of astronomical measurements, and of instrumentation. visualising complex data sets, so as to build unique expertise in wide-fi eld radio and optical astronomy; PERFORM To make high-impact discoveries using Square Kilometre Array pathfi nder telescopes, thus positioning Australia to lead the science programs planned for the SKA; EDUCATE To provide compelling new opportunities for students and early- career researchers and exciting stories to inform the public; and UNITE To bring the top astronomers from Australia and around the world together into a focused collaborative environment.

About CAASTRO VISION & Astronomy is entering a golden age, in which we seek underpinned by a strong focus on training and enabling to understand the complete evolution of the Universe the next generation of scientists, thus providing a MISSION and its constituents. But the key unsolved questions in legacy extending well beyond the Centre’s lifetime. The astronomy demand entirely new approaches, requiring students we mentor and inspire will lead the scientifi c enormous datasets covering the entire sky. discoveries made on future wide-fi eld facilities, In recent years, Australia has invested more than culminating in the ultimate all-sky telescope, the Square $400 million both in innovative wide-fi eld telescopes Kilometre Array. CAASTRO is further motivated by the and in the powerful computers needed to process belief that science is a passionate undertaking and this the resulting torrents of data. Using these new tools, passion should be contagious. We aim to leverage the Australia now has the chance to establish itself at high impact and strong public interest in our discoveries the vanguard of the upcoming information revolution to highlight Australian innovation to the general public, STATEMENT centred on all-sky astrophysics. and to inspire students to consider careers in science The ARC Centre of Excellence for All-sky Astrophysics and engineering. (CAASTRO) has assembled the world-class team who now lead the fl agship scientifi c experiments CAASTRO is receiving more than $30 million in funding on these new wide-fi eld facilities. CAASTRO is over the period 2011–2018. CAASTRO is led by The delivering transformational new science by bringing University of Sydney, in conjunction with The University together unique expertise in radio astronomy, optical of Western Australia, The University of Melbourne, astronomy, theoretical astrophysics and computation, Swinburne University of Technology, The Australian and by coupling all these capabilities to the powerful National University, Curtin University and The University technology in which Australia has recently invested. of Queensland, complemented by a group of world-class CAASTRO is pursuing three interlinked scientifi c Australian and international partners. programs, each of which can be addressed only with the all-sky perspective provided by wide-fi eld telescopes: . The Evolving Universe: When did the fi rst galaxies A Universal Perspective form, and how have they evolved since? A universal perspective of the cosmos, exploring the . The Dynamic Universe: What is the high-energy sky in its entirety not just section by section. physics that drives change in the Universe? A universal perspective of science, engaging . The Dark Universe: What are the Dark Energy and teams, scientists and the public in an inclusive and Dark Matter that dominate the cosmos? egalitarian way. All CAASTRO activities are based on the principle that international leadership comes from commensurate A universal perspective of insight and discovery, investment in cutting-edge facilities and human capital. understanding how knowledge can be used practically In particular, the CAASTRO research program is in the wider world.

Credit: Steven Tingay 6 CAASTRO 7 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

2014 has been a very successful year for CAASTRO, This year Tara Murphy joined the ranks of CAASTRO’s The awards committee noted that: “We consider as well as a year of changes. CAASTRO’s founding Chief Investigators, and we also welcomed Lisa Fogarty CAASTRO to be a leader in encouraging greater Director, Professor Bryan Gaensler, announced in June as the Theme Scientist for the Evolving Theme, Evan gender equity in astronomy in Australia, and many DIRECTOR’S 2014 that he would be stepping down before the end Keane as the Theme Scientist for the Dynamic Universe of the initiatives taken up by the project, such as of the year to take up a new position as Director of the Theme and Michael Childress as the Theme Scientist encouraging fl exible and part-time working, have Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics at for the Dark Theme. Our major research conference for been picked up by other astronomy groups.” This The University of Toronto. I took over from Bryan as 2014, ‘Supernovae in the Local Universe: Celebrating outstanding result is a tribute to the efforts of Bryan CAASTRO Director on 15 September 2014, and I am 10,000 Days of Supernova 1987A’, was attended Gaensler, Kate Gunn and the CAASTRO Executive REPORT enormously grateful to everyone who helped to make by around 150 people, including many of the world’s over the past three years, as well as the work of this transition a smooth one. I have been involved in leading experts in this research area. CAASTRO’s new Gender Action Committee, chaired PROF ELAINE SADLER FAA by Brian Schmidt. CAASTRO since its inception, and am delighted to have Our education and outreach programs continue to CAASTRO DIRECTOR the chance to serve as the new CAASTRO Director. thrive. This year saw the establishment of a new The last few months of 2014 also saw us busy Bryan has left the Centre in fantastic shape, and will ‘Uluru Astronomer in Residence’ program in central with preparations for the ARC’s Mid-Term Review continue to be part of CAASTRO in his new role as an Australia, in which CAASTRO scientists each spend of CAASTRO, which took place in Sydney on 12 overseas Partner Investigator. two weeks interacting with visitors and conducting November. The feedback we received from the review I hope you will enjoy reading about the great range of night-time sky viewing at the Voyages resort at Uluru. panel was extremely positive, and the panel members CAASTRO activities presented in this latest Annual Our ‘CAASTRO in the Classroom’ program received were enthusiastic about all aspects of CAASTRO’s Report. 2014 was another bumper year for our Centre, a $195,000 grant from the Federal Government this activities, including the excellent collaboration between with new successes in our research and collaborative year, which will allow us to extend these activities to nodes, the enthusiasm of our students and researchers, activities as well as our innovative outreach programs. many more schools across the country. and the success of our mentoring and outreach program. They also commended CAASTRO’s gender Two of CAASTRO’s fl agship facilities, the Murchison The 2014 CAASTRO Annual Retreat took place in equity activities, saying that our work in this area was Widefi eld Array (MWA) radio telescope and the Sydney- relaxing surroundings at Twin Waters, Queensland, a model for other organisations to emulate. AAO Multi-object Integral fi eld spectrograph (SAMI) are over 19–21 November, and was attended by almost now in full scientifi c operation and already producing 100 members of CAASTRO. As usual it was a great I am grateful to all those who came to Sydney for this some outstanding science results. opportunity for all of us to meet and talk about our review, and to Kate Gunn and our administration team Our research highlights for 2014 include some notable work. We enjoyed a stimulating program of science talks for ensuring that the day ran like clockwork. Warmest thanks are also due to the CAASTRO Advisory Board fi rsts: the fi rst real-time detection of a fast radio and networking activities, including invited talks from members and Board Chair, Dr Alan Finkel, both for their burst (by CAASTRO student Emily Petroff), the fi rst overseas visitors Professor Volker Springel (Heidelberg) valuable support in preparing for the review and for public data release from the SAMI survey, and the and Dr Huib Intema (NRAO). The retreat also gave as travelling to Sydney to meet with the review panel. fi rst ASKAP detections of neutral hydrogen in the an opportunity to farewell Bryan Gaensler in a formal distant Universe. Our research publications continue to way at our annual dinner, and to acknowledge his The Mid-Term Review gave us an excellent opportunity increase in number each year, and we are continuing tremendous contributions to CAASTRO. to look back over the past three years and forward to to build new research links both within CAASTRO and In November, we were delighted to hear that the 2015 the future. We were able to show that CAASTRO has more widely around Australia and across the world. Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics had been robust governance and decision mechanisms that have All CAASTRO’s research themes and projects involve awarded to CAASTRO Chief Investigator Brian Schmidt. allowed us to respond to external challenges, and that research collaborations across multiple nodes and The prize was also shared with CAASTRO Partner the CAASTRO ‘brand’ is internationally recognised and institutions, and in 2014 we also held joint workshops Investigators Warrick Couch and Reynald Pain, and our scientifi c productivity is high. with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Particle Physics Associate Investigators Brian Boyle and Chris Lidman. Our goal now is to ensure that we translate the hard at the Terascale (CoEPP) and training with the ARC CAASTRO’s long-standing commitment to gender work of our fi rst three years into ground-breaking Centre of Excellence for Ultrahigh bandwidth Devices equity was recognised in December this year, when science results. I hope that we can continue to for Optical Systems (CUDOS). This year we have we were one of only two organisations awarded strengthen the linkages between projects, increase developed new collaborations with the eRosita group an inaugural 2014 Silver Pleiades award from the our student numbers, and build new links with our at the Max Planck Institute in Germany and the US-led Astronomical Society of Australia. The Pleiades international partners. We should all feel immensely Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) project. Awards recognise groups who take active steps proud of what CAASTRO has achieved so far, and CAASTRO now has 178 members, including 25 to advance the careers of women in Australian excited by what is still to come. postdoctoral research scientists and 40 students. astronomy and strive for sustained improvement in Following our most recent hiring round, a number of providing opportunities for women to achieve positions new postdocs will also be joining us in 2015. of seniority, infl uence and recognition. 8 CAASTRO 9 RESEARCH ANNUAL REPORT 2014 PROGRAMS THE EVOLVING UNIVERSE Theme Leader: Professor Stuart Wyithe | The University of Melbourne Theme Scientist: Dr Lisa Fogarty | The University of Sydney

When in the Universe’s history did the fi rst galaxies Another radio telescope, CSIRO’s Australian SKA form? How have gas, stars and galaxies subsequently Pathfi nder (ASKAP), is currently being commissioned in evolved over cosmic time? These are two core Western Australia. This year CAASTRO researchers led questions in our understanding of the Universe, and a groundbreaking ‘blind’ detection of neutral hydrogen the questions on which CAASTRO’s Evolving Universe gas in absorption with ASKAP. The result shows for theme is focused. the fi rst time that astronomers will be able to use the After years of planning and preparation, in 2014 we technique to detect gas in galaxies at epochs critical have seen major new Australian instruments start to for understanding the history of star formation. In a produce exciting scientifi c results. Researchers using second development, a CAASTRO student has explored the Murchison Widefi eld Array (MWA) in Western a technique that will allow more information to be Australia this year collected most of the data they will extracted from ASKAP survey data. These projects are analyse in the search for the ‘Epoch of Reionisation’, covered on pages 11–12. the period in the Universe’s history when the fi rst stars At optical wavelengths, the CAASTRO-funded began to shine. BIGHORNS, a smaller project to search SAMI instrument, which uses revolutionary optical- for the Epoch of Reionisation also led by CAASTRO fi bre technology, is well under way in its survey of researchers, was set up alongside the MWA this year. thousands of galaxies. The SAMI team made its fi rst In addition, the MWA substantially completed a low- public release of data in the middle of the year and has frequency survey of the southern sky, GLEAM, which started to publish science results. SAMI developments will be a rich resource for many astrophysical studies. are discussed on page 13. These three projects are described from page 10.

Searching for the Epoch of Reionisation The earliest period of the Universe we can see is the triggered the emission of specifi c radiation from cosmic microwave background: a hot, glowing screen of the surrounding neutral hydrogen (HI): radio waves gas, which we see as it was some 380,000 years after with a (rest-frame) wavelength of 21 centimetres. the Big Bang. Between that time and the time of the This HI emission is currently the only tool we have earliest stars and galaxies is a gap of about half a billion for exploring the Epoch of Reionisation. The future years, a period dubbed ‘the Dark Ages’. This is the last Square Kilometre Array radio telescope will directly major unstudied epoch of the Universe’s history. image the distribution of the HI emission. Meanwhile, In the period immediately after the Big Bang, the other attempts are being made to detect the EOR hydrogen gas that fi lled the Universe was hot and signal. The simplest detection would be of a ‘global’ ionised, having had its electrons stripped off by the signal, averaged over the whole sky: this would radiation that also fi lled the Universe. As the Universe allow us to date the onset of the EOR and measure expanded and cooled, this gas assumed its neutral, its duration. Researchers are also attempting to learn un-ionised state, and the Universe entered the Dark about the ‘bubbles’ of the EOR by measuring the HI Ages. Towards the end of this period, collapsing power spectrum (the variation in signal strength by matter formed the fi rst entities that later generated spatial scale). The shape of the power spectrum is ionising radiation (ultraviolet or X-rays); this radiation predicted to change markedly as the ionisation of the created bubbles of ionised hydrogen gas in the neutral intergalactic medium proceeds. This changing shape hydrogen, like the bubbles in Swiss cheese. Carried could indicate the nature of the fi rst ‘ionisers’. to completion, the process led to today’s Universe, Attempts to detect the EOR signal face many challenges. in which the gas between galaxies is fully ionised. During its long journey the signal is redshifted, arriving Researchers wish to understand the astrophysics (and on Earth as low-frequency radiation that can be distorted cosmology) underlying this Epoch of Reionisation (EOR). by its passage through the Earth’s ionosphere. Even When did the process take place, and how rapidly? more signifi cantly, the EOR signal is predicted to be How was matter distributed at this time? And, in extremely weak, and must be distinguished from far particular, what were the fi rst ‘ionisers’: were they the stronger foreground cosmic sources (both Galactic fi rst stars, or black holes born from the violent collapse and extragalactic), man-made radio interference, and of those stars? subtle effects generated by the observing instruments The ionising radiation from the fi rst entities not only themselves. Researchers must understand well all these Siding Spring Observatory. created bubbles of ionised hydrogen (HII) but also possible sources of contamination. Credit: Emil Lenc 10 CAASTRO 11 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

Extending the reach of HI surveys Another major Australian radio telescope is coming to fruition in Western Australia: CSIRO’s Australian SKA Pathfi nder. As the name indicates, this is one of the designated ‘pathfi nder’ instruments for the future Square Kilometre Array. Like the MWA, is located at PERFORM the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory; however, it operates at higher frequencies (700 MHz–1.8 GHz) and rather than dipole antennas it has dishes, each GLEAM 12 m in diameter. In its fi nal form, ASKAP will have a complement of 36 dishes: it is currently being BIGHORNS The Murchison Widefi eld Array EOR As described on page 10, researchers using the commissioned with the fi rst six, in a confi guration Murchison Widefi eld Array are searching for the signal called the Boolardy Engineering Test Array (BETA). Theorists predict that the ‘global’ EOR signal will lie in experiment from the Epoch of Reionisation (EOR). To them, the the range 50–200 MHz and that its main features will foreground radio sources in our Galaxy and other ASKAP is designed to be an extremely fast survey While BIGHORNS is intended to detect the global appear around 70 and 100 MHz. In principle this signal galaxies are a nuisance to be removed from their data. instrument, with a large fi eld of view. During its fi rst EOR signal, the Murchison Widefi eld Array (MWA) could be detected by a single antenna. Several groups But one researcher’s obstacle is another’s observable. fi ve years of operation most of its observing time will was designed to detect the EOR power spectrum (the are planning or operating such experiments: one, led by In parallel with the EOR experiment, the MWA has be used for ten large Survey Science Projects. Two of variation in signal strength by spatial scale). The MWA CAASTRO researchers, is BIGHORNS (the Broadband been carrying out a low-frequency survey of the entire these, WALLABY and DINGO, will fi nd galaxies through is a radio interferometer, a set of 2,048 antennas Instrument for Global HydrOgen ReioNisation Signal). southern radio sky: the GaLactic Extragalactic All-sky the radio waves emitted by the neutral hydrogen gas acting as one instrument; it operates at low frequencies BIGHORNS is distinguished by its bandwidth, MWA (GLEAM) survey. (HI) that they contain. A third, FLASH (the First Large (80–300 MHz). The compact antenna ‘tiles’ (groups of 50–350 MHz, the broadest of any of the global EOR Absorption Survey in HI), led by CAASTRO Director 16 antennas) give it a very wide fi eld of view, which GLEAM will be used to characterise foreground sources experiments, which will make it easier to distinguish Professor Elaine Sadler, will seek to detect galaxies by makes it a superb survey instrument. The MWA is one for both the MWA EOR experiment and low-frequency the EOR signal from foreground or instrumental effects. looking for signs that they are absorbing HI emission of three offi cial ‘precursor’ instruments for the future observations by the future Square Kilometre Array. But BIGHORNS also has an unusual ‘backend’ processing from background sources. Two developments this Square Kilometre Array telescope and is operated by an it provides much more than that. The detectability of system, which processes data with extremely high year hold promise for these surveys. A ‘blind’ search international partnership. radio sources depends on the frequency at which they for HI in absorption with the fi rst six ASKAP antennas time resolution: in effect, it captures data continuously, are observed: sources detectable at high frequencies In its search for the EOR signal, the MWA will collect detected a signal: this is the fi rst step towards FLASH. making the system highly sensitive to weak signals. may not be so at low ones, and vice versa. GLEAM is more than 1000 hours of data: this volume is required And a new way was found to use the data that During 2012–2014 a preliminary version of BIGHORNS the fi rst survey of the southern sky at its frequency to separate the weak EOR signal from contaminating WALLABY and DINGO will collect. using an off-the-shelf antenna was deployed for short range, 73–230 MHz, and complements other southern signal from foreground galaxies (including our own) and periods at three locations in Western Australia. In surveys made at different wavelengths. It will also noise in the data. Three fi elds are being observed: these 2014 the BIGHORNS team replaced the system’s dovetail with a low-frequency radio survey of the Venturing into the ‘HI desert’ are regions where the combined characteristics of sky antenna with a custom-designed conical log-spiral northern sky, the Multifrequency Snapshot Sky Survey and instrument are such that foreground contamination Ten billion years ago galaxies were making stars ten antenna, better matched to the BIGHORNS receiver (MSSS) currently being made with the LOFAR telescope will be at a minimum. times faster than they are today. To understand why, system, and made other improvements; in October the in Europe: together, GLEAM and MSSS will create an we need to understand the history of the gas, mainly Two main algorithms (‘pipelines’) have been developed team installed the instrument at CSIRO’s Murchison unprecedented low-frequency survey of the entire sky. hydrogen, that stars form from: how much there to calibrate the data, and two to measure the signal. Radio-astronomy Observatory (MRO), also in Western GLEAM will produce a rich dataset, useful for studying was, and where it was found, at different times in the One pair has been developed at CAASTRO nodes: the Australia, which is an extremely radio-quiet site. a myriad of subjects: radio galaxies and active galactic Universe’s history. Universities of Melbourne and Sydney have developed BIGHORNS now runs continually, collecting about nuclei, galaxy clusters, the Magellanic Clouds (small one of the calibration pipelines, and Curtin University For six decades astronomers have mapped the distribution 30 GB of data each day. As well as ‘listening’ for galaxies, near neighbours to our own Milky Way), has developed one of the signal-processing (power and movement of neutral (un-ionised) hydrogen gas in the EOR signal the instrument is also being used to diffuse Galactic emission, the Galaxy’s magnetic spectrum) pipelines. The other two pipelines have been galaxies by detecting the characteristic radio waves it measure the (changing) temperature of the electrons in fi eld, spectral lines, supernova remnants, star-forming created by US partners in the EOR collaboration. Using produces, waves that are 21 cm long. But direct detection the ionosphere and monitor both the Sun and any radio- regions, pulsars and their wind nebulae, and cosmic multiple pipelines with different approaches provides a has only been possible for nearby galaxies, because the frequency interference at the MRO. The BIGHORNS rays. The MWA is extremely sensitive to large-scale team will publish its initial science results in 2015. necessary cross-check on results. signal of neutral hydrogen (HI) is relatively weak. Optical structures such as radio relics and radio halos—arcs astronomers have a way to detect this gas in galaxies In 2014 the MWA team produced trial power spectra of radio-emitting charged particles that signpost in the early Universe. But the two techniques still leave from some of its collected data. As expected, where galaxies or clusters of galaxies have collided. a gap of some seven billion years, half the Universe’s most of the signal was due to contamination from Similarly, it is ideally suited to detecting older radio history, in which astronomers have struggled to detect foreground sources. CAASTRO researchers are galaxies that are fading away after losing their central HI. (This ‘HI desert’ extends between redshifts of 0.3 devoting considerable effort to understanding the sources of power: these objects are invisible at high and 2.0.) Fortunately, HI can also reveal its presence by features of these sources, so that they may be radio frequencies. Low-frequency observations give a absorbing radio waves coming from a background galaxy. removed from the data. truer estimate of the power from radio galaxies than This manifests as a dip in the radio signal a telescope By the end of 2014 the MWA team had acquired 75 high-frequency ones do. And they provide a means of receives. By looking for absorption, astronomers can per cent of the data that it will use for analysis. This observing young radio galaxies in the early (distant) detect HI out to much greater distances than by looking massive dataset, running to several petabytes, is Universe whose radio emission arrives on Earth for the emitted radiation. stored at the Pawsey Supercomputing Centre in Perth, signifi cantly redshifted. However, attempts to use this technique have been Western Australia; this is also where the data are GLEAM began in 2013 and by the middle of 2015 hindered by the limited bandwidth, frequency range processed. The project has been awarded half a million will have gathered 814 hours of MWA data, a total and sensitivity of the radio telescopes available, hours of computing time: most of the processing will be volume of about a petabyte. The GLEAM extragalactic and by man-made radio signals that can swamp the done in 2015. catalogue, which will be based on the fi rst year of effects astronomers are looking for. As a result, most These projects are described in the papers “BIGHORNS data, will be ready in 2015, and is expected to contain HI-absorption surveys have been able to target only – Broadband Instrument for Global HydrOgen around 500,000 sources. sources for which there is already information about The new BIGHORNS antenna at Curtin University prior to its ReioNisation Signal” (Publications of the Astronomical The project is described in “GLEAM: the GaLactic and the source’s distance (redshift): this tells astronomers completion and deployment. Society of Australia, February 2015) and “Science with Extragalactic All-sky MWA survey” (Publications of the which part of the radio spectrum the telescope should Credit: Randall Wayth (Curtin University) the Murchison Widefi eld Array” (ibid., April 2013). Astronomical Society of Australia, in press). be tuned to. 12 CAASTRO 13 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

The fi rst science from SAMI Extending Tully-Fisher relations Galaxy evolution is complex: gas, stars, dust, where they’re now found (at the centres of galaxy using HI stacking supernovae and super-massive black holes all play a part. clusters) rather than having been formed there Over the last 15 years much has been learned about . the discovery of a ‘galactic wind’ (a stream of The Tully-Fisher relation (TFR) is an empirical the process from surveys of hundreds of thousands charged particles travelling at up to 3,000 km relationship between the mass of a spiral galaxy of galaxies, which have been large enough to allow a second) from the centre of a galaxy (SDSS and its rotational velocity. In practice, luminosity is This year CAASTRO Affi liate James Allison (CSIRO) astronomers to establish statistically robust relationships J090005.05+000446.7). Such large-scale usually used as a proxy for mass. Astronomers use and his colleagues used the new ASKAP telescope to between different galaxy properties. But, while capturing galactic outfl ows have been studied in nearby the TFR to calculate galaxy distances. But the TFR make the fi rst ‘blind’ search for HI in absorption: that huge numbers of galaxies, these surveys have been galaxies, but how common they are is unknown, also shows something fundamental; namely, that at is, one without using a pre-existing redshift. This search unable to study each galaxy in detail. What astronomers as astronomers have lacked a way to search for a given redshift, there is an essentially fi xed ratio of turned up a previously undetected signal from the have wanted is a way to do both. With SAMI, the them systematically. This study, led by I-Ting Ho galaxy PKS B1740-517; a signal which left that galaxy dark to luminous matter in a spiral galaxy, regardless Sydney University–AAO Multi-object Integral fi eld (University of Hawai’i), shows that the SAMI Galaxy about fi ve billion years ago, before the Earth formed. of its size. This means that studying how the TFR of spectrograph instrument, they now have it. galaxies changes over the Universe’s history gives Survey is likely to give astronomers a much better The signal was tiny, but it stood out clearly in the us information about how those galaxies grow and Developed through a collaboration of the University of understanding of their prevalence and cause ASKAP data, thanks to the extremely low levels of man- change. To track this evolution, we need to measure Sydney and the Australian Astronomical Observatory, . observations of a luminous star-forming region in a made radio interference at the telescope site. It is a sign the TFR at a range of redshifts. and funded by CAASTRO, SAMI can sample the light dwarf galaxy, GAMA J141103.98-003242.3, by a that the FLASH survey planned for ASKAP is likely to from up to 61 points in a galaxy, for thirteen galaxies at team led by CAASTRO students Samuel Richards and achieve its goals. FLASH will target galaxies that are fi ve A galaxy’s rotational velocity is most accurately a time. The spectrum of each sample reveals how the Adam Schaefer (both of the University of Sydney). to eight billion years old, a timespan that represents a measured using the 21-cm radio emission from the stars and gas at that location are moving. What makes The region appears similar to the 30 Doradus region fi fth of the Universe’s history. Following this fi rst ASKAP galaxy’s neutral hydrogen gas (HI): the width of the this possible is a new technology developed by the in the Large Magellanic Cloud (a dwarf satellite of detection, the FLASH team is now confi dent of detecting HI line profi le gives the rotational velocity. But the HI astrophotonics group at the University of Sydney: the our Milky Way Galaxy) but, unlike that galaxy, the hundreds of new galaxies, learning more about how signal is weak, and so TFR studies have been limited to ‘hexabundle’, a bundle of 61 optical fi bres close-packed dwarf in question is isolated, suggesting that the star galaxies have evolved over time, and fi lling in another relatively nearby galaxies. and fused together. formation must arise intrinsically rather than being piece of the Universe’s story. CAASTRO PhD student Scott Meyer (University of In 2013 SAMI was installed on the 4-m Anglo- externally triggered. The SAMI Galaxy Survey will Western Australia) and his colleagues have now found study about 400 dwarfs (the most numerous type a way to extend the TFR to higher redshifts. They used Australian Telescope and began taking data for the SAMI Galaxy Survey, a study of around 3,400 local of galaxy) in the local Universe, allowing us to learn stacking, a process of combining the weak signals of much more about their star-formation histories many individual galaxies so as to increase the signal- galaxies, mostly in the fi elds covered by the multi- to-noise ratio. Even when an individual galaxy’s HI wavelength Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) . a unifi ed scaling relation for galaxies of all types. signal is too weak to detect, a stacked HI spectrum project. The survey has been awarded 150 observing A scaling relation links different physical properties gives information about the average HI properties of an nights over three years: 71 nights had been completed of a galaxy, such as mass and rotational velocity. ensemble of galaxies. by the end of 2014. The key science goals of the SAMI Scaling relations are used both to determine galaxy Survey are to determine the role of the environment distances and to study galaxy evolution. Two of the Meyer and his colleagues tested whether a stacked in galaxy evolution; to study the relationship between most important date from the mid 1970s. One uses HI spectrum could be used to establish a reliable the growth of stellar mass and changes in angular the velocity dispersion of a galaxy’s stars; the other, TFR. They approached the problem in stages, fi rst momentum in galaxies; and to investigate the fl ow a galaxy’s rotational velocity: they apply to elliptical using samples of simulated galaxies that became of gas in and out of galaxies, and the effect of these and spiral galaxies, respectively. Using data from the progressively more realistic, and then a catalogue of fl ows on star formation. SAMI Galaxy Survey, a team led by Luca Cortese galaxies whose individual TFRs were known. (Swinburne University) has shown that there is a Data, and publications derived from them, began to Two surprising and important fi ndings emerged. First, new scaling relation, incorporating both dispersion emerge this year. The SAMI team presented its Early including elliptical galaxies in the sample made very and rotational velocity, that all types of galaxies Data Release for the general astronomical community little difference to the TFR. This is signifi cant because conform to. Furthermore, it can be derived from in July: this comprised fully calibrated datacubes for the TFR has traditionally been limited to spiral galaxies. observations of either gas or stars. This more general a selection of 107 galaxies that represented the full Second, with stacking it was unnecessary to correct for relation does away with the need to carefully select survey sample in its range of redshifts, stellar masses a galaxy’s inclination (angle), or to exclude galaxies that galaxy samples. It could also become an important and galaxy morphologies. The data-release paper also were too face-on; again, this is a departure from past tool for estimating galaxy distances. TFR studies. demonstrated the SAMI data-processing pipeline’s high level of performance. The publications covering this work are “The SAMI The next step is to test the technique at higher Galaxy Survey: Early Data Release” (Monthly Notices redshifts. If validated, stacking holds promise for Science results from SAMI published this year were: of the Royal Astronomical Society, November 2014 establishing Tully-Fisher relations from the planned . a study of the relationship between the kinematic (online)); “The SAMI Pilot Survey: the kinematic ASKAP surveys WALLABY and DINGO. These surveys morphology of galaxies in three clusters and the morphology–density relation in Abell 85, Abell 168 are expected to net around 600,000 galaxies. Stacking density of their surrounding environments, using and Abell 2399” (ibid., September 2014); “The SAMI their observations should allow HI to be detected out to data on 79 early-type galaxies from the SAMI Pilot Galaxy Survey: shocks and outfl ows in a normal redshifts around 0.4. Survey (a forerunner of the SAMI Galaxy Survey). star-forming galaxy” (ibid., November 2014); “The The papers describing these two projects are This investigation, led by CAASTRO Evolving Theme SAMI Galaxy Survey: the discovery of a luminous, “Discovery of HI gas in a young radio galaxy at z Scientist Lisa Fogarty, examined two sub-classes of low-metallicity HII complex in the dwarf galaxy GAMA = 0.44 using ASKAP” and “Extended Tully-Fisher these galaxies, ‘fast rotators’ and ‘slow rotators’, J141103.98-003242.3” (ibid., December 2014); and An ASKAP-BETA spectrum, showing the ‘search space’ for HI detection. The new detection of HI in absorption can be seen relations using HI stacking”. Both have been submitted and whether they were found preferentially in “The SAMI Galaxy Survey: towards a unifi ed dynamical at a frequency of 985.5 MHz (equal to a redshift of 0.44). for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal different environments. The work suggested that scaling relationship for galaxies of all types” (The Credit: James Allison (CSIRO) Astronomical Society. at least some of the slow rotators have migrated to Astrophysical Journal Letters, October 2014). 14 CAASTRO 15 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

An automated classifi cation system for X-ray sources Future telescopes such as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope and the Square Kilometre Array will generate terabytes of sky-survey data each day. Buried within that data will be transient signals from gamma- ray bursts, gravitational wave sources, coalescing neutron stars, THE DYNAMIC UNIVERSE exoplanets—and from totally new, unexpected phenomena. Identifying such signals will be beyond the capacity of human observers: automatic Theme Leader: Professor Matthew Bailes | Swinburne University of Technology classifi cation is required. One of the most accurate classifi cation algorithms, Random Forest, has already been used successfully with Theme Scientist: Dr Evan Keane | Swinburne University of Technology variable stars and supernovae. In 2014 CAASTRO PhD student Kitty Lo and her colleagues assessed its performance in classifying variable and transient X-ray sources. A ‘random forest’ is an ensemble of decision trees, all different. Each For millennia people thought of the heavens as largely SUPERB: a survey for fast radio bursts tree is presented with an unclassifi ed object; the tree allocates it to unchanging, the realm of the fi xed, eternal stars. ‘Fast radio bursts’ (FRBs) are fl eeting cosmic radio from the Galactic plane) in which previous a class, effectively ‘voting’ for it; and the most common vote from But we now know the Universe to be extraordinarily signals, lasting just a few milliseconds. The fi rst FRB FRBs have been found, and uses the SPINN the forest is the classifi cation. The algorithm’s probability of the dynamic and violent, with change taking place not just was discovered in 2007: to date, seven have been neural network (described on page 16) and classifi cation being correct is the fraction of ‘votes’ cast for that class. over millions or billions of years but also within days, discovered in archival data taken with CSIRO’s Parkes other data-processing techniques that allow hours, seconds, and even fractions of a second. radio telescope, and an eighth in the archive of the pulsars and FRBs to be identifi ed in real time The decision trees are built from a set of training data and set of relevant and followed up immediately. Importantly features (for instance, luminosity). To build one, objects are chosen at CAASTRO’s Dynamic Universe theme is focused on Arecibo telescope in Puerto Rico. One further burst for FRB studies, SUPERB captures the random from the training set. Then for each node (decision point) on the all-sky surveys for variable and transient objects. In was discovered in ‘real time’ with Parkes in 2014 by polarisation information of signals it tree, the algorithm randomly picks a subset of features and selects the particular, we are making radio observations with CAASTRO student Emily Petroff: this work is described detects. Ten other telescopes, working at best for splitting the tree into branches, the ‘best’ being the one that the Murchison Widefi eld Array, CSIRO’s Parkes radio on page 32. wavelengths from radio to X-rays, are poised most reduces the chance of the item being incorrectly classifi ed. Each telescope and the University of Sydney’s upgraded The bursts are strong for cosmic radio signals, around to respond to a detection by SUPERB on object presented to the tree passes through a series of nodes until it is Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope. With a jansky (the radio astronomers’ standard unit for fl ux Parkes; data from the gravitational wave given a fi nal classifi cation and arrives in a ‘leaf’ on the tree. their wide fi elds of view, frequency ranges and time measurement). All of them show a large frequency- experiment LIGO will also be searched for resolution, these surveys are allowing us to reach dependent time delay (‘dispersion measure’), caused traces of the FRB after the exact time the Finding rare and novel objects is an important goal for future transient into new ‘discovery space’. One such survey, begun by free electrons in interstellar and intergalactic space, burst occurred is pinpointed. surveys. A Random Forest classifi er cannot correctly label sources of this year, is SUPERB (the SUrvey for Pulsars and meaning that they must have originated billions of light- a kind that it has not been trained on; nevertheless, it can reveal novel Extragalactic Radio Bursts), described on page 14. In years away. For the bursts to be so strong even when SUPERB is expected to discover sources. They show up widely separated on the ‘leaves’ of the tree from another project, the low-frequency capability of the coming from such distances, their sources must emit in approximately 20 of the super-fast other objects of the same class: that is, they are outliers. millisecond pulsars and about 100 ‘normal’ Murchison Widefi eld Array was turned to hunting for a few milliseconds enormous amounts of energy. To train and test their Random Forest classifi er, Lo and her colleagues extrasolar planets (page 17). ones. By the end of 2014, the survey had The bursts’ combination of characteristics could detected a ‘millisecond’ pulsar with a period used 873 sources from the X-ray Multi Mirror Mission – Newton Future surveys with telescopes such as the Square make them important tools for probing the cosmos. of 6.38 milliseconds, and two slower ones— (XMM-Newton), sources whose classifi cation was already known. They Kilometre Array and the Large Synoptic Survey They could, for instance, locate the ‘missing cosmic one that scintillates strongly and a second evaluated the classifi er’s accuracy using ‘10-fold cross-validation’, Telescope will generate vast volumes of data to be baryons’: matter, so far undetected, that may lie in that turns its pulses ‘on’ and ‘off’ every few alternately training and testing on subsets of the training set. mined for signals of interest. Two projects this year the outermost regions of galaxies or in intergalactic minutes. SUPERB is intended to take 1000 In their fi rst round of tests, Lo et al. used only time-series features, such explored the use of automated classifi ers for dealing space. Unlike any other observational technique, the hours of data, and will run until 2016. as the duration of the strongest fl are—27 features in all. With these, the with voluminous data, one dealing with variable sources dispersion measure of an FRB is sensitive to the number classifi er was able to correctly identify 77 per cent of sources, which (described on page 15) and one with pulsars (page 16). of the baryons along the line of sight. Finding around a is not enough to be practical. But adding a further 22 ‘contextual’ hundred FRBs would give us useful information about features, such as proximity to galaxies and cross-matches with sources the baryonic mass of the Universe. By contrast, just at other wavelengths, boosted the accuracy to 97 per cent. Lo and a single FRB might allow us to measure the magnetic her colleagues concluded that, to perform well, classifi ers hunting for fi eld in the space between galaxies: if it were linearly variables and transients will need more to work with than just temporal polarised, the magnetic fi elds in space would change fl ux measurements. the direction of this polarisation, in a measurable way. With many such FRBs, lying in different directions, we The paper by Lo et al., “Automatic Classifi cation of Time-variable X-Ray could map the magnetic fi eld of intergalactic space. Sources”, appeared in The Astrophysical Journal in May 2014. But above all, astronomers wish to determine the phenomenon that generates the FRBs. This will require the FRBs to be detected in real time, so that rapid follow-up observations can be made at many wavelengths, by several telescopes. A survey to do just that began on CSIRO’s Parkes radio telescope this year: SUPERB, the SUrvey for Pulsars and Extragalactic Radio Bursts, led by Evan Keane (Swinburne University), Theme Scientist for CAASTRO’s Dynamic theme. As its name indicates, SUPERB is a (real-time) survey for pulsars as well as for fast radio bursts: although the scientifi c goals for detecting pulsars differ from those Test results from the of FRBs, both can be accomplished in the one survey. Random Forest classifi er. The colour bar represents SUPERB extends the successful HTRU (High Time the true positive rate. The Resolution Universe) survey carried out at Parkes since CSIRO’s Parkes radio telescope, which is being overall accuracy is 97%. 2008. It targets Galactic latitudes (angles up and down used for the SUPERB survey. Credit: Kitty Lo Credit: CSIRO (University of Sydney) 16 CAASTRO 17 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

Searching for exoplanets with the MWA

In 1995 astronomers found the fi rst planet outside our translate to luminosity limits of between 1.2 × 1014 solar system that orbited a Sun-like star. Today there and 1.4 × 1017 W—at least three orders of magnitude are more than 1,000 exoplanets known, with a further greater than the luminosity of Jupiter. 3,000 or so candidates awaiting confi rmation. Almost Why was no emission detected? There are a few all have been discovered indirectly, most often through possible reasons. More sensitive observations may be Pulsar candidates ranked by their signal-to-noise ratio (left panel) and by SPINN (right panel). effects a planet can have on the light of its parent needed. The observing frequency, while lower than that Known pulsars are in blue, radio-frequency interference or noise candidates are in red. SPINN star. Only a few exoplanets have been found by direct ranks the candidates much more accurately than the older signal-to-noise method. of previous studies, was still higher than the predicted Credit: Vincent Morello (Swinburne University of Technology) imaging at optical or infrared wavelengths. maximum emission frequency for many systems in the But direct radio detection may also be possible. Large, sample. And radio emission from exoplanetary systems Jupiter-like planets with strong magnetic fi elds (and is likely to be ‘beamed’ in the plane of the planet’s a source of energetic electrons) should emit low- orbit, and also sporadic. Future work with the MWA Pulsar identifi cation using neural networks frequency radio waves, as Jupiter does. While at will use lower-frequency (90 MHz) observations and optical wavelengths the parent star can be a million cover the full orbital period of several known systems Like the transient and variable sources discussed on telescope. The training set contained 90,000 non-pulsar times brighter than its planet(s), at radio wavelengths to increase the probability of detection. the previous page, the compact, rapidly rotating stars candidates chosen at random, and 542 confi rmed the two can be of comparable strength. The paper describing this work, “Limits on low- called pulsars are relatively rare objects, and notoriously pulsars found in HTRU data that had been re-processed Radio searches for exoplanets are part of the program frequency radio emission from southern exoplanets diffi cult to discover. Nevertheless, modern searches for with a new pulsar-searching pipeline, PEASOUP. for the low-frequency component of the forthcoming with the Murchison Widefi eld Array”, was published pulsars generate millions of pulsar candidates, most of Following training, SPINN was used to classify all 4.35 online by Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical which are not pulsars, but ‘noise’ or radio-frequency million pulsar candidates generated by PEASOUP. Square Kilometre Array radio telescope. To verify the Society in November 2014. interference. Each candidate must be inspected by an This process took only 400 CPU hours, and could be validity of this approach, CAASTRO Chief Investigator astronomer to determine if it is indeed likely to be a accomplished overnight on Swinburne University’s Tara Murphy (University of Sydney) and colleagues pulsar, and re-observed: only then can it be confi rmed gSTAR cluster. have begun a systematic search for exoplanetary emission with the Murchison Widefi eld Array (MWA), as a pulsar. Future surveys will present an even greater The goal of an automated classifi er is to maximise challenge: the Square Kilometre Array telescope is which operates at 80–300 MHz. This search is a ‘recall’ (that is, the fraction of pulsars labelled as component of the larger MWA Transients Survey expected to fi nd 20,000 pulsars, but only after 200 such) while minimising ‘false positives’ (noise or RFI million candidates have been correctly classifi ed. (MWATS), which will cover the southern sky at 154 mislabelled as pulsars). SPINN can be tuned to optimise MHz, looking for radio sources that vary over months, So, like astronomers searching for transients, pulsar one of these factors or the other. At 100% recall, its astronomers are turning to automated classifi cation. hours and minutes. false-positive rate was 0.64%; at 95% recall, it was Luminosity limits on radio emission from exoplanets. The limits Pulsars are distinguished by their regularly pulsed 0.01%. While SPINN is successful in fi nding new Of the 1,110 exoplanetary systems confi rmed at the obtained with the MWA are shown as black dots. signals, and searching for them requires large-scale pulsars, its false-positive rate is still two orders of time the work began, 347 fall within the region that Credit: Tara Murphy (University of Sydney) et al. data mining. Once periodic signals are identifi ed, the magnitude higher than that of an experienced pulsar MWATS had covered by mid 2014. Murphy and her data can be ‘folded’ (coherently stacked) to reveal astronomer. However, SPINN can reduce the number of colleagues calculated the expected maximum emission the pulse profi le of a potential pulsar—a candidate. candidates that have to be inspected by eye, by up to frequency and fl ux density for these sources, and Each candidate has a set of diagnostic information or four orders of magnitude. Overall, SPINN is a signifi cant selected those for which these parameters were close features, such as the signal-to-noise ratio of the pulse improvement on previous classifi ers. to or above the MWA’s detection capabilities. They profi le. also included ten sources that had been identifi ed as The performance of automated classifi ers depends the most likely candidates for radio emission generated A few attempts have been made to classify pulsar strongly on the properties of the data they are by magnetosphere–ionosphere coupling. This resulted candidates automatically. CAASTRO PhD student trained on and evaluated with. Morello et al. have in a sample of 17 candidates, 13 of which had not Vincent Morello (Swinburne University) and his made publicly available the dataset they used for this previously been observed at radio wavelengths. colleagues have built on this work to create a new project, so that other classifi ers—perhaps including classifi er employing a small number of information- ones generated outside astronomy—can be compared Murphy and her colleagues detected no radio emission rich features, dubbed SPINN (Straightforward with SPINN. As yet, none has bettered SPINN’s from a band of radio emission at a centre frequency of Pulsar Identifi cation using Neural Networks). As its performance. 154 MHz, and put 3σ upper limits in the range 15.2– 112.5 mJy on this emission. They also searched for name indicates, SPINN is based on a network of This work was described in “SPINN: a straightforward circularly polarized emission and made no detections, computational models called artifi cial neurons. machine learning solution to the pulsar candidate obtaining 3σ upper limits in the range 3.4–49.9 mJy. Morello and his colleagues trained and tested SPINN on selection problem”, published in Monthly Notices of the These limits are comparable with the best limits data from the southern High Time Resolution Universe Royal Astronomical Society in September 2014. from other low-frequency surveys. If the emission is (HTRU) survey, carried out with CSIRO’s Parkes radio assumed to be completely circularly polarized, they 18 CAASTRO 19 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

THE DARK UNIVERSE Theme Leader: Professor Tamara Davis | University of Queensland Theme Scientist: Dr Michael Childress | Australian National University

Our current ‘standard model’ of the Universe, which is Measuring the effects of dark energy is the aim of Cosmological tests with peculiar background reveals very slight fl uctuations in the our best description of how it works, is a model that another long-term project, the Dark Energy Survey density of matter in the Universe. Over time, the contains dark energy (designated by the Greek letter (DES). A number of CAASTRO researchers are velocities slightly denser regions accumulated more and more Λ, Lambda) and cold dark matter: it is therefore known contributing to this through OzDES, an Australian In general, galaxies ‘go with the fl ow’: they move matter, leading to the large-scale distribution of as the ΛCDM (Lambda cold dark matter) model. This observing program that aims to measure for DES further apart as the Universe expands. But this is not galaxies that we see today. General relativity predicts model accounts well for our observations of the cosmic the redshifts of around 3,000 Type Ia supernovae. the whole story. Galaxies are also drawn together by that the rate at which this large-scale structure has microwave background; the large-scale structure of OzDES began in 2013 and by the end of 2014 had their mutual gravitational attraction. And this gives grown depends only on time. But some other theories the Universe (how galaxies are distributed on large completed its second season of observing: its progress them an additional component of motion: their ‘peculiar of gravity predict that the rate of growth differs on scales); how much hydrogen, helium and lithium the is discussed on page 22. Meanwhile, other CAASTRO velocities’. By measuring the speed and direction of different spatial scales. Of the various techniques that researchers have had a look ‘under the bonnet’ of Type can be used to constrain theories of gravity in this way, Universe contains; and the accelerating expansion these individual movements, researchers can map the Ia supernovae, the ‘standard candles’ on which many peculiar velocities are uniquely able to probe the growth of the Universe, discovered in the late 1990s, which gravitational forces that are tugging on the galaxies, dark-energy studies rely. These fi ndings are discussed rate of structure on scales greater than 300 million is attributed to ‘dark energy’. The ΛCDM model also and so determine how matter, seen and unseen, is on page 23. distributed. light-years. assumes that general relativity is the correct theory of gravity governing the cosmos. This year, CAASTRO Research Staff member Johnson et al. have made the fi rst test of the growth of Christopher Springob (University of Western Australia) structure on this scale, using the peculiar velocities from However, the dark-energy term, , is open to question. and colleagues have publicly released data on the 6dFGS and a sample of low-redshift (z < 0.07) Type Lambda is the ‘cosmological constant’ that Einstein movements of 8,885 galaxies, almost double the Ia supernovae (another means of tracing the peculiar inserted into his equations for general relativity. It is by number measured by the largest previous study of this velocities of galaxies). They found that the growth no means established that dark energy is of this nature: type. This new set of peculiar velocities was derived of structure is consistent with the standard model’s there are other candidates, and they would produce from the 6-degree Field Galaxy Survey (6dFGS), which prediction (although slightly higher than expected), with observable differences from the cosmological constant. was carried out with the 1.2-m UK Schmidt Telescope no evidence for scale-dependence in the growth rate. It is also possible that, on the large scales, gravity at Siding Spring Observatory in northwest NSW. The The growth rate they calculated was also consistent is better described by a theory other than general survey recorded redshifts for more than 110,000 with one previously derived from redshifts from the relativity. Much of the work in CAASTRO’s Dark galaxies over 80 per cent of the Southern sky. The 6dFGS sample by Beutler et al. (2012). Universe theme in 2014 has involved testing these galaxies in the peculiar-velocities sample are spread Two future Australian peculiar-velocity surveys, possibilities. over a region 1.5 billion light-years across, the largest TAIPAN (to be carried out on the 1.2-m UK Schmidt This year a CAASTRO-led team released the fi nal volume ever covered by such a survey. The size of this Telescope) and WALLABY (to be done with the sample of the ‘peculiar velocities’ of galaxies (galaxy survey has allowed researchers to test for the fi rst time Australian SKA Pathfi nder radio telescope), will movements resulting from gravitational attraction) if our local region is representative of the Universe as a measure the rate of growth of structure even more from the 6dF Galaxy Survey. This is the largest such whole, and whether our standard cosmological model, precisely, to within three per cent (at z ~ 0.025). Both survey ever made; large enough to allow researchers ΛCDM, correctly predicts galaxy movements. will involve many members of CAASTRO. to check if the local Universe is consistent with ΛCDM. A number of peculiar-velocity surveys carried out in The peculiar-velocities work described here was CAASTRO researchers used the dataset to make recent years suggested that the ‘bulk fl ow’ of galaxies reported in “The 6dF Galaxy Survey: peculiar velocity two such consistency tests, by calculating the ‘bulk in the nearby Universe (their movement en masse under fi eld and cosmography” (Monthly Notices of the Royal fl ow’ of the local Universe and, for the fi rst time, the infl uence of gravity) was not consistent with the Astronomical Society, December 2014) and “The 6dF measuring the rate of growth of structure on scales predictions of the ΛCDM model (in fact, faster). But yet Galaxy Survey: cosmological constraints from the larger than 300 million light-years. (These projects are other studies suggested that it was. CAASTRO PhD velocity power spectrum” (ibid., November 2014). described on page 19.) The peculiar-velocity data was students Morag Scrimgeour and Christina Magoulas are As of the end of 2014, the work of Scrimgeour was also used to test for one of the modifi ed versions of contributing to the debate, using the 6dFGS peculiar under review. general relativity (page 20). While some CAASTRO velocities to calculate the bulk fl ow of local galaxies. researchers were using peculiar velocities as tools, They used different methods, but both found the bulk others were correcting for their effects in the data from fl ow to be consistent with the ΛCDM model, although The 3D map of galaxy peculiar velocities in the nearby greater than one would expect from the large-scale the WiggleZ galaxy survey, allowing them to make a Universe, as observed by the 6-degree Field Galaxy Survey more precise determination of the ‘baryonic acoustic (6dFGS). Our own Galaxy lies at the centre of the map. Red structure we observe in the nearby Universe. feature’ (a measure of galaxy clustering) and from that, indicates regions where galaxies are moving away from us, CAASTRO student Andrew Johnson (Swinburne blue the regions where galaxies are moving towards us. a value for the parameter w, which describes how dark Nearby ‘superclusters’ of galaxies are labelled. The cube University) and his colleagues have used the 6dFGS energy reacts to the expanding universe. This work is measures about 1.5 billion light-years on each side. peculiar velocities to carry out another kind of test, a discussed on page 21. Credit: Chris Fluke (Swinburne University) test of our model of gravity. The cosmic microwave 20 CAASTRO 21 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

The distance-redshift relation obtained using the ‘reconstruction’ technique (blue points), with the previous analysis (red points) shown for comparison. Credit: Eyal Kazin (Swinburne University of Technology) et al.

Testing a modifi ed theory of gravity Sharpening the WiggleZ As mentioned on page 18, our current standard model Parkinson and his colleagues looked for evidence of a One way to investigate the nature of dark energy relies This effect has been understood for a long time, and in of the Universe, the ΛCDM model, posits the existence non-zero value of B . on detecting a pattern in how galaxies are distributed 2007 Eisenstein et al. suggested a way to correct for 0 it: use the density fi eld (that is, a map of gravitational of both dark matter and dark energy. In fact, the Previous work had placed upper bounds on B . in space. Pairs of galaxies have a slight ‘preference’ existence of both dark matter and dark energy follow 0 for being a certain distance apart. When measured in potential) to work out how much the galaxies have Observations of the cosmic microwave background been displaced; in effect, put them back in their original from assuming that general relativity is the correct with the Planck satellite had given B < 0.1. today’s Universe, that distance is 490 million light-years. 0 positions; and then re-calculate their preferred spacing. description of gravity. Combining tracers of large-scale structure with data Where does this pattern come from? It was created The technique has been successfully applied to galaxy ΛCDM has many successes. But it also has a few from the WMAP (Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy by pressure waves (sound waves) that existed in the samples obtained by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. But problems. The most striking is that the energy density Probe) satellite had given an even more stringent Universe when it was very young, no more than a it was not clear if it would work for WiggleZ, which had -3 of Λ appears from observation to be about 120 orders constraint, of 1.1 x 10 (both fi gures are at the 95% few hundred thousand years old, and very hot. As the been carried out over several non-contiguous volumes, of magnitude smaller than would be expected from confi dence limit). By adding WiggleZ observations Universe cooled, the sound waves became ‘frozen’ meaning that there are ‘edge effects’; also, the WiggleZ quantum theory. Moreover, the energy density of Λ to the Planck data, Parkinson’s team improved and the signature of that pattern can still be seen in data was patchy in some areas and inherently sparse at the previous best limit for B by another order of (dark energy) is of the same order of magnitude as the 0 the distribution of matter; it is known as the ‘baryon higher redshifts. magnitude, to log10(B ) < -4.07 (= 8.5 x 10-5). This average matter density in the Universe today. These 0 acoustic feature’. represents one of the tightest constraints on B , and To learn if ‘reconstruction’ could be usefully applied two quantities scale with the size of the Universe 0 thus on f(R) models, to date. As the Universe has expanded over its lifetime, the to the WiggleZ data, CAASTRO Research Associates in very different ways, and so their similarity at the galaxy-clustering pattern has stretched accordingly. Eyal Kazin and Jun Koda (Swinburne University) and This work was described in the paper “Constraining present time is an unsettling coincidence. The energy Measuring the preferred distance of galaxies at several their colleagues created 600 simulated catalogues models of f(R) gravity with Planck and WiggleZ power density of dark matter is very close to the energy stages of the Universe’s history is a way to track of galaxies and tested the procedure on those. In spectrum data”, published in the Journal of Cosmology density of baryons (non-dark matter): as the two are the rate of expansion of the Universe and how that two-thirds of the cases this yielded a better-defi ned and Astroparticle Physics in March 2014. thought to have different production mechanisms, has changed over time. Importantly, this method is baryonic acoustic feature. When applied to the WiggleZ this also is surprising. Several kinds of observations completely independent of the measurements of the data itself, the technique decreased the uncertainties have suggested that dark matter does not behave as expansion made using Type Ia supernova (such as of the measurement from 4.5–7.5% (the fi gures predicted (although some of these discrepancies may those the OzDES project, described on page 22, will vary by redshift) to 3.4–4.8%. This is a signifi cant be resolvable). All this may signal that we need to go contribute to). Measuring the galaxy-clustering pattern improvement, effectively equivalent to the result beyond general relativity in describing gravity. is one way to determine the parameter w, which expected from a survey with up to 2.5 times the Extending general relativity began as early as 1918, characterises dark energy. If w can be measured with volume of WiggleZ. and there are now many ‘modifi ed’ theories of gravity. suffi cient certainty, it will rule out some candidates for Combining their new measurement with others from As a group, they differ from general relativity in their dark energy. the Six-Degree Field Galaxy Survey (6dFGS) and predictions for how matter will cluster and grow into Several projects have been carried out to measure the observations of the cosmic microwave background, the large-scale structures. The predictions also differ from preferred spacing of galaxies. The fi rst one to produce researchers calculated a value for w of –1.08±0.14, which agrees well with others in the literature reached model to model. Growth-of-structure observations can signifi cant results for high redshifts (that is, for much through different techniques, and also with the therefore be used as a discriminator. earlier in the Universe’s life) was WiggleZ, a survey we standard ‘fl at ΛCDM’ cosmological model that predicts This year, CAASTRO Associate Investigator David carried out with the 4-m Anglo-Australian Telescope. w of –1. Their calculated values for other cosmological Parkinson and his colleagues have tested f(R) models The WiggleZ team measured the preferred spacing of parameters were, reassuringly, also in line with the of gravity: extensions of general relativity that include galaxies when the Universe was about 8 billion years standard ‘fl at ΛCDM’ cosmological model. a more general function of R (the Ricci scalar, a term old (corresponding to a redshift of 0.6), and published representing the curvature of spacetime) than do its results in 2011. This work appeared in the paper “The WiggleZ Dark Einstein’s equations. Parkinson and his colleagues Energy Survey: improved distance measurements to However, the signature of the ‘preferred spacing’ is z = 1 with reconstruction of the baryonic acoustic created predictions of the growth of structure for not sharp. As discussed on page 19, galaxies aren’t f(R) and compared them to measurements of the feature”, published in Monthly Notices of the Royal just carried along by the expansion of the Universe, Astronomical Society in July 2014. cosmic microwave background from the Planck space but also have their own, ‘peculiar’, velocities, that arise telescope, combined with observations made by the from gravitational attraction. In fact today the galaxies WiggleZ galaxy redshift survey (described on page 21) are displaced, on average, by some 16 million light- of large-scale structure. years from where they’d be if they weren’t infl uenced f(R) models contain a scalar fi eld, the scalaron, not by gravity. The effect is to ‘blur’ the spacing of the present in general relativity, which is a candidate for preferred separation. It’s like looking at a car’s headlights dark energy. The mass of this fi eld depends on the local at night: if the night is clear, the spacing between them matter density (it will be high where the local matter is easy to see and measure, but if the night is foggy, density is high, for instance). The mass of the scalaron equivalent to the galaxies having been moved by gravity, in the local Universe is represented by a parameter, B0: then the spacing is harder to measure. 22 CAASTRO 23 R ANNUAL REPORT 2014 DISCOVE Type Ia supernovae have varied progenitors

Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) have been used for by the explosion. In the single-degenerate scenario, it decades as ‘standard candles’, objects of known is assumed that the single white dwarf must explode luminosity. They were the key tool for uncovering the near the Chandrasekhar limit. But in a fi nding at odds acceleration of the expansion of the Universe, and for with this, the progenitors of the 19 objects in this many subsequent attempts to refi ne the measurement study appeared to have masses from 0.9 to 1.4 solar of the acceleration and determine its cause. (One such masses (with about 15% uncertainty). Scalzo et al. also project, OzDES, is discussed on page 22.) However, discovered a very strong correlation of the ejecta mass there were hints that SNe Ia are produced by more with the width of the SN Ia lightcurve. than one mechanism. Now CAASTRO researchers have In a subsequent study, Scalzo, along with CAASTRO OzDES and the Dark Energy Survey found more evidence that this is so. Associate Investigators Ashley Ruiter and Stuart Sim, Is dark energy the ‘cosmological constant’ that Einstein SNe Ia vary widely in peak brightness and the rate used the correlation of light-curve width with ejecta built into his general theory of relativity, or a sign that at which they fade. Using correlations between their mass to derive the ejected masses of 337 SNe Ia, all at that theory is incomplete? One of the largest attempts luminosity, colour, and the width of their light-curve a redshift of less than 0.7. They found that 25-50% of so far to answer that question is the Dark Energy (how fast they brighten then fade), the luminosities of SNe Ia cannot have 1.4 solar-mass progenitors. Almost Survey (DES), a 5-year international project led from different SNe Ia can be standardised to within about all of these progenitors must have masses below the the USA and UK. 10% (0.15 magnitude). But in 2013 CAASTRO Chandrasekhar mass; less than 1% of SNe Ia (with the Postdoctoral researcher Michael Childress (Australian exception of some spectroscopic oddities) have masses DES is measuring the effects of dark energy in four National University) and colleagues showed that, even signifi cantly exceeding the Chandrasekhar mass. Scalzo ways. One of them involves determining the brightness after making such corrections, another bias remains: and his collaborators found that the mass distribution, of Type Ia supernovae. This was the technique that SNe Ia supernovae at higher redshifts are on average while not obviously bimodal, cannot be described by originally uncovered dark energy: DES aims to improve fainter than their counterparts in the local Universe. any single explosion model. SNe Ia must be produced its precision by fi nding thousands of new supernovae This trend is not strong enough to negate the evidence by more than one process. between redshifts of 0.2 and 1.2. To this end, a for the accelerating expansion of the Universe, but 570-megapixel ‘dark energy camera’, DECam, is now SNe Ia are powerful tools for characterising the it could bias measurements aimed at discriminating surveying the southern sky from the Chilean Andes. contents of our Universe. Careful probing of the between different ‘dark energy’ candidates. The phenomena that underlie them will help us to use them Having found the supernovae, DES needs their researchers identifi ed the age of the Type Ia progenitor with greater precision. redshifts. These were traditionally obtained one as the most probable cause of the bias. supernova at a time, by taking a spectrum of each This research appeared in three papers: “Ages of Type Ia Galaxies observed with OzDES (in red) in a 3°-wide slice This year Childress and his colleagues looked further into exploded star before its light had faded. But with so centred on the XMM-LSS 2hr fi eld. Galaxies in the Galaxy and supernovae over cosmic time” (Monthly Notices of the the ages of SNe Ia progenitors. They considered how the many supernovae being found, it’s impractical to follow Mass Assembly (GAMA) survey are shown for comparison in Royal Astronomical Society, December 2014), “Type blue. Not shown are the active galactic nuclei (AGN), which go age of the progenitors coupled with the star-formation each one up while it is still bright. In most cases, Ia supernova bolometric light curves and ejected mass out to redshift 4. The right-hand plot shows part of the region history of galaxies, and found that this coupling naturally therefore, the strategy is to obtain a redshift for the estimates from the Nearby Supernova Factory” (ibid., in more detail: galaxies shown in black hosted a supernova in explains a bimodality in SNe Ia ages revealed by previous supernova’s host galaxy, which can be done at leisure. the fi rst two years of the Dark Energy Survey. May 2014), and “The ejected mass distribution of type studies. More importantly, they found that the young Ia supernovae: a signifi cant rate of non-Chandrasekhar- The 2dF instrument on the 4-m Anglo-Australian Credit: Chris Lidman (AAO) (or ‘prompt’) SNe Ia consistently arise from progenitors mass progenitors” (ibid., December 2014). Telescope (AAT) in eastern Australia has a fi eld of of the same age at all redshifts, while the progenitors view exactly the same as that of DECam, and the of old (or ‘tardy’) SNe Ia have different average ages combination of 2dF (which positions optical fi bres for at different redshifts. They also found that this age capturing light) and the AAOmega spectrograph (which bimodality evolves with redshift in a way currently not analyses the light) allows almost 400 redshifts to be accounted for in cosmological studies. measured simultaneously. Using these instruments, In two studies this year, CAASTRO Associate OzDES, the Australian Dark Energy Survey to measure Investigator Richard Scalzo (Australian National redshifts for DES, began in 2013. OzDES involves 10 University) probed another aspect of Type Ia Australian institutions and 30 Australian researchers, supernovae: their progenitor masses. including many affi liated with CAASTRO; CAASTRO also provides postdoctoral support for the project. The For many years SNe Ia were thought to result from survey has received an allocation of 100 nights on the a carbon/oxygen white-dwarf star in a binary orbit AAT, spread over fi ve years. with another star, the dwarf triggered to explode by accreting material from its companion that put it By the end of 2014, OzDES had completed its second over the Chandrasekhar limit (1.4 solar masses). This season of observing, 26 nights in total. It has obtained is the single-degenerate scenario. In recent years, redshifts for 11,000 targets, of which 1,200 are the detailed observations of the explosions have suggested host galaxies of transients, mostly supernovae. Of that there might be additional mechanisms at work, these galaxies, about 240 have been confi rmed as including white-dwarf mergers or collisions (the double- the hosts of Type Ia supernova that will be useful for degenerate scenario). cosmological studies. OzDES is well on the way to Scalzo and his colleagues initially examined 19 low- Mean ages of Type Ia supernovae as a function of their host meeting its target of about 3,000 such redshifts after galaxy mass in the local (z=0, solid red curve) and distant fi ve years’ observing. redshift SNe Ia. They used the characteristics of the (z=0.5, dashed black curve) Universe. Dotted red lines supernovae’s light-curves to calculate the mass of the The fi rst scientifi c papers from OzDES will be published show the full contours for SN Ia age distributions in the ejecta (the debris) from each explosion: this is exactly local Universe. in the fi rst half of 2015. the mass of the progenitor, which is totally destroyed Credit: Michael Childress (ANU) et al. 24 CAASTRO 25 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

A simulated slice through the body, with a lesion present in the lung. Credit: Cathryn Trott (Curtin University)

CASE Interdisciplinary Research Case Study STUDIES DESIGNING AN ALGORITHM TO DETECT TUMOURS Cathryn Trott (Curtin University)

When new techniques are created for acquiring or to decorrelate the noise in the image, and also applies processing medical images, they have one goal: to linear fi lters (‘channels’), which mimic the human visual improve image quality. That is, to make it easier for system. It performs well compared to radiologists when a radiologist to spot what he or she is looking for, a assessing medical images. tumour, for instance. However, radiologists also look for the way the image The ultimate arbiter of image quality is the trained varies in time to help them determine if a tumour radiologist. But this means that new imaging techniques is present. In this study, Trott and her colleagues have to be assessed by trained radiologists, and that is developed a way for their algorithm to make use of time- a lengthy (and expensive) process. variation in the images. It is thus referred to as a ‘4D model’, using the three spatial dimensions plus time. To carry out such tests on new techniques, it is useful to have reliable mathematical algorithms that can Importantly, the team incorporated ‘respiratory gating’ mimic the lesion-detecting skills of a trained person. into their algorithm. The motion from a patient’s Algorithms have been developed for this purpose, but breathing signifi cantly degrades the quality of a they still fall short of human abilities. diagnostic image. Respiratory-gated imaging uses a signal from breathing to time when the image data Source recognition is a major issue in astronomy too. are collected (typically at the end of exhalation): the The human eye and brain are excellent at pattern resulting images are of higher quality than images made recognition and, therefore, in fi nding sources in data. without gating. But the volume of data from telescopes such the future Square Kilometre Array and its precursors, such The researchers created a set of realistic simulated as the MWA and ASKAP, makes automated source PET images with a range of lesion sizes, severities, recognition a must. locations and degree of respiratory motion. To this they applied their new 4D algorithm, using gated CAASTRO Affi liate Cathryn Trott (Curtin University) is imaging; the standard CHO algorithm, on non-gated a specialist in extracting information from astronomical images; and the CHO algorithm on motion-corrected data. Like medical images, astronomical images images. The 4D algorithm, using gated imaging, proved are fi lled with extraneous signals and noise, and superior to the other two techniques: on average, it detecting an object within these complex datasets improved the signal-to-noise ratio of the image by requires optimal methods. In an interdisciplinary 48.6%, as compared to the non-gated method, while project, Trott worked this year with the Positron the 3D methods on motion-corrected images showed a Emission Tomography (PET) Imaging Physics team at corresponding improvement of 31.0%. (The 4D method Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, USA, to avoids registration and interpolation inaccuracies that design a new algorithm that more closely mimics a can occur in the motion-corrected imaging, effects that trained radiologist. lead to lower contrast and poorer spatial resolution.) PET imaging is used extensively to measure glucose These results are encouraging. The next step will be use in the body, and is a principal tool used by to test the 4D model against the performance of real oncologists to detect cancerous tumours. Detecting radiologists with real patient images. a tumour involves distinguishing between normal In a related project, Trott has begun working with and diseased tissue in images with complicated physicists in the Radiation Physics Laboratory at the backgrounds and/or ‘noise’. Motion from the patient’s University of Sydney who are developing a low-cost breathing signifi cantly degrades images. computed tomography (CT) radiotherapy scanner. She The team’s starting point was previous ‘numerical is helping them design methods for rapidly imaging a The Murchison Widefi eld Array, Western Australia observers’ (algorithms), such as the channelized tumour and tracking its motion and deformation so that Credit: Steven Tingay Hotelling observer (CHO). The CHO uses a template radiotherapy can be optimally timed. 26 CAASTRO 27 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

CAASTRO CoEPP A simulation of the Universe, generated Workshop Participants from data from the WiggleZ survey. Credit: Caroline Hamilton Credit: Gregory Poole

Interdisciplinary Research Case Study Interdisciplinary Research Case Study COEPP-CAASTRO JOINT WORKSHOP PAINTING NEUTRINOS INTO A CORNER Katherine Mack (University of Melbourne) Signe Riemer-Sørensen (University of Oslo)

Dark matter, dark energy, neutrinos and theories of researchers. Both the local council and the community gravity: all are areas in which the work of particle of Stawell have shown their support for the enterprise. As elementary particles go, neutrinos—’little neutral David Parkinson (University of Queensland), and the physicists complements that of astrophysicists. The ones’—are not newcomers: they were proposed by leader of CAASTRO’s Dark theme, Tamara Davis Research talks at the workshop made it clear that there physicist Wolfgang Pauli in 1930 and revealed by (University of Queensland), have painted neutrinos ARC Centre of Excellence for Particle Physics on the is still a lot of work to be done in our understanding of Terascale (CoEPP) and the ARC Centre of Excellence experiment in 1956. The ‘Standard Model’ of particle even further into a corner. By adding extra data from dark matter. On the observational side, inconsistencies physics says they are massless; however, experiments the WiggleZ survey to the dataset used by the Planck for All-sky Astrophysics (CAASTRO) held their fi rst joint between models and observed properties of small- workshop in 2012, to explore their common interests. and observations have shown otherwise. This makes team, they have pushed the upper mass limit down scale dark-matter systems (such as dwarf galaxies) the neutrino the only confi rmed particle that doesn’t to 0.18 eV—an improvement of over 25%. This The second joint workshop, run over 28–30 September are still vexing, as pointed out by invited speaker 2014, was held to make concrete plans for an exciting fi t the Standard Model (which is otherwise extremely limit is an order of magnitude better than laboratory Manoj Kaplinghat (University of California Irvine). successful). experiments will be able to obtain in the next decade. new opportunity in dark-matter research. Geraint Lewis (University of Sydney) described an The workshop was held in the town of Great Western even more puzzling problem: the discovery of great The neutrino mass is not well constrained, either. The additional data was the ‘matter power spectrum’ in rural Victoria. As well as bringing together local co-rotating planes of satellite galaxies around the Pinning it down would help us to better understand how from WiggleZ—a function that captures information and international experts on all aspects of dark matter Milky Way and Andromeda, in apparent disagreement neutrinos fi t into the family of fundamental particles. about the distribution of matter on different scales. This research, the workshop was also designed around with expectations of dark-matter behaviour. Other But even talking of ‘the’ neutrino mass is misleading. function contains signifi cant information on the neutrino introducing the scientifi c community to a proposal researchers spoke about work to study dark matter in Neutrinos come in at least three kinds, or ‘fl avours’, mass. This is because when large-scale structures, for a dark-matter detector in the Stawell gold mine, the cosmic microwave background, and prospects for which can transform into each other. Experiments show clusters, sheets and fi laments of galaxies, formed in close to Great Western. Attendees at the workshop detecting dark matter indirectly, through neutrino and that there are mass differences between them. Current the early Universe, neutrinos would have slowed down included scientists from Italy’s Istituto Nazionale di Fisica gamma-ray signals. particle-physics experiments can only measure the mass the formation of the smaller features of that structure, ‘washing out’ the smaller scales in the matter power Nucleare (INFN), a research agency dedicated to the On the theoretical side the fi eld is still open for new differences, not the masses themselves. Cosmology, study of the fundamental constituents of matter, and the however, is sensitive to the combined mass of the spectrum that we observe today. They also affect the ideas about dark matter’s fundamental nature. Several growth of structure by altering how the expansion rate Science Attaché for the Italian Embassy in Canberra. speakers discussed dark-matter models beyond the neutrinos, because that affects the formation of large- scale structure (the distribution of galaxies). of the universe changes with time. So from the details Members of CAASTRO and CoEPP from Melbourne ‘supersymmetric neutralino’, which is looking less and of the matter power spectrum we can infer an upper and Swinburne Universities had began talks with the less favoured due to the failure of the Large Hadron Observations of neutrinos from the Sun, the limit for the sum of neutrino masses. managers of the Stawell mine in 2013, to explore Collider to detect signatures of other ‘supersymmetric’ atmosphere, and nuclear reactors have put the lower the possibility of using a portion of the mine as an particles. limit for the combined mass at 0.05 eV, an amount Using the matter power spectrum is complex: underground physics laboratory. While dark-matter equivalent to a tenth of a millionth of the (already tiny) Riemer-Sørensen and her colleagues used only the part The second day of the workshop was devoted mainly of it that applies to matter forming structures on very detectors are already operating underground in many to the nuts and bolts of designing and building a dark- mass of the electron. locations in the northern hemisphere, this will be the large scales (much larger than clusters of galaxies, matter detector, and highlighted the opportunities for The strongest upper limits come from cosmology. −1 fi rst such detector in the southern hemisphere, and will k < 0.2 h Mpc ). When matter begins to condense to CoEPP and CAASTRO researchers to be part of this Until recently, the best fi gure was 0.23 eV. That help us to confi rm possible dark-matter signals found form ‘small’ structures (such as a cluster of galaxies), emerging collaboration between Italy and Australia. was obtained from the measurements of the cosmic at other sites (such as INFN’s laboratory at Gran Sasso the physics becomes complicated. We could obtain This prospect of direct detection, coupled with the microwave background by the Planck spacecraft, in central Italy). Having our own dark-matter detector a tighter constraint on the neutrino mass, even from prospects of indirect detection via cosmic rays, gamma coupled with information about the patterns in which will give Australia much greater involvement in the existing data, if there were better simulations of how rays or neutrinos, makes it an exciting time to be galaxies are clustered from four galaxy redshift surveys. worldwide endeavour to identify dark matter and study this small-scale structure grows: this is something studying dark matter in Australia. Two of those surveys were done in Australia: the 6dF its properties. CAASTRO researchers are also working on. Looking Galaxy Survey of more than 125,000 galaxies, made forward, astronomers expect to obtain tighter limits Discussions at the CoEPP-CAASTRO workshop touched with the 1.2-m UK Schmidt Telescope, and the WiggleZ on the neutrino mass from the Euclid spacecraft upon the radiation and cosmic-ray-shielding conditions survey of almost 240,000 galaxies, carried out with the (scheduled to launch in 2020) and the Square Kilometre at the Stawell mine, both of which appear to be 4-m Anglo-Australian Telescope. Array radio telescope (to be built in Australia and South acceptable. The next steps will be to form an offi cial Now CAASTRO affi liate Signe Riemer-Sørensen Africa from 2018), both of which will detect tens of collaboration and secure funding for equipment and (University of Oslo), CAASTRO Associate Investigator millions of galaxies. 28 CAASTRO 29 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

Figure 2: the same data, Figure 1: the signal processed after the phone from a quasar, lurking in calls interference has the foothills of a spike been reduced. The quasar An illustration of a pulsar showing its beam (blue) generated by mobile- signal stands out more and magnetic fi eld lines (green). phone calls. clearly. Credit: Swinburne Astronomy Productions Credit: Chris Flynn Credit: Chris Flynn

National Innovation Priority Case Study: Smart Information Use National Innovation Priority Case Study: Frontier Technologies ‘EXTREME IMAGING’ OF A PULSAR REMOVING RADIO-FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE IN REAL TIME Ue-Li Pen (University of Toronto) Chris Flynn (Swinburne University)

Radio pulsars are a form of neutron star, a ball of For their new work, Pen and his collaborators used a In 2007 astronomers noticed the Universe doing A fast radio burst could easily be confused with, or condensed ‘neutron matter’ only a few tens of subset of the data taken by Brisken et al. This time something completely new and unexpected: obscured by, an unwanted man-made radio signal, kilometres in diameter that is formed by the explosion the focus of the investigation was not the interstellar producing very short radio bursts, each lasting for radio-frequency interference or RFI. Being only 50 km of a ‘regular’ star. They possess a strong magnetic medium but the pulsar itself. To study it, Pen et al. a few milliseconds. These signals have no known from Canberra, UTMOST receives RFI from several fi eld and emit a beam of radio waves along the axis used the fact that radiation scattered by the interstellar counterparts at other wavelengths, and their sources, including discharges from electric fences, of that fi eld. If the magnetic axis is not aligned with medium enables us to see many thousands of images characteristics suggest that they have travelled a long vehicles, and electrical equipment operating on farms. the pulsar’s rotation axis, as the pulsar spins we may of the same pulsar, all at once. The radiation from way through space: billions of light-years, in fact. One of the most prominent sources is mobile-phone detect the beam of radio waves fl ashing periodically each image interferes with that from every other image To date nine of these ‘fast radio bursts’ have been calls, which are present about 5–10 per cent of the over the Earth. This is the pulsar’s ‘pulse’. across the entire scattering region. The interstellar found, mostly in archival data. In 2014, CAASTRO PhD time and which can affect up to half of the region of medium operates as a giant telescope, albeit one with Forty-fi ve years after pulsars were discovered, candidate Emily Petroff (Swinburne University) became spectrum over which the telescope observes (currently, imperfect optics, whose diameter is comparable to astronomers are still debating the exact mechanism by the fi rst person to detect a fast radio burst in ‘real 836–850 MHz). the maximum distance between images across the which a pulsar produces its radio beam. In part that is time’. (See page 32 for more details.) Fortunately, mobile-phone signals have a characteristic because, as pulsars are small and distant, we have not scattering region, which in this case was ten times the Finding more fast radio bursts, and, ultimately, appearance: they are bright, come from directions been able to measure the size of the emission region distance between the Earth and the Sun. determining what they are, has been a key science that clearly indicate their terrestrial origin, and fall into that generates the radio beam or its altitude above the Even with such an enormous telescope, the emission driver behind the upgrade of the University of Sydney’s a well defi ned frequency range, so they are easily pulsar surface. CAASTRO Partner Investigator Ue-Li region itself was too small to image. But what the Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope (MOST), distinguished from the radio waves the telescope Pen (University of Toronto) and Associate Investigator researchers could determine was the exact position carried out with the help of Swinburne University receives from the cosmos. Jean-Pierre Macquart (Curtin University), along with of the pulse during the pulsar’s rotation: effectively, and the Australian National University, in a project Because the telescope captures so much data, storing their collaborators, have now invented a new technique they measured the speed at which the emission region facilitated by CAASTRO. it all is impractical. The backend that processes it does for measuring the location of the pulsar emission with appeared to move as the pulsar turned. The telescope has kept its basic structure, a 1600-m so in real time, reducing its volume by a factor of a extraordinary accuracy. They have, for the fi rst time, The pulse defl ection Pen et al. measured was less ‘trough’ of wire mesh that captures radio waves. thousand, a million or even a billion, depending on the been able to directly and precisely detect the motion of than 30 km, two orders of magnitude smaller than However, it has a new ‘backend’: a cluster of signal- type of observation being made. So the RFI needs to be the emission region as the pulsar rotates. some previous estimates. The pulse appears to travel processing computers that incorporate off-the-shelf recognised and excised from the data in real time too. The basis of their technique is something that would at about 1000 kilometres a second as the pulsar graphics processing cards (GPUs). These cards have This process works extremely well, as the Figures often be considered a problem: the ‘interstellar rotates. The results imply that the emission region become very cheap because of their wide use in the show. The RFI thus removed, UTMOST has a clearer medium’, the extremely thin gas that lies in space is small, and only a few hundred kilometres above gaming industry. The backend can handle up to view of the Universe, and will have a better chance of between the stars. The gas is ionised (the electrons the pulsar surface—much less than some previous 22 gigabytes of data per second, and in the course of a detecting fast radio bursts. and their parent atoms have been separated) and the estimates. This work has increased a million-fold the year will process almost an exabyte (1018 bytes). radio signal from the pulsar interacts with this charged precision with which pulsars can be imaged, from the material. The gas is also irregular and turbulent, 50 milliarcseconds attainable with Very Long Baseline As well as entering the era of ‘big data’, the telescope and causes the image of the pulsar’s radio beam to Interferometry to the 50 picoarcseonds attained here. has also had a change of name, going from MOST to scintillate (twinkle) and break up, just as the Earth’s In fact, this is the highest-resolution measurement ever (appropriately) UTMOST. atmosphere does to the image of a star. achieved, equivalent to being able to resolve a single UTMOST is well suited to doing widefi eld, high-time- In 2010 Brisken et al. used the irregularities of the viral particle from the Moon. resolution searches for fast radio bursts. The FRB interstellar medium to learn about the medium itself, The new technique could be used to measure the search program is set up to operate at the same time for instance, its velocity. For that work, they made parallax of pulsars in binary systems, giving us new, as every other program being run on the telescope so observations of the pulsar B0834+06 with four large precise measurements of their distances. That in turn that, for instance, while the telescope is looking for radio telescopes in the USA and Europe. Rather than would increase the sensitivity and angular resolution fast radio bursts, the same set of data is being combed making observations with each telescope separately, of the pulsar-timing arrays that are now being used through for pulsars. Future radio telescopes will have they used the telescopes as a single instrument, in a to hunt for gravitational waves, the last unconfi rmed to carry out such simultaneous searches: UTMOST technique called Very Long Baseline Interferometry, prediction of Einstein’s general theory of relativity. demonstrates how that requirement can be met. which makes images of extremely high resolution. 30 CAASTRO 31 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

One of the MWA ‘snapshots’ from the Figure 2: The pattern of over- and under- dataset EoR 2013-10-15. The Earth’s density in ionospheric plasma, derived magnetic fi eld lines are in black. Red and from Figure 1. Over-densities are in red blue vectors show the position offsets and yellow, under-densities in blue and of the radio sources, red to the east and cyan. The Earth’s magnetic fi eld lines are blue to the west. in black. Credit: Cleo Loi (University of Sydney) Credit: Cleo Loi (University of Sydney)

National Innovation Priority Case Study: Smart Information Use PROBING THE IONOSPHERE WITH THE MURCHISON WIDEFIELD ARRAY Cleo Loi (University of Sydney)

The MWA is not just a tool for investigating the Such problems made low-frequency radio astronomy and the convergence point of the spokes lies on the Using the MWA in a novel and unconventional way, cosmos: it is the fi rst radio telescope able to image the seem extremely challenging for many decades. Indeed, meridian or close to it. The high spatial organisation Loi and her colleagues measured the altitude of these Earth’s ionosphere. MWA observations have revealed the stability of the ionosphere was a consideration of the pattern and its strong resemblance to source density ducts. Essentially using the array as a stereo large-scale, periodic, banded plasma structures strongly in choosing the site for the MRO, which is currently sidelobes, which often appear as radial spokes, raised camera, they divided it east-west and used the two elongated along the Earth’s magnetic fi eld that appear home to the Murchison Widefi eld Array, and the future concerns from MWA personnel that this was some groups of antenna ‘tiles’ to make separate images of the to be ‘whistler ducts’— structures never imaged before. site of the low-frequency component of the Square form of artefact. However, careful investigation ruled density ducts. This enabled them to measure a parallax Some of the gas molecules in the Earth’s atmosphere Kilometre Array. For her Honours thesis in 2014 that out. shift that implied an average altitude for the ducts of are ionised, having had one or more of their electrons CAASTRO student Cleo Loi (University of Sydney) At the site of the MWA, the magnetic declination is 570±40 km over the period of observation (1.5 hours). stripped away. Most commonly this is caused by the investigated how ionospheric distortions would affect close to 0º, while the magnetic inclination (the angle Computing the parallax separately over the fi rst and Sun’s radiation. At an altitude of 100 km, less than the science goals of the MWA surveys. of the fi eld lines to the horizontal) is around −60º. second halves of the interval showed that the structures one molecule in a million is ionised; at 1000 km, it’s Reassuringly, Loi found that typical levels of plasma Figure 2 shows the divergence (magnitude) of the had drifted downward over time, from 720±90 km one in ten. The ionised component of the atmosphere fl uctuation in the ionosphere produce angular offsets vector fi eld of position offsets for EoR 2013-10-15, to 470±40 km. Splitting the data into northern and is known as the ionosphere. At its outer edge (around smaller than the telescope’s resolution, and so are not overplotted with the geomagnetic fi eld lines. The southern halves of the fi eld of view revealed higher 1000 km) it merges into the plasmasphere, a region of large enough to affect cross-matching. And the MWA’s alignment between the structures in EoR 2013-10- altitudes to the north, which is consistent with the steep cold, dense plasma in the innermost part of the Earth’s compact size (its maximum baselines are only three 15 and the geomagnetic fi eld is extremely good, and magnetic inclination at the MWA site. From the altitude magnetosphere. kilometres long) reduces the risk of decoherence, and strongly suggests that we are looking at a plasma of the ducts, Loi and her colleagues calculated their physical spacing to be 10–50 km. The ionosphere affects low-frequency radio-astronomy so measured variations in fl ux density are dominated by phenomenon, not an instrumental artefact. Loi and observations, those below 1 GHz. This was noticed at the ‘noise’ in the image. But as well as drawing these her colleagues measured some components drifting in These are the fi rst direct wide-angle observations of the very beginnings of the science: Hey et al. (1946) conclusions, Loi made a major, serendipitous, fi nding. an easterly direction and others to the west, at a low these structures. This groundbreaking work shows that -1 observed the radio source Cygnus A scintillating at 60 Near local midnight on 15 October 2013, a series of 46 speed (around 10 m s ). the MWA is an outstanding instrument for probing the MHz. The ionosphere is opaque to radio waves of the snapshots was taken as part of the MWA’s Epoch of Many kinds of disturbance rumble through the ionosphere. lowest frequencies. At the Murchison Radio-astronomy Reionization Transients Survey. The telescope tracked ionosphere. Two of the best investigated are plasma Observatory (MRO) in Western Australia (lat -27°, a patch of sky centred on (α, δ) = (0°,−26.7°) near bubbles and ‘travelling ionospheric disturbances’ or lon 116°) the cut-off frequency is about 10 MHz for zenith, taking snapshots every 2 minutes. The data were TIDs, of which there are three classes. Could one observations at the zenith. obtained over a 30.72-MHz band centred at 183 MHz. of these phenomena be behind EoR 2013-10-15? It The ionosphere also produces refraction (shifting the The observations followed moderate geomagnetic storm seems very unlikely. The instability that leads to plasma positions of celestial radio sources), dispersion (where activity that had occurred about 12 hours earlier. bubbles is known to develop only in equatorial regions, signals of different frequencies experience different A member of the MWA Collaboration who reduced not at mid latitudes. And TIDs ordinarily have speeds of -1 signal delays), and Faraday rotation (twisting a cosmic the data noticed a high amplitude of oscillatory more than 100 m s , which is not compatible with the radio signal’s plane of polsarisation). Other effects motion, shape distortions and scintillations of the point slow drift observed. include signal scintillation (rapid changes in brightness); sources in the images. Some sources were observed What, then, could the structures be? The best decoherence of a common signal over an extended occasionally to split into two, suggesting multipath interpretation at present is that they are whistler ducts. baseline; and phase instability (where signal phases propagation. In terms of the level of distortions A whistler is a very-low-frequency electromagnetic vary over an extended wavefront). Refraction, which observed, this dataset (hereafter referred to as EoR wave (1–30 kHz), generated by lightning, that travels alters the apparent position of radio sources, could 2013-10-15) is one of the most extreme so far imaged through the Earth’s magnetosphere. Its path can be potentially play havoc with automated cross-matching with the MWA. Loi decided to investigate it. ‘ducted’ or ‘un-ducted’, the ducts being fi eld-aligned (with sources from other surveys), while scintillation EoR 2013-10-15 displays a striking pattern of density irregularities. Evidence for these structures—that could hinder classifi cation of the light curves of fl uctuations in the rdio-source positions that appear as is, variations in plasma density—have been observed transient sources. a series of radial spokes fi xed in the terrestrial sky. The by satellites; the structures were also detected with the pattern appears to be symmetric about the meridian, Very Large Array radio telescope in the 1990s. But this is the fi rst time they have been imaged. 32 CAASTRO 33 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

An illustration of CSIRO’s Parkes telescope The upgraded Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope, detecting the new ‘fast radio burst’. ready to hunt for fast radio bursts. Credit: Swinburne Astronomy Productions Credit: Chris Flynn

National Innovation Priority Case Study: International Collaborations FIRST REAL-TIME DETECTION OF A ‘FAST RADIO BURST’ Emily Petroff (Swinburne University) They last just a few milliseconds, but in that brief time On 14 May this year, a team led by Emily Petroff, a However, short gamma-ray bursts could still be they give out the energy the Sun does in a year. ‘They’ CAASTRO PhD candidate at Swinburne University, contenders, as could giant fl ares from magnetars are ‘fast radio bursts’ or FRBs, fi rst detected in 2007 made the fi rst real-time detection of an FRB. The (neutron stars with extremely strong magnetic fi elds) or in archival data from CSIRO’s Parkes radio telescope in fi nding was made with the Parkes radio telescope ‘blitzars’, neutron stars collapsing to form black holes. New South Wales. As of the end of 2014, nine FRBs while Petroff and her colleagues were re-observing a Importantly, this Parkes observation was the fi rst had been reported in the scientifi c literature: eight were fi eld containing a known FRB, as part of an observing to measure an FRB’s polarisation, a parameter not found with Parkes, and the ninth with the Arecibo radio campaign to see if bursts repeat: however, the burst recorded in the archived data in which all previous telescope in Puerto Rico. of 14 May (FRB 140514) has a dispersion measure FRBs had been found. The radio emission from the signifi cantly different from that of the earlier burst new burst was more than 20% circularly polarised; FRBs manifest as a single spike of radio waves. Like (FRB 110220), so the researchers were sure they were no linear polarisation was detected. Petroff and her signals from the radio-emitting stars called pulsars, looking at a new object. The new burst’s dispersion colleagues think that this polarisation is likely to be the FRB signal is dispersed in frequency as it interacts measure suggested that its source was up to 5.5 billion intrinsic to the source, rather than being created by an with electrons in the space through which it travels. light-years away. external mechanism such as scintillation. Its presence The radio waves at lower frequencies are slowed down Petroff and her colleagues were using observing does not tip the scales in favour of any of the possible more than the ones at higher frequencies, so they reach instrumentation developed for the High Time Resolution FRB progenitors, but it does suggest that there were us later: the further the radio waves travel, the greater Universe survey, which had been operating successfully magnetic fi elds near the burst’s source. this time delay becomes. Expressed as a ‘dispersion The pulse profi le and dynamic spectrum of FRB 140514, the at Parkes since 2008. This allows pulsars, and now The way forward for FRB studies is to fi nd more FRBs. fi rst ‘fast radio burst’ observed in real time. measure’, the delay is used to calculate the distance FRBs, to be detected in real time. The data-processing CAASTRO has two projects to do so: SUPERB, the Credit: Emily Petroff (Swinburne University) et al. of the source. All nine published FRBs appear to come pipeline identifi ed the incoming signal as an FRB within SUrvey for Pulsars and Extragalactic Radio Bursts from far beyond our Galaxy, perhaps as much as seven 10 seconds of its arrival, and immediately sent an alert (described on page 14), which began on the Parkes billion light-years away. email to observers associated with the project. telescope in 2014, and a similar survey that will run on the upgraded Molonglo Observatory Synthesis The recorded FRB signals are generally of the order of a Over the next few hours, telescopes around the world Telescope (described on page 29). On the theory side, swung into action. Follow-up radio observations were jansky, which is fairly strong for a cosmic radio signal. any hypotheses about the origin of FRBs must now made with four telescopes (Parkes itself; CSIRO’s Given their distances, this means that FRBs have huge take into account the polarisation data from Petroff et Australia Telescope Compact Array; the Giant energies: Dolag et al. (2014) put their minimum energy al.’s study, and the limits the follow-up observations  34 Meterwave Radio Telescope in India; and the Effelsberg at 10 41 erg (10 J), equivalent to the Sun’s output have placed on the FRB’s multi-wavelength ‘afterglow’. over a year. And although we have only a small sample Radio Telescope in Germany) and optical observations of FRBs to work with, the implied rate at which they with six (the Swope and Baade telescopes at Las Campanas observatory in Chile; the Samuel Oschin ‘go off’ all over the sky is enormous: about 10,000 a Telescope at Palomar Observatory in the USA; the day, or once every ten seconds. ANU’s SkyMapper telescope in Australia; the Nordic Despite these intriguing characteristics, we still don’t Optical telescope in La Palma; one of the Magellan know what phenomenon produces FRBs. Astronomers telescopes in Chile; and the Keck I telescope in Hawaii). are approaching the problem in two ways. The fi rst is The MPI-ESO telescope at La Silla in Chile made both to detect as many FRBs as possible and then compare optical and near-infrared observations of the fi eld; their population characteristics with those of simulated NASA’s Swift X-ray space telescope studied it at X-ray populations of different FRB candidates. The second is and ultraviolet wavelengths. to try to detect individual FRBs in real time and obtain This intense scrutiny revealed no optical, infrared, INNOVATE rapid follow-up observations at other wavelengths, ultraviolet or X-ray counterparts to the radio burst. That as is done with another high-energy phenomenon, in itself rules out some possible FRB mechanisms: long gamma-ray bursts. gamma-ray bursts and nearby (z < 0.3) supernovae. 34 CAASTRO 35 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

MWA upgrade session at the 2014 CAASTRO Affi liate Mike Dalley (Voyages) works MWA conference in Tempe. closely with the Astronomers in Residence Credit: Emil Lenc Credit: Kate Gunn

National Innovation Priority Case Study: Developing a Strong Base of Skilled Researchers National Innovation Priority Case Study: Collaboration with Business MWA BUSY WEEKS FOR KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER ASTRONOMER IN RESIDENCE, ULURU Randall Wayth (Curtin University) Kate Gunn (University of Sydney)

The Murchison Widefi eld Array (MWA) has been The value of the Busy Weeks is shown by an example. developed by an international collaboration of 15 At one of these meetings participants were discussing One of CAASTRO’s key industry collaborations is with be found). On average the team speaks to 70–100 Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia, which operates people per session. institutions (many of them CAASTRO nodes and a long-standing, vexatious issue: how the ionosphere the Ayers Rock Resort at Uluru. The Indigenous Land partners) in Australia, India, New Zealand, and the affects the MWA’s observations, and how best to The Uluru Astronomer in Residence program is a Corporation (ILC) owns Voyages, and handles tourism United States. One hundred and eighty researchers correct for this. Plots of the effects were shown, and unique experience for all involved. The astronomers and resorts on its behalf. Voyages has a strong take part. Just bringing the telescope into operation an idea proposed for dealing with them. Within 24 spend two weeks in an amazing part of Australia hours the team had made simulations showing how commitment to social responsibility, and all profi ts from under the darkest skies most have ever seen, talking in 2012–2013 involved two dozen researchers, in its business activities go towards supporting the ILC’s three countries. How could the efforts of this large, well this solution would work. The proposed solution to a large number of people who have a real curiosity was adopted and has been used across the board by Indigenous programs across Australia. distributed team best be harnessed? One answer was and interest in our research. the MWA team ever since. The case is closed, thanks From March to November 2014 a CAASTRO Busy Weeks: week-long meetings dedicated to making The astronomers who participated in 2014 were: Dr to a Busy Week. Astronomer in Residence was based at Uluru on a rapid progress on problems. Tara Murphy, University of Sydney; Professor Ray fortnightly roster. Astronomers at all levels, from most Norris, CSIRO; Dr Sean Farrell, University of Sydney; A Busy Week brings as many MWA researchers of our nodes and partner organisations, participated. Dr David Lagattuta, Swinburne University; Mr Joe as possible together in a single room. Those who Each fortnight, a new astronomer resided at Callingham, University of Sydney; Dr Ned Taylor, can’t be there join the meeting via CAASTRO’s Uluru sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm for University of Melbourne; Mr Syed Ashraf Uddin, videoconferencing system. Participants dedicate astrophysics with the locals and tourists, and on the Swinburne University; Dr Iraklis Konstantopoulos, themselves to the task in hand: there are no @CAASTROatUluru Twitter account. The astronomer Australian Astronomical Observatory; Dr Richard distractions. MWA Busy Weeks originally focused on works closely with Mike Dalley, Voyages’ ‘Head Scalzo, Australian National University; Dr Anna problems associated with commissioning the telescope, SkyTalker’, who manages the astronomy components Kapinska, University of Western Australia; Ms Emily but they now deal mostly with the major MWA of the tourism offerings at the resort. Mike is a Petroff, Swinburne University; Dr Jamie Farnes, projects, such as the Epoch of Reionisation experiment CAASTRO Affi liate member. Two of the tours offered University of Sydney; Dr Martin Bell, CSIRO; and Ms (page 10), the GLEAM survey (page 11), and the MWA by Voyages are about experiencing the night sky: one Jessica Bloom, University of Sydney. Transients Survey. is for families and the other is aimed at people who are In August 2014 CAASTRO and Voyages also hosted looking for more of that ‘wow’ factor. The specifi c topics for a Busy Week are pre-determined the inaugural ‘Uluru Astronomy Weekend’, as part of through a teleconference. Meetings are held every few The fl agship event at Uluru is the Sounds of Silence National Science Week. months: there were seven in 2014. They move around dinner, where the audience sips sparkling wine while the country, so as to spread the burden of travel across MWA Busy Week. watching the sunset over Uluru to the sound of a didgeridoo, and then sits down to a buffet dinner. institutions. International participants join in at least Credit: Emil Lenc The after-dinner entertainment is a tour of the sky, every six months, at Busy Weeks that are scheduled to guided by laser pointer. There is also the Tali Wiru dovetail with MWA project meetings. fi ne dining experience that involves a sky tour with a Busy Weeks provide rapid communication and more Indigenous focus. The astronomer’s role at these immediate feedback, speeding up the process of events is to fi eld questions of a deeper scientifi c nature, solving problems. They particularly help to bring new as well as to help the team with tasks such as setting team members ‘up to speed’ about the status of up and packing down the telescopes. projects; they are also the quickest way for participants Each afternoon the astronomers and Sky Talkers man to identify who in the large MWA team holds the a stall in the resort’s town square, where they talk knowledge and experience needed to solve a problem. to both guests and locals about the tours and about In addition, they foster broader discussion and let astronomy in general. Every day they train a small solar participants make serendipitous connections, links that telescope with an H-alpha fi lter on the Sun, and point would probably not have been made any other way. another 9-inch telescope towards Venus (when it can 36 CAASTRO 37 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

ACTIVITY PLAN FOR 2015 CAASTRO expects to have another enriching and rewarding 12 months with many stimulating activities and research discoveries.

Hands-on Astronomy, Uluru Outreach. Credit: Voyages.

Dynamic Theme The peculiar-velocity surveys should result in a series technique that we used in 2014 to ‘sharpen’ the of papers this year, and the 2MASS Tully-Fisher baryon acoustic oscillation ‘standard ruler’. CAASTRO RESEARCH PROGRAM In 2015 researchers in the Dynamic Theme are (2MTF) cosmographic survey of the local Universe will looking to regularly detect ‘fast radio bursts’ with a Extending the search for evidence for beyond-standard be completed (including estimations of cosmological gravitational physics, we are using a combination of combination of telescopes, including the Parkes 64-m parameters from that data). The 6-degree Field telescope, the new UTMOST facility (the upgraded cosmological observations to examine scale-dependent Evolving Theme Galaxy Survey (6dFGS) peculiar-velocity results for and redshift-dependent variations of general relativity. Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope), the measuring bulk fl ows should be fi nalised, and we will 2015 promises to be another very exciting year for Murchison Widefi eld Array, and the Giant Metrewave We are also working to predict the formation of large- start modelling the local dark-matter distribution using scale structure in Galileon models of gravity and test science in the Evolving Theme, as we build on work Radio Telescope in India. both 2MTF and 6dFGS data. We also expect that the done in 2014. the predictions against the latest cosmological datasets. This expectation is grounded in a key result of 2014: 2MTF dataset will be enhanced by newly released The SAMI Galaxy Survey is now in full operation. the fi rst detection of a fast radio burst in real time, observations from the Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA Finally, there are a few papers in train that look at other More than 70 nights of observations have resulted with the Parkes radio telescope. The real-time nature Survey (ALFALFA). types of new physics, such as new types of particles in spatially resolved spectra of over 1000 galaxies. of the detection allowed 12 telescopes, including and unexpected initial conditions. This year we intend Supernovae will continue to be an important topic of to publish our constraint on the neutrino mass derived Following the project’s ‘early data release’ in 2014, NASA’s Swift X-ray space telescope, to make follow- study. SkyMapper will undertake regular observations the astronomical community is now analysing the up observations. This work was published in Petroff from Planck data and large-scale-structure data. We will for the purposes of cosmology: these will be followed also release a study of how well our radio telescopes richness of the SAMI data. et al. (2015). In some ways it was a ‘dress rehearsal’ up with spectroscopy with the WiFES instrument. for what is to come in 2015 as new facilities to detect will be able to measure primordial non-Gaussianity During 2014 over 350 hours of observing were CAASTRO members will also carry out an important using the integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect. completed for the MWA Epoch of Reionisation (EoR) FRBs more regularly come online. program of precision calibration of SkyMapper, survey, generating some 467 TB of data. The MWA The pipelines of the Murchison Widefi eld Array are now cross-calibrating the telescope’s observations with EoR collaboration has developed three independent and creating very widefi eld maps for projects such as the results from the Dark Energy Survey and recalibrating Education and Outreach parallel data-reduction pipelines, two for the targeted Epoch of Reionisation survey. These observations can SkyMapper’s SkyDICE instrument, which was damaged EoR fi elds and one for the driftscan observations. also be searched for low-frequency radio transients. in the 2013 bushfi re at Siding Spring Observatory. The breadth and depth of CAASTRO’s Education and Outreach program received very positive feedback at CAASTRO researchers are leading the development of The challenge for these transient searches is not so One of the new postdocs in the Dark Theme has a pipeline for the MWA Realtime System. This pipeline, much fi nding things that vary as determining which the Mid-Term Review in late 2014. The coming year started measuring the lensing magnifi cation of will see more of our successful projects, but also a now operational, will be applied to the MWA EoR signals are worth further attention: ‘sorting the wheat supernovae in OzDES. This will allow us to remove survey data during 2015, with the goal of measuring from the chaff’. With petabytes of data to be sifted number of major unique offerings. The continuing the effect of lensing from the data, thus ‘sharpening’ CAASTRO classics are our High School support through the power spectrum of redshifted 21-cm intensity through, this is really a search for ‘needles’ in a cosmic the resulting Hubble diagram, and use the correlation fl uctuations. ‘haystack’. ‘CAASTRO in the Classroom’ and ‘Telescopes in between supernova magnitude and density to test Schools’, our public outreach efforts at Perth Astrofest 2015 will see the fi rst results from CAASTRO’s new Starting in early 2015, the SkyMapper Supernova cosmology. A second supernova postdoc will begin at and Mount Burnett Observatory, and our partnership intensity-mapping project, which is designed to study Survey will run in parallel with the SkyMapper Main the Australian National University this year to work on with Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia for the the HI content of the Universe at a wide range of Survey. The rolling search is expected to fi nd 100 SNe SkyMapper and OzDES science. OzDES is proceeding ‘Astronomer in Residence’ and ‘Astronomy Weekend’ cosmic times. Intensity mapping involves averaging Ia per year by monitoring about 1000 square degrees apace, with many supernovae now confi rmed and the activities. together the neutral hydrogen (HI) emission from every three to four days. The survey kicks off in March, fi rst-year paper almost complete. In 2015, our collaboration with Museum Victoria for large numbers of galaxies observed in a wide-area with a live presence on the BBC Stargazing Live series, Within the large-scale-structure project we now have survey. The radio-survey data are then combined with when millions of viewers of the program will be asked the production of a Planetarium show will intensify as access to a number of new datasets. In 2015 we will visuals are being created to tell the story of the new additional information from optical redshift surveys to identify transient objects from streams of survey add value to existing survey results from projects such and from galaxy simulations. The cross-correlation data. Target-of-opportunity observations for fast radio golden age of astronomy. This show is an exciting as WiggleZ and the 6dFGS peculiar-velocity survey by project for CAASTRO Education and Outreach to of redshifted 21-cm intensity with galaxies identifi ed bursts and gamma-ray bursts will continue to override combining datasets in innovative ways. One project is optically will allow us to measure HI at high redshift other SkyMapper observations. In addition, SkyMapper complete in the second half of our funding period, with a joint cosmological measurement using both peculiar the prospect of national and international distribution. and study its distribution in galaxies. The fi rst phase will spend some time shadowing the Parkes telescope velocities and the density fi eld of the 6dFGS. Another of the project will include observations and modelling with the hope of catching fast radio bursts in real time. We will also be deploying more ‘antenna tile’ displays is using the overlap region of the two largest galaxy of the Murchison Widefi eld Array (MWA) at various of these datasets. There is currently a gap in our redshift surveys, WiggleZ and the Baryon Oscillation knowledge of how gas evolves in galaxies in the crucial Australian locations, along with new signage. Further Spectroscopic Survey, to test for new physics (and plans for activities in 2015 include an even stronger redshift range of 0.1 to 1; intensity mapping will enable Dark Theme systematic errors) by measuring the baryon acoustic CAASTRO researchers to bridge this gap. The project engagement in schools through fi ne-tuning and During 2015 the Dark Theme will be advancing some peak and redshift-space distortions through cross- will have implications for the science goals and design distributing the MWA classroom tool and through of its newer projects as datasets build up and we correlation between the two surveys. Meanwhile, of the Square Kilometre Array radio telescope. curriculum-specifi c research stories and career advice. welcome new postdoctoral fellows. we are continuing to analyse the previous datasets. This analysis includes improving the ‘reconstruction’ 38 CAASTRO 39 ANNUAL REPORT 2014 2014 PUBLICATIONS

The Australia Telescope Compact Array. Credit: Emil Lenc Aasi, J., Abadie, J., Abbott, B. P., Abbott, R., Abbott, Falcke, H., Hassall, T. E., Pilia, M., Keane, E., Kramer, T., Abernathy, M. R., Accadia, T., Acernese, F., and 901 M., Griebmeier, J.-M., Serylak, M., 2014, “LOFAR co-authors, including: Pindor, B., and Virgo Collaboration, observations of PSR B0943+10: profi le evolution and including: Bloom, J. S., Rapoport, S., Schmidt, B., discovery of a systematically changing profi le delay in Commercialisation and Knowledge The specifi c opportunities that the Centre seeks to Sokolowski, M., 2014, “First Searches for Optical bright mode”, Astronomy and Astrophysics, 572, AA52 implement or facilitate are: Counterparts to Gravitational-wave Candidate Events”, Calabretta, M. R., Staveley-Smith, L., Barnes, D. G., Transfer The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, 211, 7 . Exchange of astronomical research staff and 2014, “A new 1.4 GHz radio continuum map of the Given CAASTRO’s primary focus on pure research, students between research organisations and Allison, J. R., Sadler, E. M., Meekin, A. M., 2014, “A sky south of declination +25°;”, Publications of the in 2015 we will approach commercialisation and projects in order to best engage available skills or to search for HI absorption in nearby radio galaxies using Astronomical Society of Australia, 31, e007 knowledge transfer in innovative ways. facilitate the development of human capital; HIPASS”, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Campbell, L. A., Lucey, J. R., Colless, M., Jones, D. In 2015 CAASTRO will develop an e-book to educate The cooperative operation of telescopes whose Society, 440, 696 . H., Springob, C. M., Magoulas, C., Proctor, R. N., and assist researchers in identifying and protecting observations may complement one another including Bannister, K. W., Madsen, G. 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Innovation is driven by the linked as interferometers; interaction of producers and users in the exchange S., Edwards, P. G., Archibald, A. M., Janssen, G. H., Cano, Z., de Ugarte Postigo, A., Pozanenko, A., Butler, The coordination and sharing of observations and of both codifi ed and tacit knowledge. The fl ow of . Stappers, B. W., Tendulkar, S., 2014, “A state change in N., Thone, C. C., Guidorzi, C., Kruhler, T., Gorosabel, related data products that will contribute to large- information between industry, government and academia the low-mass X-ray binary XSS J12270-4859”, Monthly J., Jakobsson, P., Leloudas, G., Malesani, D., Hjorth, scale sky surveys in the optical, infrared and radio in the development of science and technology is an Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 441, 1825 J., Melandri, A., Mundell, C., Wiersema, K., D’Avanzo, wavebands; important economic determinant and in 2015 CAASTRO Bassett, R., Glazebrook, K., Fisher, D. B., Green, P., Schulze, S., Gomboc, A., Johansson, A., Zheng, will continue to provide leadership in this area. . The coordination of future instrumentation and A. W., Wisnioski, E., Obreschkow, D., Cooper, E. W., Kann, D. A., Knust, F., Varela, K., Akerlof, C. W., telescope development programs to ensure the most M., Abraham, R. G., Damjanov, I., McGregor, P. J., Bloom, J., Burkhonov, O., Cooke, E., de Diego, J. A., effi cient use of available infrastructure investment; 2014, “DYNAMO - II. Coupled stellar and ionized-gas Dhungana, G., Farina, C., Ferrante, F. V., Flewelling, Joint China-Australia Astronomy and kinematics in two low-redshift clumpy discs”, Monthly H. A., Fox, O. D., Fynbo, J., Gehrels, N., Georgiev, L., Research Centre . Coordination of efforts in designing and engineering Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 442, 3206 Gonzalez, J. J., Greiner, J., Guver, T., Hartoog, O., the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), including Bernardini, M. G., Campana, S., Ghisellini, G., Hatch, N., Jelinek, M., Kehoe, R., Klose, S., Klunko, In February 2013, the Chinese Academy of Sciences pathfi nders, in conjunction with and through the D’Avanzo, P., Calderone, G., Covino, S., Cusumano, E., Kopac;, D., Kutyrev, A., Krugly, Y., Lee, W. H., (CAS) and the Australian Department of Industry, SKA Organisation and associated processes. Levan, A., Linkov, V., Matkin, A., Minikulov, N., Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education G., Ghirlanda, G., La Parola, V., Maselli, A., Melandri, We are looking forward to seeing these plans come to Molotov, I., Prochaska, J. X., Richer, M. G., Roman- (Industry) signed a Memorandum of Understanding A., Salvaterra, R., Burlon, D., D’Elia, V., Fugazza, life in 2015. D., Sbarufatti, B., Vergani, S. D., Tagliaferri, G., Zuniga, C. G., Rumyantsev, V., Sanchez-Ramirez, (MoU) to collaborate on areas of common interest R., Steele, I., Tanvir, N. R., Volnova, A., Watson, A. within astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology. The 2014, “A magnetar powering the ordinary monster M., Xu, D., Yuan, F., 2014, “A trio of gamma-ray MoU required the establishment of a joint CAS/Industry GRB 130427A?”, Monthly Notices of the Royal burst supernovae: GRB 120729A, GRB 130215A/SN working group, to monitor and encourage proposed Astronomical Society, 439, L80 2013ez, and GRB 130831A/SN 2013fu”, Astronomy areas of collaboration. Bhat, N. D. R., Ord, S. M., Tremblay, S. E., Tingay, S. and Astrophysics, 568, A19 The fi rst meeting of the joint CAS/Industry working J., Deshpande, A. A., van Straten, W., Oronsaye, S., Childress, M. J., Wolf, C., Zahid, H. J., 2014, “Ages of group took place in Nanjing, China, on 11th November Bernardi, G., Bowman, J. D., Briggs, F., Cappallo, R. Type Ia supernovae over cosmic time”, Monthly Notices 2013. At this meeting, it was resolved to establish J., Corey, B. E., Emrich, D., Goeke, R., Greenhill, L. of the Royal Astronomical Society, 445, 1898 a joint China-Australia research centre in astronomy. J., Hazelton, B. J., Hewitt, J. N., Johnston-Hollitt, M., This was envisaged as a ‘virtual’ centre, to serve Kaplan, D. L., Kasper, J. C., Kratzenberg, E., Lonsdale, Coenen, T., van Leeuwen, J., Hessels, J. W. T., as an umbrella and coordination point for bilateral C. J., Lynch, M. J., McWhirter, S. R., Mitchell, D. Stappers, B. W., Kondratiev, V. I., Alexov, A., Breton, astronomical collaborations. The proposed title for A., Morales, M. F., Morgan, E., Oberoi, D., Prabu, R. P., Bilous, A., Cooper, S., Falcke, H., Fallows, the centre is the Australia-ChinA ConsortiuM for T., Rogers, A. E. E., Roshi, D. A., Udaya Shankar, R. A., Gajjar, V., Griebmeier, J.-M., Hassall, T. E., Astrophysical Research (ACAMAR). Acamar ( Eridani, N., Srivani, K. S., Subrahmanyan, R., Waterson, M., Karastergiou, A., Keane, E. F., Kramer, M., Kuniyoshi, (天園六) is a bright naked-eye star visible from both Wayth, R. B., Webster, R. L., Whitney, A. R., Williams, M., Noutsos, A., Oslowski, S., Pilia, M., Serylak, Australia and China. A., Williams, C. L., 2014, “The Low-frequency M., Schrijvers, C., Sobey, C., ter Veen, S., Verbiest, Characteristics of PSR J0437-4715 Observed with It is currently proposed that CAASTRO will host the J., Weltevrede, P., Wijnholds, S., Zagkouris, K., van the Murchison Wide-fi eld Array”, The Astrophysical Amesfoort, A. S., Anderson, J., Asgekar, A., Avruch, ACAMAR secretariat at The University of Sydney, Journal, 791, LL32 and that the fi rst joint Director will be Professor Brian I. M., Bell, M. E., Bentum, M. J., Bernardi, G., Best, Schmidt. There will be a Chinese Director as well. Bilous, A. V., Hessels, J. W. T., Kondratiev, V. I., P., Bonafede, A., Breitling, F., Broderick, J., Bruggen, van Leeuwen, J., Stappers, B. W., Weltevrede, P., M., Butcher, H. R., Ciardi, B., Corstanje, A., Deller, 40 CAASTRO 41 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

A., Duscha, S., Eisloffel, J., Fender, R., Ferrari, C., Cognard, I., Crowter, K., Demorest, P. B., Hessels, J. Haas, M., Leipski, C., Barthel, P., Wilkes, B. J., Vegetti, and outfl ows in a normal star-forming galaxy”, Monthly Frieswijk, W., Garrett, M. A., de Gasperin, F., de Geus, W. T., Janssen, G., Jenet, F. A., Jones, G., Jordan, C., S., Bussmann, R. S., Willner, S. P., Westhues, C., Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 444, 3894 E., Gunst, A. W., Hamaker, J. P., Heald, G., Hoeft, Karuppusamy, R., Keith, M., Kondratiev, V., Kramer, Ashby, M. L. N., Chini, R., Clements, D. L., Fassnacht, Hong, T., Springob, C. M., Staveley-Smith, L., M., van der Horst, A., Juette, E., Kuper, G., Law, M., Lazarus, P., Lazio, T. J. W., Lee, K. J., McLaughlin, C. D., Horesh, A., Klaas, U., Koopmans, L. V. E., Scrimgeour, M. I., Masters, K. L., Macri, L. M., C., Mann, G., McFadden, R., McKay-Bukowski, D., M. A., Roy, J., Shannon, R. M., Stairs, I., Stovall, K., Kuraszkiewicz, J., Lagattuta, D. 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J., Poole, G. methods for constructing differential number counts”, Beresford, R., Bock, D., Bolton, R., Bowen, M., Boyle, B., 2014, “Low-mass galaxy formation and the ionizing Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, B., Braun, R., Broadhurst, S., Brodrick, D., Brooks, Cortese, L., Fogarty, L. M. R., Ho, I.-T., Bekki, K., photon budget during reionization”, Monthly Notices of 441, 2555 K., Brothers, M., Brown, A., Cantrall, C., Carrad, G., Bland-Hawthorn, J., Colless, M., Couch, W., Croom, Chapman, J., Cheng, W., Chippendale, A., Chung, S. M., Glazebrook, K., Mould, J., Scott, N., Sharp, the Royal Astronomical Society, 443, 3435 Hales, C. A., Norris, R. P., Gaensler, B. M., Middelberg, Y., Cooray, F., Cornwell, T., Davis, E., de Souza, R., Tonini, C., Allen, J. T., Bloom, J., Bryant, J. J., Farnes, J. S., Gaensler, B. M., Carretti, E., 2014, “A E., 2014, “ATLAS 1.4 GHz data release 2 - II. L., DeBoer, D., Diamond, P., Edwards, P., Ekers, R., Cluver, M., Davies, R. L., Drinkwater, M. J., Goodwin, Broadband Polarization Catalog of Extragalactic Radio Properties of the faint polarized sky”, Monthly Notices Feain, I., Ferris, D., Forsyth, R., Gough, R., Grancea, M., Green, A., Kewley, L. J., Kostantopoulos, I. S., Sources”, The Astrophysical Journal Supplement of the Royal Astronomical Society, 440, 3113 A., Gupta, N., Guzman, J., Hampson, G., Haskins, C., Lawrence, J. S., Mahajan, S., Medling, A. M., Owers, Series, 212, 15 Herzog, A., Middelberg, E., Norris, R. P., Sharp, R., M., Richards, S. N., Sweet, S. M., Wong, O. I., Hay, S., Hayman, D., Hoyle, S., Jacka, C., Jackson, Spitler, L. R., Parker, Q. A., 2014, “Infrared-faint radio 2014, “The SAMI Galaxy Survey: towards a unifi ed Farnes, J. S., O’Sullivan, S. P., Corrigan, M. E., C., Jackson, S., Jeganathan, K., Johnston, S., Joseph, sources are at high redshifts. Spectroscopic redshift dynamical scaling relation for galaxies of all types”, The Gaensler, B. M., 2014, “Faraday Rotation from J., Kendall, R., Kesteven, M., Kiraly, D., Koribalski, B., determination of infrared-faint radio sources using the Astrophysical Journal, 795, L37 Magnesium II Absorbers toward Polarized Background Leach, M., Lenc, E., Lensson, E., Li, L., Mackay, S., Radio Sources”, The Astrophysical Journal, 795, 63 Very Large Telescope”, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Macleod, A., Maher, T., Marquarding, M., McClure- Cui, W., Borgani, S., Murante, G., 2014, “The effect 567, A104 Griffi ths, N., McConnell, D., Mickle, S., Mirtschin, Fisher, D. B., Glazebrook, K., Bolatto, A., Obreschkow, of active galactic nuclei feedback on the halo mass P., Norris, R., Neuhold, S., Ng, A., O’Sullivan, J., D., Mentuch Cooper, E., Wisnioski, E., Bassett, R., Hindson, L., Johnston-Hollitt, M., Hurley-Walker, N., function”, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Pathikulangara, J., Pearce, S., Phillips, C., Qiao, R., Abraham, R. G., Damjanov, I., Green, A., McGregor, Buckley, K., Morgan, J., Carretti, E., Dwarakanath, K. Society, 441, 1769 Reynolds, J. E., Rispler, A., Roberts, P., Roxby, D., P., 2014, “Extreme Gas Fractions in Clumpy, Turbulent S., Bell, M., Bernardi, G., Bhat, N. D. R., Bowman, J. Davis, T. M., 2014, “Cosmological constraints on dark Schinckel, A., Shaw, R., Shields, M., Storey, M., Disk Galaxies at z~0.1”, The Astrophysical Journal, D., Briggs, F., Cappallo, R. J., Corey, B. E., Deshpande, energy”, General Relativity and Gravitation, 46, 1731 Sweetnam, T., Troup, E., Turner, B., Tzioumis, A., A. A., Emrich, D., Ewall-Wice, A., Feng, L., Gaensler, 790, L30 Westmeier, T., Whiting, M., Wilson, C., Wilson, T., Davis, T. M., Scrimgeour, M. I., 2014, “Deriving B. M., Goeke, R., Greenhill, L. J., Hazelton, B. J., Fogarty, L. M. R., Scott, N., Owers, M. S., Brough, S., Wormnes, K., Wu, X., 2014, “The Australian Square accurate peculiar velocities (even at high redshift)”, Jacobs, D., Kaplan, D. L., Kasper, J. C., Kratzenberg, Croom, S. M., Pracy, M. B., Houghton, R. C. W., Bland- Kilometre Array Pathfi nder: System Architecture and Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, E., Kudryavtseva, N., Lenc, E., Lonsdale, C. J., Lynch, Hawthorn, J., Colless, M., Davies, R. L., Jones, D. H., Specifi cations of the Boolardy Engineering Test Array”, 442, 1117 M. J., McWhirter, S. R., McKinley, B., Mitchell, D. Allen, J. T., Bryant, J. J., Goodwin, M., Green, A. W., Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia, Dijkstra, M., Wyithe, S., Haiman, Z., Mesinger, A., A., Morales, M. F., Morgan, E., Oberoi, D., Ord, S. Konstantopoulos, I. S., Lawrence, J. S., Richards, S., 31, e041 Pentericci, L., 2014, “Evolution in the escape fraction M., Pindor, B., Prabu, T., Procopio, P., Offringa, A. Cortese, L., Sharp, R., 2014, “The SAMI Pilot Survey: of ionizing photons and the decline in strong Ly; R., Riding, J., Rogers, A. E. E., Roshi, A., Shankar, N. 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P., Waldram, observations of cluster scale non-thermal emission: M. F., Tingay, S. J., Bernardi, G., Bowman, J. D., A., Ord, S., Riding, J., Bowman, J. D., Cappallo, E. M., Whittam, I. H., 2014, “Deep 20-GHz survey of the case of Abell 3667”, Monthly Notices of the Royal Briggs, F. H., Cappallo, R. C., Emrich, D., Mitchell, R., Corey, B., Emrich, D., Gaensler, B. M., Goeke, the Chandra Deep Field South and SDSS Stripe 82: Astronomical Society, 445, 330 D. A., Oberoi, D., Prabu, T., Wayth, R., Webster, R. R., Greenhill, L., Hewitt, J., Johnston-Hollitt, M., source catalogue and spectral properties”, Monthly L., 2014, “Overcoming real-world obstacles in 21 cm Ho, I.-T., Kewley, L. J., Dopita, M. A., Medling, A. M., Kasper, J., Kratzenberg, E., Lonsdale, C., Lynch, M., Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 439, 1212 power spectrum estimation: A method demonstration Allen, J. T., Bland-Hawthorn, J., Bloom, J. V., Bryant, McWhirter, R., Morales, M. 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Low-Frequency Catalogue of 14 110 Compact Radio Kazin, E. A., Koda, J., Blake, C., Padmanabhan, N., Masters, K. L., Crook, A., Hong, T., Jarrett, T. H., Pindor, B., Procopio, P., Prabu, T., Riding, J., Roshi, D. Sources over 6 100 Square Degrees”, Publications of Brough, S., Colless, M., Contreras, C., Couch, W., Koribalski, B. S., Macri, L., Springob, C. M., Staveley- A., Shankar, N. U., Srivani, K. S., Subrahmanyan, R., the Astronomical Society of Australia, 31, e045 Croom, S., Croton, D. J., Davis, T. M., Drinkwater, M. Smith, L., 2014, “2MTF III. HI 21 cm observations of Tingay, S. J., Waterson, M., Webster, R. L., Whitney, 1194 spiral galaxies with the Green Bank Telescope”, A. R., Williams, A., Williams, C. 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W., Wucknitz, O., M., Schwarz, D., Serylak, M., Smirnov, O., Steinmetz, 2014, “Automatic Classifi cation of Time-variable X-Ray Obreschkow, D., Glazebrook, K., 2014, “Fundamental Yatawatta, S., Zarka, P., Zensus, A., 2014, “Discovery M., Stewart, A., Tagger, M., Tang, Y., Tasse, C., ter Sources”, The Astrophysical Journal, 786, 20 Mass-Spin-Morphology Relation Of Spiral Galaxies”, of carbon radio recombination lines in absorption Veen, S., Thoudam, S., Toribio, C., Vermeulen, R., The Astrophysical Journal, 784, 26 Vocks, C., van Weeren, R. J., Wijers, R. A. M. J., Mack, K. J., 2014, “Known unknowns of dark matter towards Cygnus A”, Monthly Notices of the Royal Offringa, A. R., McKinley, B., Hurley-Walker, N., Wijnholds, S. J., Wucknitz, O., Zarka, P., 2014, “Initial annihilation over cosmic time”, Monthly Notices of the Astronomical Society, 437, 3506 Royal Astronomical Society, 439, 2728 Briggs, F. H., Wayth, R. B., Kaplan, D. L., Bell, M. LOFAR observations of epoch of reionization windows. Palaniswamy, D., Wayth, R. B., Trott, C. M., E., Feng, L., Neben, A. R., Hughes, J. D., Rhee, J., II. Diffuse polarized emission in the ELAIS-N1 fi eld”, Macquart, J.-P., 2014, “Optimization of Survey Strategies McCallum, J. N., Tingay, S. J., Reynolds, C., 2014, “A Murphy, T., Bhat, N. D. R., Bernardi, G., Bowman, Astronomy and Astrophysics, 568, AA101 for Detecting Slow Radio Transients”, Publications of the Search for Fast Radio Bursts Associated with Gamma- J. D., Cappallo, R. J., Corey, B. E., Deshpande, A. Astronomical Society of Australia, 31, e031 Ray Bursts”, The Astrophysical Journal, 790, 63 Johnson, A., Blake, C., Koda, J., Ma, Y.-Z., Colless, A., Emrich, D., Ewall-Wice, A., Gaensler, B. M., M., Crocce, M., Davis, T. M., Jones, H., Magoulas, C., Mao, M. Y., Norris, R. P., Emonts, B., Sharp, R., Goeke, R., Greenhill, L. J., Hazelton, B. J., Hindson, Park, J., Kim, H.-S., Wyithe, J. S. B., Lacey, C. G., Lucey, J. R., Mould, J., Scrimgeour, M. I., Springob, Feain, I., Chow, K., Lenc, E., Stevens, J., 2014, “Star L., Johnston-Hollitt, M., Jacobs, D. C., Kasper, J. C., 2014, “The cross-power spectrum between 21 cm C. M., 2014, “The 6dF Galaxy Survey: cosmological formation in the ultraluminous infrared galaxy F00183- Kratzenberg, E., Lenc, E., Lonsdale, C. J., Lynch, M. emission and galaxies in hierarchical galaxy formation constraints from the velocity power spectrum”, Monthly 7111”, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical J., McWhirter, S. R., Mitchell, D. A., Morales, M. F., models”, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 444, 3926 Society, 440, L31 Morgan, E., Kudryavtseva, N., Oberoi, D., Ord, S. M., Society, 438, 2474 44 CAASTRO 45 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

Paul, S., Sethi, S. K., Subrahmanyan, R., Udaya D. J., Schneider, D. P., Skibba, R., Thomas, D., Tinker, Nugent, P. E., Rabinowitz, D., Walker, E. S., 2014, “Early Velzen, S., Enblin, T. A., Prandoni, I., de Gasperin, F., Shankar, N., Dwarakanath, K. S., Deshpande, A. A., J. L., Tojeiro, R., Wake, D. A., Weaver, B. A., White, ultraviolet emission in the Type Ia supernova LSQ12gdj: Jamrozy, M., Brunetti, G., Jarvis, M. J., McKean, J. Bernardi, G., Bowman, J. D., Briggs, F., Cappallo, R. M., Zehavi, I., 2014, “The clustering of galaxies in No evidence for ongoing shock interaction”, Monthly P., Wise, M. W., Ferrari, C., Harwood, J., Oonk, J. B. J., Corey, B. E., Emrich, D., Gaensler, B. M., Goeke, the SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey: Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 445, 30 R., Hoeft, M., Kunert-Bajraszewska, M., Horellou, C., Wucknitz, O., Bonafede, A., Mohan, N. R., Scaife, A. R. F., Greenhill, L. J., Hazelton, B. J., Hewitt, J. cosmological implications of the full shape of the Scalzo, R. A., Ruiter, A. J., Sim, S. A., 2014, “The M. M., Klockner, H.-R., van Bemmel, I. M., Merloni, A., N., Johnston-Hollitt, M., Kaplan, D. L., Kasper, J. clustering wedges in the data release 10 and 11 galaxy ejected mass distribution of Type Ia supernovae: Chyzy, K. T., Engels, D., Falcke, H., Pandey-Pommier, C., Kratzenberg, E., Lonsdale, C. J., Lynch, M. J., samples”, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical a signifi cant rate of non-Chandrasekhar-mass M., Alexov, A., Anderson, J., Avruch, I. M., Beck, R., McWhirter, S. R., Mitchell, D. A., Morales, M. F., Society, 440, 2692 progenitors”, Monthly Notices of the Royal Morgan, E. H., Oberoi, D., Ord, S. M., Prabu, T., Bell, M. E., Bentum, M. J., Bernardi, G., Breitling, F., Sánchez, C., Carrasco Kind, M., Lin, H., Miquel, R., Astronomical Society, 445, 2535 Rogers, A. E. E., Roshi, A. A., Srivani, K. S., Tingay, Broderick, J., Brouw, W. N., Bruggen, M., Butcher, Abdalla, F. B., Amara, A., Banerji, M., Bonnett, C., S. J., Wayth, R. B., Waterson, M., Webster, R. L., Scott, N., Davies, R. L., Houghton, R. C. W., H. R., Ciardi, B., de Geus, E., de Vos, M., Deller, A., Brunner, R., Capozzi, D., Carnero, A., Castander, F. Whitney, A. R., Williams, A. J., Williams, C. L., 2014, Cappellari, M., Graham, A. W., Pimbblet, K. A., 2014, Duscha, S., Eisloffel, J., Fallows, R. A., Frieswijk, J., da Costa, L. A. N., Cunha, C., Fausti, A., Gerdes, “Study of Redshifted HI from the Epoch of Reionization “Distribution of slow and fast rotators in the Fornax W., Garrett, M. A., Griebmeier, J., Gunst, A. W., D., Greisel, N., Gschwend, J., Hartley, W., Jouvel, with Drift Scan”, The Astrophysical Journal, 793, 28 cluster”, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Hamaker, J. P., Hassall, T. E., Horandel, J., van der S., Lahav, O., Lima, M., Maia, M. A. G., Marti;, P., Society, 441, 274 Horst, A., Iacobelli, M., Jackson, N. J., Juette, E., Pen, U.-L., Levin, Y., 2014, “Pulsar scintillations from Ogando, R. L. C., Ostrovski, F., Pellegrini, P., Rau, M. Kondratiev, V. I., Kuniyoshi, M., Maat, P., Mann, G., corrugated reconnection sheets in the interstellar M., Sadeh, I., Seitz, S., Sevilla-Noarbe, I., Sypniewski, Serra, P., Oser, L., Krajnovic;, D., Naab, T., Oosterloo, McKay-Bukowski, D., Mevius, M., Morganti, R., Munk, medium”, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical A., de Vicente, J., Abbot, T., Allam, S. S., Atlee, D., T., Morganti, R., Cappellari, M., Emsellem, E., Young, H., Offringa, A. R., Orru;, E., Paas, H., Pandey, V. Society, 442, 3338 Bernstein, G., Bernstein, J. P., Buckley-Geer, E., Burke, L. M., Blitz, L., Davis, T. A., Duc, P.-A., Hirschmann, M., Weijmans, A.-M., Alatalo, K., Bayet, E., Bois, M., N., Pietka, G., Pizzo, R., Polatidis, A. G., Renting, A., Petroff, E., van Straten, W., Johnston, S., Bailes, M., D., Childress, M. J., Davis, T., DePoy, D. L., Dey, A., Rowlinson, A., Schwarz, D., Serylak, M., Sluman, J., Desai, S., Diehl, H. T., Doel, P., Estrada, J., Evrard, Bournaud, F., Bureau, M., Crocker, A. F., Davies, R. Barr, E. D., Bates, S. D., Bhat, N. D. R., Burgay, M., L., de Zeeuw, P. T., Khochfar, S., Kuntschner, H., Smirnov, O., Stappers, B. W., Stewart, A., Swinbank, Burke-Spolaor, S., Champion, D., Coster, P., Flynn, A., Fernandez, E., Finley, D., Flaugher, B., Frieman, J., Tagger, M., Tang, Y., Thoudam, S., Toribio, C., J., Gaztanaga, E., Glazebrook, K., Honscheid, K., Kim, Lablanche, P.-Y., McDermid, R. M., Sarzi, M., Scott, C., Keane, E. F., Keith, M. J., Kramer, M., Levin, L., N., 2014, “The ATLAS3D project – XXVI. HI discs in Vermeulen, R., Vocks, C., Zarka, P., 2014, “LOFAR Ng, C., Possenti, A., Stappers, B. W., Tiburzi, C., A., Kuehn, K., Kuropatkin, N., Lidman, C., Makler, M., Low-band Antenna Observations of the 3C 295 and Marshall, J. L., Nichol, R. C., Roodman, A., Sanchez, real and simulated fast and slow rotators”, Monthly Thornton, D., 2014, “An Absence of Fast Radio Bursts Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 444, 3388 Bootes Fields: Source Counts and Ultra-steep Spectrum at Intermediate Galactic Latitudes”, The Astrophysical E., Santiago, B. X., Sako, M., Scalzo, R., Smith, R. Sources”, The Astrophysical Journal, 793, 82 Journal, 789, L26 C., Swanson, M. E. C., Tarle, G., Thomas, D., Tucker, Soria, R., Long, K. S., Blair, W. P., Godfrey, L., Kuntz, D. L., Uddin, S. A., Valdes, F., Walker, A., Yuan, F., K. D., Lenc, E., Stockdale, C., Winkler, P. F., 2014, Wolz, L., Abdalla, F. B., Blake, C., Shaw, J. R., Potter, T. M., Staveley-Smith, L., Reville, B., Ng, C.- Zuntz, J., 2014, “Photometric redshift analysis in the “Super-Eddington Mechanical Power of an Accreting Chapman, E., Rawlings, S., 2014, “The effect of Y., Bicknell, G. V., Sutherland, R. S., Wagner, A. Y., Dark Energy Survey Science Verifi cation data”, Monthly Black Hole in M83”, Science, 343, 1330 foreground subtraction on cosmological measurements 2014, “Multi-dimensional Simulations of the Expanding Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 445, 1482 from intensity mapping”, Monthly Notices of the Royal Supernova Remnant of SN 1987A”, The Astrophysical Springob, C. M., Magoulas, C., Colless, M., Mould, J., Astronomical Society, 441, 3271 Journal, 794, 174 Scalzo, R., Aldering, G., Antilogus, P., Aragon, C., Erdogdu, P., Jones, D. H., Lucey, J. R., Campbell, L., Bailey, S., Baltay, C., Bongard, S., Buton, C., Cellier- Fluke, C. J., 2014, “The 6dF Galaxy Survey: peculiar Richards, S. N., Schaefer, A. L., López-Sánchez, Á.R Holzem, F., Childress, M., Chotard, N., Copin, Y., velocity fi eld and cosmography”, Monthly Notices of Á. R., Croom, S. M., Bryant, J. J., Sweet, Fakhouri, H. K., Gangler, E., Guy, J., Kim, A. G., the Royal Astronomical Society, 445, 2677 S. M., Konstantopoulos, I. S., Allen, J. T., Bland- Kowalski, M., Kromer, M., Nordin, J., Nugent, P., Hawthorn, J., Bloom, J. V., Brough, S., Fogarty, L. Taranu, D. S., Hudson, M. J., Balogh, M. L., Smith, Paech, K., Pain, R., Pecontal, E., Pereira, R., Perlmutter, R. J., Power, C., Oman, K. A., Krane, B., 2014, M. R., Goodwin, M., Green, A. W., Ho, I.-T., Kewley, S., Rabinowitz, D., Rigault, M., Runge, K., Saunders, L. J., Koribalski, B. S., Lawrence, J. S., Owers, M. “Quenching star formation in cluster galaxies”, Monthly C., Sim, S. A., Smadja, G., Tao, C., Taubenberger, Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 440, 1934 S., Sadler, E. M., Sharp, R., 2014, “The SAMI Galaxy S., Thomas, R. C., Weaver, B. A., Nearby Supernova Survey: the discovery of a luminous, low-metallicity Factory, 2014, “Type Ia supernova bolometric light Tescari, E., Katsianis, A., Wyithe, J. S. B., Dolag, K., HII complex in the dwarf galaxy GAMA J141103.98– curves and ejected mass estimates from the Nearby Tornatore, L., Barai, P., Viel, M., Borgani, S., 2014, 003242.3”, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Supernova Factory”, Monthly Notices of the Royal “Simulated star formation rate functions at z~4-7, Society, 445, 1104 Astronomical Society, 440, 1498 and the role of feedback in high–z galaxies”, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 438, 3490 Riemer-Sørensen, S., Parkinson, D., Davis, T. M., Scalzo, R. A., Childress, M., Tucker, B., Yuan, F., 2014, “Combining Planck data with large scale Schmidt, B., Brown, P. J., Contreras, C., Morrell, N., Trott, C. M., 2014, “Comparison of Observing structure information gives a strong neutrino mass Hsiao, E., Burns, C., Phillips, M. M., Campillay, A., Modes for Statistical Estimation of the 21 cm Signal constraint”, Physical Review D, 89, 103505 Gonzalez, C., Krisciunas, K., Stritzinger, M., Graham, from the Epoch of Reionisation”, Publications of the Sánchez, A. G., Montesano, F., Kazin, E. A., Aubourg, M. L., Parrent, J., Valenti, S., Lidman, C., Schaefer, B., Astronomical Society of Australia, 31, e026 E., Beutler, F., Brinkmann, J., Brownstein, J. R., Scott, N., Fraser, M., Gal-Yam, A., Inserra, C., Maguire, van Weeren, R. J., Williams, W. L., Tasse, C., Cuesta, A. J., Dawson, K. S., Eisenstein, D. J., Ho, S., K., Smartt, S. J., Sollerman, J., Sullivan, M., Taddia, Röttgering, H. J. A., Rafferty, D. A., van der Tol, S., CAASTRO PhD student Samuel Richards at the control desk of Honscheid, K., Manera, M., Maraston, C., McBride, C. F., Yaron, O., Young, D. R., Taubenberger, S., Baltay, Heald, G., White, G. J., Shulevski, A., Best, P., Intema, the Anglo-Australian Telescope during a SAMI run. K., Percival, W. J., Ross, A. J., Samushia, L., Schlegel, C., Ellman, N., Feindt, U., Hadjiyska, E., McKinnon, R., H. T., Bhatnagar, S., Reich, W., Steinmetz, M., van Credit: Helen Sim 46 CAASTRO 47 ANNUAL REPORT 2014 STUDENT LIFE

Steven Murray Anthea King Joe Callingham Bonnie Zhang UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY I am a PhD student in my third year at ICRAR at the I am a joint PhD student between the University of I am a second year PhD student at the University of I am a fi rst year PhD student at the Australian National University of Western Australia (UWA), under the Queensland (UQ) and the Dark Cosmology Centre of the Sydney, jointly supervised with CSIRO Astronomy University (ANU), supervised primarily by Brian Schmidt. supervision of Chris Power and Aaron Robotham. I have University of Copenhagen (UC) under the supervision of and Space Science. The main focus of my PhD is I also work under the supervision of Chris Lidman (AAO), been involved in CAASTRO for the duration of my PhD, Tamara Davis (UQ), Darach Watson (UC) and Marianne contributing to the development of the Murchison Tamara Davis (University of Queensland) and Richard working under the Dark theme. Vestergaard (UC). I completed my undergraduate degree Widefi eld Array (MWA) all-sky radio catalogue and Scalzo, Fang Yuan and Michael Childress in the ANU I did my time in undergraduate studies at the University in Physics at the University of Queensland, where I studying the environments of young radio galaxies supernova group. My work is in supernova cosmology, of Queensland, before moving to the UWA to complete developed my interest in astronomy. Due to Tamara’s at low radio frequencies. The MWA is a new radio in particular as part of OzDES (the Australian team my Honours year, studying large-scale structure in the close involvement with the Dark Cosmology Centre in telescope that has four main science areas: study of collaborating with the Dark Energy Survey), and the SDSS and GAMA surveys. Having been connected to Copenhagen, the opportunity arose for me to do a joint extragalactic and Galactic sources through an all-sky SkyMapper Supernovae Survey. world-class researchers at ICRAR in this time, I decided PhD between the two Universities and I jumped at the survey, a transient survey, heliographic and ionospheric In 2012 I completed my undergraduate degree, a to stay for my postgraduate research. chance. As a consequence, my time has been shared studies, and the search for the 21-cm signal of the Bachelor of Philosophy (Science) with Honours in between Brisbane and Copenhagen over the last three Epoch of Reionisation. I am jointly supervised by Bryan My work is all about making predictions and developing pure mathematics. The PhB is a research-intensive years. I joined CAASTRO at the start of the year and Gaensler, Ron Ekers, Randall Wayth and Elaine Sadler. science degree that enabled me to explore several tests for the nature of dark matter. I use a combination have been involved with the OzDES survey. of theory and statistics to create models for the I completed my undergraduate degree at The University areas of research including astrophysics, physics and observed large-scale structure of the Universe, given My PhD broadly concentrates on investigating whether of Sydney in 2012. I elected to remain at The mathematics. After spending 2013 travelling, I began different candidates for the dark matter particle. In this active galactic nuclei (AGN) are useful and viable University of Sydney after being offered the fantastic my PhD and joined CAASTRO in early 2014. way, we can hope to begin to observe the different standard-candle candidates. My initial work in this topic, opportunity of being part of a team establishing a new The broad aim of my PhD research is to improve effects in large galaxy surveys, and pin down what investigated whether high-redshift standard candles are radio telescope. My PhD work is evenly split between constraints on dark energy through observations dark matter really is. useful probes of dark energy. At present, I am involved instrumentation and science. I have largely focussed of Type Ia supernovae. Over the next few years, in the OzDES reverberation mapping project, which is on constraining the primary beam of the MWA, setting Along with learning and applying the theory, my PhD SkyMapper is expected to measure hundreds of working in conjunction with the Dark Energy Survey the low-radio-frequency fl ux scale for the southern supernovae, forming the largest uniform sample to has taught me valuable lessons like how to code up (DES) to monitor 500 AGN. This project will not only hemisphere, and spectral modelling of young radio functional web applications. My fi rst such application is date at low redshift, while the Dark Energy Survey will provide black-hole mass measurements in a broad AGN galaxies. We are entering a new era of radio astronomy discover an order of magnitude more at high redshift. now public and is being used by researchers across the population over a large redshift range, giving important with the MWA, and the wideband receivers on the back globe to calculate theoretical halo mass functions for As our sample size increases and statistical errors insight into black-hole-galaxy co-evolution, but could of such as the Australia Telescope Compact Array, decrease, a major challenge is to reduce systematic their work. I hope to release a second, more involved, potentially provide standard candle measurements out coming online. We are moving from an era where we web application in the near future. errors. A dominant systematic is photometric to a redshift of four. I have been working on predicting only had a handful of fl ux measurements at different calibration; this is an area I will focus on, particularly in Being a part of CAASTRO has signifi cantly enhanced the effi ciency of the OzDES reverberation mapping frequencies to model the spectra of sources to having relation to SkyMapper and the Dark Energy Survey. my study, both in the special training events that campaign, how to optimally select the sample and the thousands of independent measurements. Therefore, are available, but especially by exposing me to the most effi cient ways to improve the survey. we will soon be able to conduct one of the most Over the past year I have already had the opportunity broader context of the leading-edge of astronomy, comprehensive studies of the physics of radio sources. to travel to conferences, workshops and telescopes, with the support of CAASTRO. I look forward to my and my role in it. I am currently Chair of the CAASTRO has played an integral role in facilitating CAASTRO Student Committee. involvement with CAASTRO over the next year, which my PhD. Without the video-conferencing system, the will include spending time as an Uluru Astronomer in fortnightly meetings that occur between the different Residence and on the newly formed CAASTRO Student MWA teams would be not be as successful as they Committee. are now. The video-conferencing system allows me to stay up to date with any developments with the MWA even though the operations team is based out of Curtin University. As part of the Evolving theme, I have been able to travel to conferences and busy weeks. I am very grateful to be part of CAASTRO as it has provided me access to resources and exposure to different ideas that wouldn’t have been possible without being a part of it. 48 CAASTRO 49 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

CAASTRO STUDENTS

In 2014 the CAASTRO Executive decided, in agreement 2014 NEW CAASTRO STUDENTS with CAASTRO students, to create the CAASTRO Student Committee. This committee was established University of Sydney with the purpose of increasing interaction between students and the Executive, and thereby improving the Loi, Ms Cleo, Dynamic, Student (Honours) 2014 CAASTRO Students overall outcomes for CAASTRO students. SUPERVISORS Tara Murphy (USyd) The Committee consists of a member from each THESIS TITLE Waves in the sky: Probing the ionosphere with Codoreanu, Mr Alexandru, Evolving, Student (PhD) O’Neill, Mr Conor, Dark, Student (Honours) Node, and represents the full diversity of CAASTRO the Murchison Widefi eld Array SUPERVISORS Emma Ryan-Webber (SWIN) Michael Murphy SUPERVISORS Tamara Davis (UQ) Chris Lidman (AAO) membership. This means that every student has a McElroy, Ms Rebecca, Evolving, Student (PhD) (SWIN) and Neil Chrighton(SWIN) THESIS TITLE Cosmological Investigations: Optimising novel local representative to whom they can relate their observation techniques in OzDES and examining the SUPERVISORS Scott Croom (USyd) Michael Pracy (USyd) THESIS TITLE Chemical fi ngerprints in the highest-redshift concerns or ideas, and that the full range of values and precision of cosmological probes perspectives is represented. THESIS TITLE The host galaxies of luminous type II AGN quasar absorption systems: Probing the epoch of hydrogen reionisation Thomas, Mr Adam, Evolving, Student (Hons) The fi rst meeting of the Committee was held in University of Melbourne SUPERVISORS Michael Drinkwater (UQ) October, under the Chair of COO Kate Gunn, and Garcia, Miss Angela, Evolving, Student (PhD) THESIS TITLE Searching for ram-pressure stripping in galaxy established the Terms of Reference and elected Ozbilgen, Ms Sinem, Dark, Student (PhD) SUPERVISORS Emma Ryan-Webber (SWIN) Edoardo Tescari clusters with the SAMI Galaxy Survey the fi rst student Chair. We have established two SUPERVISORS Rachel Webster (MEL) Jeremy Mould (SWIN) (MEL) Stuart Wyithe (MEL) broad objectives, namely the promotion of student THESIS TITLE Is there a third parameter in the Tully-Fisher THESIS TITLE Diagnosing Hydrogen Reionization with metal Thomson, Ms Sarah, Dark, Student (Honours) involvement, and the representation of student Relation? absorption line ratios. SUPERVISORS David Parkinson (UQ) Ray Norris (CSIRO) concerns to the CAASTRO Executive. THESIS TITLE Probing the Early Universe with Large Area In its fi rst few months, the Committee has agreed Australian National University Morello, Mr Vincent, Dynamic, pre-PhD Student, Radio Surveys on several initiatives. These include holding annual SUPERVISORS Willem van Straten, Matthew Bailes (SWIN) Sathyanarayana Rao, Ms Mayuri, Evolving, Student (PhD) sessions with third-year and new postgraduate students THESIS TITLE Mining the Radio Sky for Pulsars and ICRAR | University of Western Australia SUPERVISORS Frank Briggs (ANU) Ravi Subrahmanyan (RRI) to advertise the work of CAASTRO and inform students Transients Valcin, Mr David, Evolving, Dark, Student (pre-PhD) about the role they can play; the development of a Charley Lineweaver (ANU) Brian Schmidt (ANU) Venkatraman, Mr Vivek, Dynamic, pre-PhD Student, SUPERVISORS Chris Power (UWA) student ‘cheat sheet’ to bring students up to speed THESIS TITLE On the detection of spectral ripples from the THESIS TITLE Supercomputer simulations of galaxy formation on their role and the benefi ts of being in CAASTRO SUPERVISORS Matthew Bailes, Willem van Straten, Evan epoch of recombination to make predictions for the SAMI (Sydney AAO Multi- (housed on a dedicated web page); and monthly Keane (SWIN) object IFU) Galaxy Survey local-area gatherings for all CAASTRO students for Zhang, Ms Bonnie, Dark, Dynamic, Student (PhD) THESIS TITLE Next generation Instrumentation for studies of the purpose of networking and brainstorming ideas. SUPERVISORS Brian Schmidt (ANU) Chris Lidman, Tamara Pulsars and Fast Transients with the SKA We look forward to a productive fi rst year for the Davis, Richard Scalzo, Fang Yuan and Michael Poruri, San-Rahul, Evolving, Pre-PhD Summer Student, CONTINUING CAASTRO STUDENTS Committee, with clear benefi ts for the students of Childress, CAASTRO. SUPERVISORS Jeremy Mould (SWIN) THESIS TITLE Joint photometric calibration and cosmology University of Sydney THESIS TITLE SAMI Steven Murray, University of Western Australia analysis of Type Ia supernovae in the SkyMapper and Eromanga Adermann, Evolving, Honours Chair, CAASTRO Student Committee Tabbara, Ms Dana , Dynamic, Student (undergrad) Dark Energy Survey samples SUPERVISORS Sean Farrell, Anne Green SUPERVISORS Matthew Bailes (SWIN) | THESIS TITLE A Population Study of Ultra-Luminous X-Ray ICRAR Curtin University THESIS TITLE FRB calculations Sources Rogers, Ms Seonaid, Outreach, Student (undergrad) University of Queensland Jessica Bloom, Evolving/Dark, PhD SUPERVISORS Wiebke Ebeling (CUR) Steven Tingay (CUR) SUPERVISORS Joss Bland-Hawthorn, Scott Croom, Lisa Hinton, Mr Samuel, Dark, Pre-PhD Summer Student, THESIS TITLE Visualisations of astronomical all-sky data sets Fogarty SUPERVISORS Tamara Davis (UQ) for researchers and public audiences THESIS TITLE Dynamical Interactions in Nearby Galaxies THESIS TITLE Measuring 2D BAO with WiggleZ Swinburne University of Technology Joseph Callingham, Evolving, PhD King , Ms Anthea, Dark, Student (PhD) SUPERVISORS Bryan Gaensler, Sean Farrell, Randall Wayth, Bhandari, Ms Shivani, Dynamic, Student (PhD) SUPERVISORS Tamara Davis (UQ) Darach Watson (UCPH) Ron Ekers SUPERVISORS Matthew Bailes, Willem van Straten, Evan Marianne Vestergaard (UCPH) THESIS TITLE An MWA Source Catalogue: Compact Steep Keane (SWIN) THESIS TITLE Active Galactic Nuclei as high-redshift Spectrum and Gigahertz Peaked Spectrum Sources at THESIS TITLE The radio Universe at 1000 frames/sec standard candles Low Radio Frequencies 50 CAASTRO 51 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

Benjamin McKinley Evolving, PhD Steven Murray Evolving/Dark, PhD SUPERVISORS Frank Briggs, Brian Schmidt, Randall Wayth SUPERVISORS Chris Power, Aaron Robotham, Simon Driver, THESIS TITLE A multifrequency, spatially resolved study of Lister Staveley-Smith nearby radio galaxies at low frequencies THESIS TITLE Non-Parametric Descriptions of Dark Matter Sharon Rapoport Dynamic, PhD Haloes SUPERVISOR Brian Schmidt Paul Scott-Taylor, Evolving/Dynamic, PhD THESIS TITLE Gamma Ray Bursts and Exploding Stars SUPERVISORS Danail Obreschkow Jonghwan Rhee Evolving, PhD THESIS TITLE Large-scale computer simulation of radio SUPERVISORS Frank Briggs, Philip Lah, Jayaram Chengalur, continuum emission Brian Schmidt Swinburne University of Technology THESIS TITLE Cosmic Hydrogen – Fuel for Star Formation and Tracer of Baryon Flow Andrew Johnson Dark, PhD | SUPERVISORS Chris Blake, David Wiltshire and Tamara Davis ICRAR Curtin University THESIS TITLE Testing Non-Standard Cosmological Models Mehran Mossammaparast Evolving, MSC with Galaxy Surveys SUPERVISORS Steven Tingay, Randall Waythe, Peter Hall at Emily Petroff Dynamic, PhD ICRAR, Curtin. SUPERVISORS Willem van Straten, Matthew Bailes, Simon THESIS TITLE Radiometric Receiver for Measuring Red- Johnston 2014 CAASTRO Post Doctoral Researchers shifted 21-cm Hydrogen Monopole during EoR THESIS TITLE Our Dynamic Galaxy Samuel Oronsaye Dynamic, PhD Syed Uddin Dark, PhD SUPERVISORS Steven Tingay, Steve Ord, Ramesh Bhat, SUPERVISORS Jeremy Mould, Chris Lidman and Karl Marcin Glowacki, Evolving, PhD Catherine De Burgh-Day Dark, PhD Steven Tremblay Glazebrook SUPERVISORS Elaine Sadler (USyd) James Allison (USyd/ SUPERVISORS Rachel Webster, Ned Taylor, Andrew Hopkins THESIS TITLE Survey for Pulsars with the MWA THESIS TITLE Improved Constraints on Cosmology from THESIS TITLE Direct Shear Mapping CSIRO) Type Ia Supernovae Hosted in Early-Type Galaxies THESIS TITLE Studies of HI Absorption Against Distant Radio Antonios Katsianis Evolving, PhD ICRAR | University of Western Australia | | Sources with ASKAP SUPERVISORS Stuart Wyithe, Edoardo Tescari Scott Meyer, Evolving/Dark, PhD ICRAR UWA NAOC, China THESIS TITLE Feedback and Evolution of High Redshift Fabian Jankowski, Dynamic, PhD SUPERVISORS Martin Meyer, Danail Obreschkow Tao Hong Dark, PhD Galaxies THESIS TITLE Investigating the Tully-Fisher relation and SUPERVISORS SUPERVISORS Matthew Bailes, Willem van Straten Jin Lin Han, Lister Staveley-Smith Jack Line, Evolving, PhD galaxy kinematics through neutral Hydrogen spectral THESIS TITLE Cosmological Structure and HI Observations THESIS TITLE The Radio Universe at 1000 frames per second SUPERVISORS Rachel Webster, Daniel Mitchell line stacking techniques Aina Musaeva, Evolving, PhD THESIS TITLE Detecting the Power Spectrum of the 21-cm SUPERVISORS Elaine Sadler, Sean Farrell, Bärbel Koribalski Emission of Hydrogen from the Epoch of Reionisation THESIS TITLE Intermediate Mass Black Holes in Dwarf Sinem Ozbilgen Dark, MSc Galaxies SUPERVISORS Rachel Webster, Jeremy Mould Samuel Richards, Evolving, PhD THESIS TITLE Calibrating the Tully-Fisher Relationship SUPERVISORS Joss Bland-Hawthorn, Julia Bryant Tristan Reynolds, Evolving, Honours THESIS TITLE Novel new astrophotonic technologies and SUPERVISORS Rachel Webster telescope instruments to address the role of star THESIS TITLE Detection of EoR formation as a function of galaxy environment. Nastaran Rezaee Evolving, MPhil Adam Schaefer, Evolving, PhD SUPERVISORS Stuart Wyithe, Daniel Mitchell SUPERVISORS Scott Croom, James Allen THESIS TITLE Simulations of Foregrounds in MWA Epoch of Reionisation Observations THESIS TITLE The modulation of star formation by galaxy environment using the Sydney-AAO Multi-object ennifer Riding Evolving, PhD Integral Field Spectrograph (SAMI) SUPERVISORS Rachel Webster, Daniel Mitchell THESIS TITLE Extremely Low Frequency Radio Astronomy Sarah Reeves Evolving, PhD Techniques to Confi rm Epoch of Reionisation Theories SUPERVISORS Elaine Sadler, Tara Murphy, Bärbel Koribalski THESIS TITLE HI and OH absorption line studies of nearby Australian National University galaxies Manisha Caleb, Dynamic, PhD SUPERVISORS Frank Briggs, Matthew Bailes, Brian Schmidt University of Melbourne THESIS TITLE A Pursuit for Celestial Radio Sources Loren Bruns Jr Evolving, PhD Sarah Leslie, Evolving, Pre-PhD SUPERVISORS Stuart Wyithe, Rachel Webster SUPERVISORS Elaine Sadler, Scott Croom, Julia Bryant, THESIS TITLE Lyman alpha emitters as a probe of galaxy Lisa Kewley An MWA Busy Week (UWA, Perth) formation and ionisation history PROJECT TITLE A radio continuum study of SAMI galaxies Credit: Emil Lenc 52 CAASTRO 53 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

CAASTRO Advisory Board The CAASTRO Advisory Board met three times in 2014, Freeman. This review was very useful, and provided CAASTRO GOVERNANCE including a two-day planning meeting held in Sydney clarity around a number of science program items. in November. At this meeting the Board assisted the The Board has also considered matters of strategy, CAASTRO is a collaboration per year via video-conference and In 2014, the CAASTRO Executive CAASTRO Executive in its preparation for the ARC responding to the changing external environment, between The University of Sydney, annually face-to-face. met 9 times, including face-to- Mid-Term Review. It also took time to farewell Professor collaboration across distances, community outreach, The Australian National University, face meetings at Swinburne, the Bryan Gaensler, who was a tireless foundation Director intellectual property and industry engagement. The University of Melbourne, Centre Management University of Melbourne, ICRAR of CAASTRO. In 2014, the Advisory Board conducted a They have also met with students, researchers and Swinburne University of Technology, University of Western Australia The CAASTRO Executive Mini-Review of the CAASTRO Science Program utilising professional staff, as well as participating in the ARC The University of Queensland, The and ICRAR Curtin University. team is responsible for the the skills of Professors Haynes, Illingworth, Ekers and Mid-Term Review. University of Western Australia During 2014 areas meetings administration of the Centre, and Curtin University, the latter were held in Sydney, Canberra, including research output, CHAIR MEMBER two participating together as the Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth. research training, partnerships, International Centre for Radio Dr Alan Finkel AM Prof Tanya Monro national and international liaison, In 2014 CAASTRO’s Theme Astronomy Research (ICRAR). Chancellor Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), policies, performance, fi nancial Scientists continued to add value CAASTRO is funded under the management, commercialisation to the research program, and gain Monash University University of South Australia Australian Research Council (ARC) and outreach. CAASTRO staff and leadership experience and new skills (January – December 2014) Centre of Excellence program, with activities at each Collaborating during this time. Thanks must go additional funding from the seven MEMBER MEMBER Organisation are supported by a to Dr Lisa Fogarty (Evolving), Dr participating universities and from dedicated administrative offi cer. Andre Offringa (Dynamic), Dr Evan Ms Soula Bennett Mr Guy Robinson the NSW State Government's Keane (Dynamic) and Dr Michael The Management Team is: Director Systems Architect Science Leveraging Fund. Childress (Dark) for their hard work Quantum Victoria As the Administering Organisation, Professor Elaine Sadler as CAASTRO Theme Scientists in Pawsey Supercomputing Centre, CSIRO The University of Sydney manages Centre Director 2014. Their assistance in maintaining (January – August 2014) the ARC grant and distributes funds Professor Lister Staveley-Smith the Research Project Plans and MEMBER MEMBER in accordance with the signed Deputy Director organising the Theme Meetings has Prof Elaine Sadler Prof Alistar Robertson Collaboration Agreement. This Ms Kate Gunn been invaluable. agreement covers how the Centre Chief Operating Offi cer CAASTRO Director (January – October 2014) is managed, and how collaboration During late 2014, the ARC undertook Emeritus Professor/ and intellectual property Senior Honorary Research Fellow, UWA agreements are managed. its Mid-Term Review of CAASTRO, culminating in a Panel Visit on 12 MEMBER MEMBER The seven collaborating universities November 2014. CAASTRO was are represented on the CAASTRO delighted to be able to share its Prof Martha Haynes Prof Kenneth Freeman Executive, which meets every achievements with the panel, and Goldwin Smith Professor of Astronomy Duffi eld Professor of Astronomy, Australian six weeks via video-conference, was very comfortable with the Cornell University National University and twice a year at face-to-face feedback and recommendations it meetings. The Centre also has an received. Advisory Board that meets twice MEMBER MEMBER The following diagram shows the CAASTRO Governance structure: Prof Garth Illingworth Prof Ron Ekers Professor of Astronomy & Astrophysics CSIRO Fellow Advisory Board Independent advice University of California Santa Cruz A. Finkel (Chair) Strategic focus

CAASTRO Executive Team

CAASTRO Director / U.Syd Deputy Director / UWA Outreach / Evolving Universe / Node Node Curtin Node U. Melbourne Node E. Sadler L. Staveley-Smith S. Tingay S. Wyithe

Gender Action/ANU Node Chief Operating Offi cer Dynamic Universe / Dark Universe / B. Schmidt K. Gunn Swinburne Node U. Queensland Node M. Bailes T. Davis

Finance Funds,

Annual report Science, Australian Research reporting Centre Offi ce Budget Council Finance, administration, Strategy Funding operations, outreach Schedule, agreement Milestones CAASTRO Partners & CAASTRO Executive Collaborators CAASTRO Nodes Steven Tingay, Lister Staveley-Smith, U. Sydney U. Melbourne U. Queensland CSIRO Bryan Gaensler, Elaine Sadler, CIs, AIs, staff, students CIs, AIs, staff, students CIs, AIs, staff, students AAO NCI Tamara Davis, Kate Gunn, Stuart Wyithe. ANU Swinburne U. ICRAR | Curtin U. ICRAR | UWA International Absent: Brian Schmidt, Matthew Bailes CIs, AIs, staff, students CIs, AIs, staff, students CIs, AIs, staff, students CIs, AIs, staff, students Partners 54 CAASTRO 55 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

CAASTRO MEMBERSHIP

CAASTRO has defi ned categories of membership, and individuals and organisations The University of Sydney Administering Organisation must apply to the CAASTRO Executive addressing certain defi ned criteria to make ICRAR | The University of Western Australia Collaborating Organisation their case for membership. The CAASTRO Membership categories are: The University of Melbourne Collaborating Organisation Chief Investigators Professional Staff Swinburne University of Technology Collaborating Organisation Chief Investigators (CIs) are senior researchers CAASTRO Professional Staff are employees of a The Australian National University Collaborating Organisation employed by collaborating organisations named in CAASTRO collaborating organisation who are classifi ed the CAASTRO Collaborators’ Agreement. CIs are on the professional/general pay scale, or are working in ICRAR | Curtin University Collaborating Organisation responsible for making a substantial intellectual and a professional role, and are funded from the CAASTRO The University of Queensland Collaborating Organisation strategic contribution to CAASTRO, and for supervising budget or as an in kind contribution to CAASTRO. CAASTRO research staff, CAASTRO professional staff Professional staff are responsible for coordinating the CSIRO Partner Organisation and CAASTRO students. administrative, fi nancial, educational and outreach activities within CAASTRO. All CAASTRO Professional Australian Astronomical Observatory Partner Organisation Partner Investigators Staff must have a CAASTRO CI or the CAASTRO Chief Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy Partner Organisation Operating Offi cer as their line manager. Partner Investigators (PIs) are senior researchers California Institute of Technology Partner Organisation employed by partner organisations named in the CAASTRO Multi-Institute Agreement. PIs are Affi liates The University of Oxford Partner Organisation responsible for making a substantial intellectual and CAASTRO Affi liates are researchers who have a Durham University Partner Organisation strategic contribution to CAASTRO. Where appropriate, scientifi c association with CAASTRO, but who are they may also co-supervise CAASTRO students. not CIs, PIs, AIs or staff. CAASTRO Affi liates include Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics Partner Organisation independently funded researchers (e.g., Future Fellows, DECRAs working alongside CAASTRO researchers The University of Arizona Partner Organisation Associate Investigators at CAASTRO nodes), or researchers who have an Associate Investigators (AIs) are scientists who are The University of Toronto Partner Organisation involvement in CAASTRO not warranting membership funded from a Collaborating Organisation, Partner at the CI, PI or AI levels. Affi liates are not responsible Laboratoire de Physique Nucléaire et de Hautes Energies Partner Organisation Organisation or other source, and who are participating for any CAASTRO research deliverables. in CAASTRO research projects with specifi c Raman Research Institute Partner Organisation deliverables. Associate Investigators are responsible National Computational Infrastructure Partner Organisation for making an intellectual and strategic contribution to Students CAASTRO in their specifi c area(s) of expertise. AIs are CAASTRO students are postgraduate, honours, masters typically researchers for whom membership at the CI or or Pre-PhD students whose research projects make a All members of CAASTRO agree to: PI level is not suitable for logistical or strategic reasons. substantial intellectual contribution to CAASTRO. A CAASTRO student can be enrolled at any higher degree . Support the goals, objectives and research of CAASTRO. Research Staff granting institution, but must have a CAASTRO CI as . Accept the processes and procedures for joining, maintaining and leaving CAASTRO. an offi cial supervisor or co-supervisor. . Allow the CAASTRO Executive the right to refuse membership to any organisation or person at any time. CAASTRO Research Staff are employees of a CAASTRO collaborating organisation, who are classifi ed . Accept the legal obligations that the Administering Organisation has with the ARC. on the academic pay scale, and are funded at FTE 0.2 Visitors . Accept the intellectual property policy of CAASTRO. or higher from the CAASTRO budget. Research staff Visitors are academics from outside Australia who . Accept that all disputes regarding membership will be referred to the Research Director. are responsible for producing the research, technical spend time working at one or more CAASTRO nodes . Accept that membership is not transferable between individuals. and outreach results associated with the CAASTRO on a research project with CIs and other research staff. milestones and, where appropriate, may also co- A CAASTRO PI may also be a CAASTRO Visitor during supervise CAASTRO students. All CAASTRO Research time spent working at a CAASTRO node. Staff must have a CAASTRO CI as their line manager. 56 CAASTRO 57 ANNUAL REPORT 2014 AWARDS & HONOURS

External recognition for the CAASTRO team continued Samuel Hinton, a CAASTRO student, made many GENDER ACTION COMMITTEE in 2014 with a number of team members receiving astronomers’ work lives a whole lot easier and also awards and honours for their achievements. won an award for his efforts. Samuel, a software By Professor Brian Schmidt, CAASTRO Gender Action Committee Chair Brian Schmidt was awarded the 2015 Breakthrough engineering student at the University of Queensland, Prize for Fundamental Physics, which was presented at has received the 2014 Student Thesis prize given by a ceremony in California in November 2014. The prize the Queensland chapter of the Institute of Electrical was shared with a larger team, including CAASTRO and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). For his thesis Samuel PIs Warrick Couch and Reynald Pain, and AIs Brian developed new software for a CAASTRO project, Boyle and Chris Lidman. The Breakthrough Prize in the OzDes redshift survey. Called Marz, the software greatly speeds up the process of obtaining redshifts Fundamental Physics was founded in 2012 by Yuri From its establishment in early 2011, the CAASTRO community, and were skewed male. Specifi cally, the from the OzDes observations. Samuel’s thesis also won Milner to recognize those individuals who have made Executive has considered itself a force for gender number of funded researchers, Partner Investigators the GroundProbe Prize (‘Best in microwave, photonics profound contributions to human knowledge. It is open equality and has had strong oversight of gender (PIs) and Associate Investigators (AIs) all are below and communications’) at the UQ Innovation Showcase to all physicists, theoretical, mathematical, experimental, initiatives and the monitoring of Key Performance reasonable expectations based on the percentage of event in November. working on the deepest mysteries of the Universe. Indicators (KPIs) and outcomes. For example we have women who fi ll that level within astronomy. CAASTRO was delighted to receive a Silver Pleiades Aina Musaeva received a 2014 Australia Day Award offered all positions part-time in CAASTRO since 2011. To this end, the committee recommended to the Award in 2014. The awards were launched in August from the National Council of Women (NSW). Aina was In 2013 the CAASTRO Executive considered its CAASTRO executive that we could improve the 2014 during the Australian Women in Astronomy one of eleven young women from across NSW (in fi elds KPIs in relation to its gender program and decided representation of women in CAASTRO by: workshop. Inspired by the UK’s Athena Swan program, as diverse as history, graphic design, science and law) that it was falling short in a number of desired they are given by the Astronomical Society of Australia . asking all CAASTRO nodes to think about how to chosen to receive a cash award to assist with her PhD outcomes. The CAASTRO Executive decided to form (ASA) to organisations that take steps to improve attract strong female candidates for positions, and studies. Aina received her award at an Australia Day the CAASTRO Gender Action Committee to address gender equity in the workplace. CAASTRO was one to report on their efforts and outcomes in upcoming reception and lunch held at NSW Parliament House. these issues and Professor Brian Schmidt agreed to of only two organisations to win a Silver Pleiades advertisements lead the Committee. 2014 saw the Gender Action award. It was also gratifying that all our Collaborating committee undertake its fi rst activities, with its remit . to put effort in progressing outstanding female Universities also all achieved Bronze Status, and to contribute to the development of strategies to meet Partner Investigator memberships CAASTRO’s two Australian Partner Organisations also Gender Action challenges to maximise the proposed . to consider whether any female CAASTRO affi liates gained awards with a Silver award to AAO and Bronze goals and objectives of the Centre. This includes members could be considered for Associate to CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science. making recommendations on ways in which CAASTRO Investigator status Anthea King and Emily Petroff, both were student prize can balance its gender representation, and boost . to ask Theme Leaders if there are appropriate winners at the Astronomical Society of Australia (ASA) opportunities for our female staff and students, and female researchers to bring in as Partner scientifi c meeting in July 2014. monitor progress. Investigators, Associate Investigators or Affi liate Ken Freeman, a member of the CAASTRO Advisory The Gender Action Committee provides broad members emphasising the lack of women in these Board, was awarded the 2014 Gruber Foundation representation from its membership and different levels roles currently. Cosmology Prize for his work in Near Field Cosmology. within the centre, including members from different The committee also considered the appropriate role member organisations, different genders and nationalities. for the Gender Action Committee, given that each The committee is made up of Elaine Sadler (USyd), institution serves as the legal employer for CAASTRO Rachel Webster (UMelb), Cathryn Trott (ICRAR/Curtin), members and has their own regulations. The committee Fang Yuan (ANU), Evan Keane (Swinburne), Iraklis L to R: Adam Riess, Saul Perlmutter, Eddie Redmayne, decided that it could best serve CAASTRO by helping Brian Schmidt Konstantopolous (AAO), Jessica Bloom (USyd), Kate improve the prospects for women to navigate the Credit: Breakthrough Prize Gunn (USyd) and Brian Schmidt (ANU, Chair). The leaky pipeline between PhD and tenured researcher. Committee met face to face for half a day, and then three Initiatives that recommended and in various stages of times during the year for a two hour videoconference. The being implemented include: creation of the CAASTRO Gender Action Committee has . offering programs to CAASTRO members about fast-tracked many of our gender initiatives. leadership, focusing on women CAASTRO has gender KPIs which have been set and . improving and fi nalising CAASTRO's diversity policy are measured. These include the number of women at . offering a 'I need support now!' program for various levels within CAASTRO, the number of female- CAASTRO members including students led CAASTRO sponsored workshops, the number of female CAASTRO visitors, gender targets for speakers . holding a CAASTRO Women's day and SOC roles in conferences and workshops, the number . having a CAASTRO Women's lunch at each node of females who apply for jobs and those who are short- each year listed. Gender-based metrics are compiled every 6 months . ensuring that CAASTRO engages with the Women for consideration by the Gender Action Committee. in Astronomy Chapter of the Astronomical Society Despite many innovative ideas surrounding Gender of Australia and continues to network with Equity having been incorporated into CAASTRO, the similar groups about novel ideas for CAASTRO Left to right: Anne Sheehan, President, Soroptimist Region of Professor Tapan Saha (UQ), Chair of IEEE Queensland, committee was confronted with the fact that overall implementation NSW; Doreen Todd, Awards Committee member, NCW NSW; presents Samuel Hinton with his award at the IEEE Queensland Aina Museva and Professor Elaine Sadler 2014 Annual General Meeting on 3 December. participation rates within several categories of CAASTRO . being an active contributor to the Australian Women Credit: National Council of Women (NSW) Credit: IEEE Queensland membership were not representative of the broader in Astronomy Workshop each year. 58 CAASTRO 59 ANNUAL REPORT 2014 CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014 Credit: Jacinta Den Besten S PRESENTATION

The ARC Mid-Term Review of CAASTRO commented now has a female Director, Professor Elaine Sadler. In that our gender initiatives were changing the culture of addition our female Chief Investigators have increased not only CAASTRO but also our member organisations. from 16% to 28%. Currently 90% of professional staff and 17% of research The Gender Action Committee was very pleased that staff have taken up the option of part-time work, and CAASTRO was awarded an Astronomical Society recent gender statistics from the Supernovae Science of Australia's Pleiaides award at the level of Silver Conference held in August show a positive impact in recognition of our Gender Diversity Activities. We and improvement on female participation at all levels. were one of only two organisations to receive such a Female representation at this conference on the SOC distinction. In 2015, in addition the implementation of was 34%, the LOC 50%, invited speakers 30%, 48% of these ideas, the Gender action committee will monitor the contributed talks and 42% of female chairs. CAASTRO impact of our work, and continue to update and create also provided free childcare at this conference. new programs in response to our observations. Since inception the number of women on the CAASTRO Executive has grown from zero to 14% during 2011–2013, then to its current 38%. CAASTRO

Dr Ivo Seitenzahl and Dr Ashley Ruiter are CAASTRO members and Post Doctoral researchers at ANU. Credit: Dr Ashley Ruiter 60 CAASTRO 61 ANNUAL REPORT 2014 INVITED TALKS 2014 Major Conferences *this list does not include public talks or school talks The Zoo of AGNs in the context of clustering and a The dark side of astronomy coherent picture of AGN clustering Brian Schmidt, 10th Asia-Pacifi c Symposium on Invited Talks 2014 Scott Croom, Clustering Measurements of Active Cosmology and Particle Astrophysics, University of Galactic Nuclei, Garching, Germany, September 2014 Auckland, New Zealand, December 2014 (Conferences, workshops, colloquia, projects and Cosmological constraints on dark energy collaborations) The SAMI Galaxy Survey Cosmology: An example of the process of discovery Scott Croom, Galaxy Masses as Constraints of Tamara Davis, 10th Asia-Pacifi c Symposium on Establishing the robustness of cosmological tests of Brian Schmidt, 64th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting, Formation Models, Oxford, UK, September 2014 Cosmology and Particle Astrophysics, University of general relativity to dark energy perturbations Germany, June 2014 Auckland, New Zealand, December 2014 Jason Dossett, 223rd Meeting of the American Gender and diversity in astronomy Astronomical Society, USA, January 2014 A cosmic census of radio pulsars Bryan Gaensler, Greater Diversity Forum, Australia, Watching galaxies fall: testing theories of gravity using Evan Keane, Advancing Astrophysics with the Square September 2014 large galaxy redshift surveys Cosmology - The next frontier - “Big Data or Big Ideas: Kilometre Array, Giardini Naxos, Italy, June 2014 David Parkinson, Australian Institute of Physics Optical and infrared astronomy What is the future of observational cosmology Congress “The Art of Physics”, Australia, December Connecting the baryons: Multiwavelength data for HI James Allen, Looking Up, Looking Brian Schmidt, Is the Universe Necessary, Arizona, 2014 USA, January 2014 surveys Down: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Remote Sensing, Everything you wanted to know about diffuse The State of the world with Nobel Laureates in science Martin Meyer, Advancing Astrophysics with the Square Image Analysis, and Data Visualisation, Sydney, Kilometre Array, Giardini Naxos, Italy, June 2014 Australia, September 2014 polarisation but were afraid to ask Brian Schmidt, World Economic Forum, Davos, Emil Lenc, Early Science from Low-Radio Frequency Switzerland, January 2014 The astronomical revolution The fundamental plane and stellar populations of early- Telescopes, Arizona, USA, December 2014 Brian Schmidt, Euroscience Open Forum 2014, type galaxies from low redshift surveys The Universe Unveiled - with Chris Lintott From earth rotation aperture synthesis to patient Denmark, June 2014 Matthew Colless, The Life and Times of Galaxies, Utah, Brian Schmidt, World Economic Forum, Davos, rotation computed tomography USA, September 2014 Switzerland, January 2014 Different manifestations of neutron stars Ilana Feain, Edges of Universe Academy of Science SkyMapper and the Extragalactic Distance Scale Evan Keane, Extreme Astrophysics in an Ever-Changing Ages of type Ia Supernovae over cosmic time Frontiers of Science Meeting, Canberra, Australia, Brian Schmidt, The Extragalactic Distance Scale, Universe, Crete, Greece, June 2014 Mike Childress, Type Ia supernovae: progenitors, December 2014 Munich, Germany, January 2014 explosions, & cosmology conference, Chicago, USA, The local velocity fi eld and the Hubble Constant What is a decadal plan? September 2014 Hunting pulsars and fast transients with the SKA Jeremy Mould, MIAPP Workshop Extragalactic Distance Stuart Wyithe, Edges of Universe Academy of Science Ewan Barr, Multicore World 2014, New Zealand, Scale, Garching, Germany, June 2014 AGN reverberation mapping simulations Frontiers of Science Meeting, Canberra, Australia, February 2014 Anthea King, Dark Energy Survey Collaboration December 2014 SkyMapper science Large Scale Structure Meeting, Brighton, UK, October 2014 Brian Schmidt, Astronomical Society of Australia The edges of cosmology Tamara Davis, TIARA Winter School on Cosmology, Tamara Davis, Edges of Universe Academy of Science Annual Scientifi c Meeting 2014, Sydney, Australia, The Accelerating Universe Taiwan, February 2014 Frontiers of Science Meeting, Canberra, Australia, July 2014 Brian Schmidt, 2014 General Assembly of The The SAMI Galaxy Survey International Union of Pure and Applied Physics, December 2014 Lisa Fogarty, 3D2014: Gas and Stars in Galaxies: A The lives of active galactic nuclei and the evolving Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Universe multi-wavelength 3D perspective, ESO, Garching, November 2014 Public Lectures 2014 Germany, March 2014 Dr Anna Kapinska, Astronomical Society of Australia Cosmology as an example of how science works Annual Scientifi c Meeting 2014, Sydney, Australia, Dark Matter An example of the process of discovery Brian Schmidt, 5th International Conference on July 2014 Astronomy Society of Victoria, Alan Duffy, January Brian Schmidt, 6th HOPE Meeting with Nobel Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi 2014 Laureates, Tokyo, Japan, March 2014 The SkyMapper Southern Survey Bandung, Indonesia, November 2014 Chris Wolf, European Week of Astronomy and Space Education, Discovery, and Translation: The Cycle of HI absorption-line science – current results and plans The Accelerating Universe Science (EWASS) 2014, Geneva, Switzerland, July Science – Part 1 for ASKAP Brian Schmidt, 5th International Conference on Elaine Sadler, 7th International PHISCC Workshop - The 2014 ANU Indonesia Initiative, Bogor, Indonesia, Brian Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Schmidt, February 2014 Challenges of the Upcoming HI Surveys, ASTRON, The High-time resolution radio astronomy with low- Bandung, Indonesia, November 2014 Netherlands, March 2014 frequency interferometric arrays Education, Discovery and Translation: The Cycle of SAMI and HECTOR Science with the MWA Ramesh Bhat, 31st International Union of Radio Science Science - Part 2 Julia Bryant, Astrophotonica Australis, Sydney, Lister Staveley-Smith, 7th International PHISCC (URSI) General Assembly and Scientifi c Symposium, ANU Indonesia Initiative, Bogor, Indonesia, Brian Australia, November 2014 Schmidt, February 2014 Workshop - The Challenges of the Upcoming HI Beijing, China, August 2014 Surveys, ASTRON, The Netherlands, March 2014 Everything about cosmology but were afraid to ask Public event with Anant Agarwal Founder/CEO TedX Variation in the escape fraction of ionizing photons Brian Schmidt, State of the Heart 2014 High Blood (MOOC), WALLABY/DINGO kinematic parameterisation: a new from galaxies and the redshifted 21-cm power Bayesian MCMC tilted-ring fi tter Pressure Research Council of Australia, Adelaide, Brian Schmidt, February 2014 spectrum during reionization Austin Doyle Lecture 2014, Australia, November 2014 Se-Heon Oh, 7th International PHISCC Workshop - The Hansik Kim, Lyman Continuum Leakage and Cosmic Science Policy Challenges of the Upcoming HI Surveys, ASTRON, The Reionization, Stockholm, Sweden, August 2014 The structure of reionization in hierarchical galaxy ANU Policy Launch, Canberra, Brian Schmidt, February Netherlands, March 2014 formation models 2014 SKA and HI lectures (a series of 6 lectures) OzDES multi-fi bre spectroscopy for the Dark Energy Hansik Kim, The 6th KIAS Workshop on Cosmology Magnets in the Sky Lister Staveley-Smith, SKA Radio Astronomy School, Survey: fi rst-year operation and results (OzDES fi rst and Structure Formation, South Korea, South Korea, Science Stars of the Future Lecture, Australian China, August 2014 year paper plan) November 2014 Academy of Science, Canberra, Bryan Gaensler, Fang Yuan, Dark Energy Survey Collaboration Meeting, Locations of peculiar supernovae as a diagnostic of Observational dark energy February 2014 University of Illinois, USA, May 2014 their origins Brian Schmidt, 10th Asia-Pacifi c Symposium on The Accelerating Universe Galaxy formation with SPHS Fang Yuan, Supernovae in the Local Universe: Cosmology and Particle Astrophysics, University of University of Western Sydney, Brian Schmidt, February Chris Power, nIFTy cosmology workshop, Madrid, Celebrating 10,000 days of Supernova 1987A, Coffs Auckland, New Zealand, December 2014 2014 Spain, June 2014 Harbour, Australia, August 2014 62 CAASTRO 63 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

The Creation of the Universe Public Lecture Type 1A Supernovae and Cosmology The Universe as we know it The Australian Museum, Tamara Davis, February 2014 Booragoon Rotary Club, Perth, Steven Tingay, May Stars in the Yarra Ranges, National Science Week, Vic, St Paul’s College, The University of Sydney, Brian A Nobel Prize Winner’s Ponderings on Planets, Pinot 2014 Syed Uddin, August 2014 Schmidt, September 2014 and Prosperity Science today for outcomes tomorrow The cosmic microwave background Universe from Beginning to End: Learn everything we Rotary Club of Canberra, Canberra, Brian Schmidt, Defence Science and Technology Organisation Strategic Stars in the Yarra Ranges, National Science Week, Vic, know about the Universe from its beginning to its end March 2014 Context Seminar 2014, Canberra, Brian Schmidt, May Pietro Procopio, August 2014 and the bits in between 2014 Mt Stromlo Observatory public Observing nights, ACT, Astronomy in Australia: Our Part in the Big Picture Paving the way with the MWA Brian Schmidt, September 2014 University of Melbourne, Rachel Webster, Melbourne, The Circle of Prosperity: Education, Science and Scitech Planetarium, Perth, Steven Tingay, August March 2014 Innovation 2014 A Starry Night Royal Society of Victoria, Melbourne, Brian Schmidt, Milroy Observatory, ACT, Brian Schmidt, Fred Watson Gender Equity within the research sector When Does Science Matter? May 2014 and David Malin, October 2014 International Women’s Day, Australian National Public Lecture, The Australian National University, University, Canberra, Brian Schmidt, March 2014 What are dark energy and dark matter? Canberra, Brian Schmidt, August 2014 A strange world! Interactive role-playing activity to Diurnals Society, Melbourne, Chris Blake, May 2014 decipher the Universe from observations. Seeing back to the Big Bang – the SKA telescope’s Public Lecture Universe from A-Z unlimited potential Neutral Hydrogen in the Universe Astronomical Group of WA, Perth, Chris Power, August Mt Stromlo and Regional Partnership School student National Library, Canberra, Brian Schmidt and Brian Northern Sydney Astronomical Society, Sydney, Sarah 2014 activities and presentation, ACT, Brian Schmidt, Boyle, March 2014 Reeves, June 2014 Public Lecture October 2014 Space and wonder Spectroscopy and spectroscopic surveys Uluru Astronomy Weekend, NT, Rachel Webster, Bright things in the night sky Sunday Assembly, Brisbane, Tamara Davis, March 2014 Sutherland Astronomical Society, Sydney, James Allen, August 2014 June 2014 StarFest SSO 50th Birthday celebrations & Open Day The Circle of Innovation: Making it work here in Public Lecture children’s’ talk, Siding Springs Observatory, ACT, Brian Australia The Accelerating Universe Uluru Astronomy Weekend, NT, Steven Tingay, August Schmidt, October 2014 Rotarian Talk, Canberra, Brian Schmidt, March 2014 Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Germany, Brian 2014 Schmidt, June 2014 The big questions: How Researchers are Unlocking the An astronomer’s introduction to databases and SQL Public Lecture Mysteries of the Universe ANITA lecture series, Perth, Paul Hancock, April 2014 Mapping the invisible gas in the Milky Way using the Uluru Astronomy Weekend, NT, Ray Norris, August StarFest, Siding Springs Observatory, 50th Birthday Murchison Widefi eld Array My Life, the Universe, and Everything about the 2014 Celebrations and Open Day, ACT, Brian Schmidt, Astronomical Society of Western Australia, Perth, Paul discovery of Cosmic Acceleration Public Lecture October 2014 Hancock, July 2014 Gates Cambridge Scholarship, Brisbane, Brian Schmidt, Uluru Astronomy Weekend, NT, Bryan Gaensler, How a normal person helped discover 70% of the April 2014 Public Lecture August 2014 Universe: Or, a Nobel Prize Winner’s Guide to Leadership Neighbourhood Fellowship, Canberra, Brian Schmidt, Public Lecture The Accelerating Universe Attorney-General’s Department & Ministry of the July 2014 National Youth Science Forum, Brisbane, Tamara Davis, University of Launceston, Hobart, Brian Schmidt, Arts ‘Talking Heads’ series address, Canberra, Brian April 2014 Science and Society August 2014 Schmidt, October 2014 Kenneth Myer Lecture, National Library of Australia, Space 2014 Leading a Revolution in Radio Astronomy with the Canberra (also fi lmed for ABC Big Ideas Program), Brian The Accelerating Universe TEDxNoosa, Noosa,Tamara Davis, April 2014 University of Tasmania, Sandy Bay, Brian Schmidt, ASKAP and MWA Schmidt, July 2014 Western Sydney Amateur Astronomy Group, Sydney, The Accelerating Universe August 2014 Square Kilometre Array Emil Lenc, October 2014 Charles Sturt University, Orange, Brian Schmidt, April Linux Users Victoria, Melbourne, Ewan Barr, July 2014 The history of physics and astronomy in Australia 2014 Science at the Shine Dome, Canberra, Brian Schmidt, Spinning the Cosmic Web in a Supercomputer The Path to Winning a Nobel Prize Scitech Horizon Dome, Perth, Chris Power and Paul The challenges facing research in Australia August 2014 China Scholarship Council Program, Canberra, Brian Scott-Taylor, October 2014 QUT Gardens Point Campus VC Forum Address, Schmidt, July 2014 What will you do when your doctorate is done? Brisbane, Brian Schmidt, April 2014 PhD to Present: a day dedicated to the career pathways The Dark Side of Astronomy A Tour of the Universe University of Auckland, New Zealand, Brian Schmidt Written in the Stars of those who have gone before you, Australian National Imperial College London, UK, Katie Mack, August 2014 and Tamara Davis, October 2014 QUT gardens Theatre, Brisbane, Brian Schmidt, April University, Canberra, Brian Schmidt, August 2014 2014 A Tour of the Universe Brief remarks on career, future of astronomy, role of The Path to winning a Nobel Prize World Science Fiction Convention, UK, Katie Mack, ANU Edge 2014 China Scholarship Council Programme, Murchison Widefi eld Array - Big Data Precursor to the GMT August 2014 Canberra, Brian Schmidt, October 2014 Square Kilometre Array Giant Magellan Telescope Dinner, USA, Brian Schmidt, Scitech Planetarium Big Data Week, Perth, Steven Creating the Universe in a computer September 2014 Examining Gas from Galaxies Billions of Years Old Tingay, May 2014 Stars in the Yarra Ranges, National Science Week, Vic, In Search of the Ultimate Fate of the Universe: Some Inspiring Science, Ultimo Community Centre, Sydney, Chris Power, August 2014 Vanessa Moss, November 2014 Public Lecture refl ections on my life as a Postdoc managing an Mandelbaum House, Sydney, Bryan Gaensler, May Galaxy Information international team, and trying to balance career and family Public Lecture 2014 Stars in the Yarra Ranges, National Science Week, Vic, University of New South Wales, Brian Schmidt, Elemental at Melbourne Planetarium, Melbourne, Alan Karl Glazebrook, August 2014 September 2014 Public Schooling Duffy, November 2014 Australian Education Union Public Education Pulsars and fast radio bursts Public talk on a career in science It’s a Wonderful World Celebratory Dinner address, Canberra, Brian Schmidt, Stars in the Yarra Ranges, National Science Week, Vic, The Science Career Carousel, Karratha, WA, Alan Woodford Folk Festival – Green Forum, Queensland, May 2014 Emily Petroff, August 2014 Duffy, September 2014 Tamara Davis with Ian Lowe, December 2014 Public Lecture and Discussion The Square Kilometre Array Telescope Science and Society The Dark Side Women in Science Breakfast, Brisbane, Tamara Davis, Stars in the Yarra Ranges, National Science Week, Vic, National Library of Australia, Melbourne, Brian Schmidt, Woodford Folk Festival, Queensland, Tamara Davis, May 2014 Ewan Barr, August 2014 September 2014 December 2014 64 CAASTRO 65 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

A Tour of the Universe Ran N-body school Signatures of quenching in SAMI cluster galaxies SkyMapper ToO programmes Swinburne University, Melbourne, Katie Mack, Chris Power, ANITA 2014 Workshop and Informatics James Allen, 3D2014: Gas and Stars in Galaxies: A Fang Yuan, SkyMapper: Everything you need to know December 2014 School, Sydney, Australia, February 2014 multi-wavelength 3D perspective, ESO, Garching , to use the Terabytes, Australia, April 2014 Germany, March 2014 Cosmology The WiZ-COLA simulation: many many simulations for System performance & stats, eROSITA, Photometric Australia/New Zealand Physics Summer School the WiggleZ survey Angular Momentum in the Era of the SKA redshifts “Frontiers in Physics”, Australian National University, Jun Koda, ANITA 2014 Workshop and Informatics Danail Obreschkow, 7th International PHISCC Chris Wolf, SkyMapper: Everything you need to know Canberra, Brian Schmidt, December 2014 School, Sydney, Australia, February 2014 Workshop - The Challenges of the Upcoming HI to use the Terabytes, Australia, April 2014 Surveys, ASTRON, The Netherlands, March 2014 Public talk about SKA Supernova Science in Australia Dark matter cores in dwarf galaxies University of the 3rd Age, Science and Technology Mike Childress, Gaia-PESSTO Workshop Belfast, Cosmology with 4MOST Se-Heon Oh, CAASTRO PAM, Perth, May 2014 Chris Blake, AAO Workshop on science with 4MOST Division, Sydney, Anne Green, December 2014 Ireland, February 2014 Fast Radio Bursts spectrograph, Australia, March 2014 The Dark Side of Astronomy Radio Polarimetry and the Magnetic Universe Evan Keane, Curtin University/University of Western Auckland, New Zealand, Brian Schmidt, December Bryan Gaensler, NOVA Lecture, Leiden University, The A large number of fast cosmological simulations for the Australia Colloquia, Australia, May 2014 revised WiggleZ BAO measurement 2014 Netherlands, February 2014 2dFLenS Jun Koda, Kavli Institute for the Physics and Tamara Davis, Dark Energy Survey Collaboration Radio Polarimetry and the Magnetic Universe Mathematics of the Universe, Tokyo, Japan, March Meeting, University of Illinois, USA, May 2014 Other Presentations 2014 Bryan Gaensler, NOVA Lecture, Radboud University 2014 Nijmegan, Groningen, The Netherlands, February 2014 Baryon acoustic peak reconstruction in WiggleZ (Conferences, workshops, colloquia, projects and Plenary panel: Time to rethink: Learning for a changing Chris Blake, Dark Energy Survey Collaboration Meeting, collaborations) Radio Polarimetry and the Magnetic Universe world University of Illinois, USA, May 2014 Bryan Gaensler, NOVA Lecture, University of Brian Schmidt, Science World Summit 2014, Belgium, Inferring Ejected Masses of Type Ia Supernovae from Amsterdam, The Netherlands, February 2014 March 2014 OzDES Reverberation Mapping Campaign Simulations Nearby Supernova Factory Data Tamara Davis, Dark Energy Survey Collaboration Richards Scalzo, 223rd Meeting of the American Radio Polarimetry and the Magnetic Universe Advanced MWA primary beam models Meeting, University of Illinois, USA, May 2014 Astronomical Society, Washington DC, USA, January Bryan Gaensler, NOVA Lecture, University of Randall Wayth, SKA Calibration and Imaging Workshop 2014 Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands, February 2014 (CALIM) 2014, Kiama, Australia, March 2014 OzDES Global redshift Catalog Syed Uddin, Dark Energy Survey Collaboration Meeting, SN 2012fr: A Type Ia Supernova with Extreme High Some Big Questions in Cosmology Polarisation with the Murchison Widefi eld Array (There University of Illinois, USA, May 2014 Velocity Features and Stratifi ed Eject Brian Schmidt, Physics Teachers Conference, Opening and Back Again) Mike Childress, 223rd Meeting of the American Address, Melbourne, February 2014 Emil Lenc, SKA Calibration and Imaging Workshop Study of SNe Ia in Host Galaxy Environments Astronomical Society, Washington DC, USA, January Bias and Gender in Science and Academia (CALIM) 2014, Kiama, Australia, March 2014 Syed Uddin, Dark Energy Survey Collaboration Meeting, 2014 Bryan Gaensler, Seminar, University of Amsterdam, The RTS Processing and Calibration University of Illinois, USA, May 2014 Great Debate: Parallel Realities: Probing Fundamental Netherlands, February 2014 Jack Line, SKA Calibration and Imaging Workshop Absorption line indices Physics (PANEL) First Galaxies and DRAGONS (CALIM) 2014, Kiama, Australia, March 2014 Jeremy Mould, OzDES Busy Week, Ballina, Australia, Brian Schmidt, Is the Universe Necessary, Arizona, Alan Duffy, Seminar, CSIRO; University of Queensland; 4MOST/WAVES, eROSITA and CAASTRO-2 May 2014 USA, January 2014 University of Sydney, Australia, February 2014 Bryan Gaensler, The WAVES survey on 4MOST, OzDES Global redshift Catalog Polarisation with the Murchison Widefi eld Array (There Progenitors of Type Ia Supernovae Sydney, Australia, March 2014 Syed Uddin, OzDES Busy Week, Ballina, Australia, May and Back Again) Mike Childress, Southampton University, UK, February MWA Polarisation for Transient Astronomers 2014 Emil Lenc, SKA Science Assessment Workshop – 2014 Emil Lenc, Transient Busy Week at Sydney University, Dropping Targets in OzDES Magnetism, Manchester, UK, January 2014 Sydney, Australia, March 2014 Tracing the cosmic web with velocity tensor Conor O’Neill, OzDES Busy Week, Ballina, Australia, Curtin Update Weiguang Cui, Tracing the Cosmic Web, Leiden, The DARK Lizards Informal workshop discussing the future May 2014 JP Macquart and Cath Trott, SKA Science Assessment Netherlands, February 2014 of simulation work on alternative gravity models Peculiar velocities and Lensing Workshop – Transients, Manchester, UK, January 2014 Jason Dosett, Alternative Gravity Workshop, Brisbane, Searching for the Synchrotron Cosmic Web with the Tamara Davis, OzDES Busy Week, Ballina, Australia, Australia, April 2014 Radio Polarimetry and the Magnetic Universe Murchison Widefi eld Array May 2014 Bryan Gaensler, University of Toronto, Colloquia, Bryan Gaensler, Tracing the Cosmic Web, Leiden, The Detector array Cosmetics Practical Statistics for Astronomers Canada, January 2014 Netherlands, February 2014 Fang Yuan, SkyMapper: Everything you need to know Tamara Davis, OzDES Busy Week, Ballina, Australia, to use the Terabytes, Australia, April 2014 The SAMI Galaxy Survey: First Results The Fundamental Plane in 3D from 6dF and SAMI May 2014 Lisa Fogarty, AAO Colloquium, Sydney, Australia, Matthew Colless, 3D2014: Gas and Stars in Galaxies: History & future, Photometry & calibration Redshifting pitfalls February 2014 A multi-wavelength 3D perspective, ESO, Garching, Brian Schmidt, SkyMapper: Everything you need to Tamara Davis, OzDES Busy Week, Ballina, Australia, Constant vs. variable winds: effect on high-z galaxies March 2014 know to use the Terabytes, Australia, April 2014 May 2014 Edoardo Tescari, ANITA 2014 Workshop and The Fundamental and Mass Planes for three nearby Parkes: pulsars and radio transients Improving distance measurements to z=1 by Informatics School, Sydney, Australia, February 2014 clusters from the SAMI Pilot Survey Matthew Bailes, SkyMapper: Everything you need to reconstructing the WiggleZ Dark Energy Survey know to use the Terabytes, Australia, April 2014 How should we observe the Epoch of Reionisation Nic Scott, 3D2014: Gas and Stars in Galaxies: A multi- baryonic acoustic feature Cath Trott, ANITA 2014 Workshop and Informatics wavelength 3D perspective, ESO, Garching , Germany, SkyMapper and CAASTRO Eyal Kazin, Statistical Challenges in 21st Century, School, Sydney, Australia, February 2014 March 2014 Bryan Gaensler, SkyMapper: Everything you need to Lisbon, Portugal, May 2014 know to use the Terabytes, Australia, April 2014 New Constraints on f(R) gravity using ISiTGR and the Large surveys for 21-cm HI absorption Space Situational Awareness with the Murchison WiggleZ power spectrum Elaine Sadler, 3D2014: Gas and Stars in Galaxies: SkyMapper supernova survey Widefi eld Array Jason Dossett, ANITA 2014 Workshop and Informatics A multi-wavelength 3D perspective, ESO, Garching, Richard Scalzo, SkyMapper: Everything you need to Benjamin McKinley, 2nd Australian Workshop on Space School, Sydney, Australia, February 2014 Germany, March 2014 know to use the Terabytes, Australia, April 2014 Situational Awareness, Canberra, Australia, June 2014 66 CAASTRO 67 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

MWA and AST3 Collaboration opportunities The hosts of hybrids: How do peculiar radio galaxies Resolving The Signatures of Environmental Quenching A pursuit of transient radio sources Paul Hancock, 3rd international collaboration meeting on shake our unifi cation schemes? With SAMI Manisha Caleb, Women in Astronomy Workshop, ANU Antarctic Survey Telescopes, Nanjing, China, June 2014 Anna Kapinska, Powerful AGN and their Host Galaxies Adam Schaefer, Durham University, Durham, UK, July Canberra, August 2014 2014 Cosmology with Fast Radio Bursts Across Cosmic Time, Port Douglas, Australia, June 2014 Cosmological constraints on dark energy Cathryn Trott, Advancing Astrophysics with the Square Data reduction update Complete Ionisation of the Neutral Gas in the Hosts of Tamara Davis, CoEPP/CAASTRO Joint Workshop 2014, Kilometre Array, Giardini Naxos, Italy, June 2014 James Allen, SAMI Busy Week, Sydney, Australia, High Redshift Australia, September 2014 Steve Curran, European Week of Astronomy and Space Broadband polarimetry with the Square Kilometre Array June 2014 Dark Matter Halos and Cosmic Evolution Science, Geneva, Switzerland, July 2014 Bryan Gaensler, Advancing Astrophysics with the Multiple Component Spectral Line Fitting Katie Mack, CoEPP/CAASTRO Joint Workshop 2014, Square Kilometre Array, Giardini Naxos, Italy, June Rebecca McElroy, SAMI Busy Week, Sydney, Australia, Complete ionisation of the star-forming reservoir in high Australia, September 2014 2014 redshift active galaxies June 2014 The impact of space activities on science Steve Curran, European Week of Astronomy and Space The Intergalactic medium and the Cosmic Web Brian Schmidt, European Space Agency (ESA) 50 Years Star Formation Gradiants and Galaxy Environments Science, Geneva, Switzerland, July 2014 Attila Popping, Advancing Astrophysics with the Adam Schaefer, SAMI Busy Week, Sydney, Australia, Scientifi c event, Geneva, Switzerland, September 2014 Square Kilometre Array, Giardini Naxos, Italy, June What I’d be doing if I were a PhD Student right now June 2014 BIGHORNS – Broadband Instrument for Global 2014 Brian Schmidt, Harley Wood Winter School, Sydney, The MWA All-Sky Survey and its fi rst science Australia, July 2014 HydrOgen ReioNisatioN Signal The Lifecycles of radio-loud AGN Anna Kapinska, SPARCS (SKA Pathfi nders Radio Marcin Sokolowski, ICRAR-CON, Perth, Australia, The fi rst 1000 galaxies of the SAMI Galaxy Survey Anna Kapinska, Advancing Astrophysics with the Continuum Surveys) 2014 meeting, Catania, Italy, June September 2014 Square Kilometre Array, Giardini Naxos, Italy, June James Allen, IAUS309: Galaxies in 3D across the 2014 Detecting Neutral Hydrogen in really high redshift 2014 Universe, Vienna, Austria, July 2014 Infall and outfl ow in the halo of the Milky Way galaxies with the MWA The SKA view of gamma-ray bursts The Formation of Slow Rotating ETGs Vanessa Moss, Astronomical Society of Australia Randall Wayth, ICRAR-CON, Perth, Australia, Davide Burlon, Advancing Astrophysics with the Square Lisa Fogarty, IAUS309: Galaxies in 3D across the Annual Scientifi c Meeting, Sydney, Australia, July September 2014 Kilometre Array, Giardini Naxos, Italy, June 2014 Universe, Vienna, Austria, July 2014 2014 Detecting Variables with MWA Wide-Field Polarimetry: A Unique Probe of Interstellar Dynamical modelling of SAMI galaxies Low-frequency radio emission from ultracool dwarfs Paul Hancock, ICRAR-CON, Perth, Australia, September Turbulence Nic Scott, IAUS311: Galaxy masses as constraints of Cleo Loi, Astronomical Society of Australia Annual 2014 Bryan Gaensler, Cosmic Rays and their Interstellar formation models, Oxford, UK, July 2014 Scientifi c Meeting, Sydney, Australia, July 2014 The Fast Radio Burst Hunter Environment, Montpellier, France, June 2014 HI Stacking & the Tully-Fisher Relation Steven Tremblay, ICRAR-CON, Perth, Australia, Spectral Modelling of an Extreme Gigahertz-Peaked Scott Meyer, ICRAR Student Day, Perth, Australia, July Panel Discussion: Fostering Academic Excellence in a September 2014 Changing Spectrum Source PKS 0008-41 2014 Joe Callingham, Astronomical Society of Australia The simulated cluster project Brian Schmidt, Euroscience Open Forum 2014, PST: Status, Review, Discussion Annual Scientifi c Meeting, Sydney, Australia, July Weiguang Cui, ICRAR-CON, Perth, Australia, Denmark, June 2014 Willem van Straten, SKA CSP TIM#3, Florence, Italy, 2014 September 2014 Massive scale pulsar observations with the Molonglo July 2014 SN 2012fr and High-Velocity Features in Type Ia Black Holes meet Cancer Therapy: Supernovae meets telescope Large Gpc Volume Simulations of Reionization Based on Supernovae Diabetes Fabian Jankowski, International Pulsar Timing Array Semi-Analytic Galaxy Formation Models Ilana Feain, Ingham Institute, Sydney, Australia, 2014 Meeting, Banff, Canada, June 2014 Mike Childress, Astronomical Society of Australia Hansik Kim, 12th Asia-Pacifi c Regional IAU Meeting Annual Scientifi c Meeting, Sydney, Australia, July September 2014 An Initial Bayesian Cross Matched Catalogue (APRIM) 2014, Daejeon, South Korea, August 2014 2014 Jack Line, MWA EoR Busy Week Meeting, San Simulated star formation rate functions at z~4–7, and The neutral hydrogen content of galaxies in the GAMA Francisco, USA, June 2014 Is the best distance indicator a tape measure? the role of feedback in high-z galaxies survey: an HI stacking experiment Jeremy Mould, Astronomical Society of Australia Attila Popping, The role of Hydrogen in the Evolution of Cosmological HI Power spectrum Edoardo Tescari, 12th Asia-Pacifi c Regional IAU Annual Scientifi c Meeting, Sydney, Australia, July Galaxies, Malaysia, September 2014 Cathryn Trott, MWA EoR Busy Week Meeting, San Meeting (APRIM) 2014, Daejeon, South Korea, August 2014 Francisco, USA, June 2014 2014 The SAMI Galaxy Survey: the origin of gas in galaxies Julia Bryant, The role of Hydrogen in the Evolution of A Study of Gigahertz-Peaked Spectrum and Compact The fi rst real-time FRB The Taipan Survey: Cosmology from the Nearby Galaxies, Malaysia, September 2014 Steep Spectrum Sources with the MWA Emily Petroff, Astronomical Society of Australia Annual Universe Joe Callingham, Powerful AGN and their Host Galaxies Scientifi c Meeting, Sydney, Australia, July 2014 Matthew Colless, Asia-Pacifi c Regional IAU Meeting, The Range of Ejected Masses in Type Ia Supernovae Across Cosmic Time, Port Douglas, Australia, June Modelling of the Spectral Energy Distribution of Fornax Daejeon, Korea, August 2014 Richard Scalzo, Type Ia supernovae: progenitors, 2014 A: Leptonic and Hadronic Production of High Energy Space Situational Awareness with the Murchison explosions and cosmology conference, Chicago USA, September 2014 Complete Ionisation of the Neutral Gas in the Hosts of Emission from the Radio Lobes Widefi eld Array High Redshift AGN Benjamin McKinley, Astronomical Society of Australia Benjamin McKinley, Defence Science and Technology, Polarisation with the Extended MWA Steve Curran, Powerful AGN and their Host Galaxies Annual Scientifi c Meeting, Sydney, Australia, July Melbourne, Australia, August 2014 Emil Lenc, Extended Capabilities for the Murchison Across Cosmic Time, Port Douglas, Australia, June 2014 2014 SAMI-Sydney AAO Integral Field Spectrograph Widefi eld Array, Sydney, Australia, October 2014 Feedback in Luminous Type II AGN: Winds, star Origin of cosmic chemical abundances Julia Bryant, Fibre Optics in Astronomy IV, Harvard, Searching for the Synchrotron Cosmic Web with the formation, and formation Edoardo Tescari, Astronomical Society of Australia USA, August 2014 Murchison Widefi eld Array Rebecca McElroy, Powerful AGN and their Host Annual Scientifi c Meeting, Sydney, Australia, July The Other 95% (Of the Universe) Bryan Gaensler, Extended Capabilities for the Murchison Galaxies Across Cosmic Time, Port Douglas, Australia, 2014 Katie Mack, Science Foo Camp, USA, August 2014 Widefi eld Array, Sydney, Australia, October 2014 June 2014 Properties of z~1-4 Galaxies The Range of Ejected Masses in Type Ia Supernovae Measuring the Global EoR Signal Using the Moon and HI Absorption in the host galaxies of AGN Antonios Katsianis, Astronomical Society of Australia Richard Scalzo, Supernovae in the Local Universe: an Extended MWA James Allison, Powerful AGN and their Host Galaxies Annual Scientifi c Meeting, Sydney, Australia, July Celebrating 10,000 days of Supernova 1987A, Ben McKinley, Extended Capabilities for the Murchison Across Cosmic Time, Port Douglas, Australia, June 2014 2014 Coffs Harbour, Australia, August 2014 Widefi eld Array, Sydney, Australia, October 2014 68 CAASTRO 69 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

Processing (Future) MWA Data with the (Future) RTS OzPipe: The Australian MWA EoR Power Spectrum How do you do fast transients? The fi rst real-time fast radio burst detection: Bart Pindor, Extended Capabilities for the Murchison Pipeline Evan Keane, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, polarization and multi-wavelength follow-up of a radio Widefi eld Array, Sydney, Australia, October 2014 Bart Pindor, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, Australia, Australia, November 2014 transient November 2014 Implications of MWA extensions for estimation of the Supernovae and FRBs Emily Petroff, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, EoR signal All you need to know about the MWA … but were Evan Keane, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, Australia, November 2014 afraid to ask Cathryn Trott, Extended Capabilities for the Murchison Australia, November 2014 Taking the pulse of the cosmos with Molonglo Widefi eld Array, Sydney, Australia, October 2014 Emil Lenc, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, Australia, Chris Flynn, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, Australia, November 2014 SUPERB Science case for higher time resolution than the current Evan Keane, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, November 2014 voltage capture system Studying GPS/CSS sources with the MWA Australia, November 2014 The Molonglo pulsar timing programme Ramesh Bhat, Extended Capabilities for the Murchison Joe Callingham, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, High z (z=20) GRBs Widefi eld Array, Sydney, Australia, October 2014 Australia, November 2014 Fabian Jonkowski, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, Jeremy Mould, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, Australia, November 2014 The Demography of Fast Radio Bursts from Workshop summary Australia, November 2014 Randall Wayth, Extended Capabilities for the Murchison Cosmological Simulations The SAMI Galaxy Survey: fi nding and classifying Widefi eld Array, Sydney, Australia, October 2014 Bryan Gaensler, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, The Range of Ejected Masses in Type Ia Supernovae kinematically perturbed galaxies Australia, November 2014 Richard Scalzo CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, Jessica Bloom, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, Extended MWA capabilities for transients and variability Australia, November 2014 Australia, November 2014 Tara Murphy, Extended Capabilities for the Murchison Waves in the sky: Probing the ionosphere with the Widefi eld Array, Sydney, Australia, October 2014 Murchison Widefi eld Array OzDES: early results and progress A Novel Data Archive for SAMI Cleo Loi, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, Australia, Fang Yuan, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, Australia, Iraklis Konstantopoulos, CAASTRO Annual Retreat Options for GLEAM2 November 2014 November 2014 Lister Staveley-Smith, Extended Capabilities for the 2014, Australia, November 2014 Parkes HI intensity mapping experiment Photometric Calibration in Supernova Surveys Murchison Widefi eld Array, Sydney, Australia, October The SKA view of Gamma-ray Bursts Jonghwan Rhee, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, Bonnie Zhang, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, 2014 Davide Burlon, Italian Scientists Down Under, Italian Australia, November 2014 Australia, November 2014 Complementary infrared surveys Embassy, Canberra, Australia, November 2014 Active galactic nuclei as powerful cosmic probes and Jeremy Mould, Large Synoptic Survey Telescope Population studies of Fast Radio Bursts using Monte the role of OzDES Using the FAST Radio Telescope to Detect Quasar HII meeting, Melbourne, Australia, October 2014 Carlo simulations Anthea King, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, Manisha Caleb, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, Regions during the EoR Young and Frustrated: Studying GPS/CSS sources with Australia, November 2014 Australia, November 2014 Tristan Reynolds, Mt Stromlo Christmas Seminars, the MWA Lessons from BICEP2 Australia, November 2014 Joe Callingham, MWA Radio Galaxy Workshop, Perth, Cosmological covariance with the Halo model David Parkinson, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, Australia, October 2014 Steven Murray, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, Large Scale Pulsar Timing Australia, November 2014 Australia, November 2014 Fabian Jankowski, The 2014 Orange Pulsar meeting, Real time discovery of Fast Radio Bursts Theoretical Modelling of the WiggleZ Galaxy Power Melbourne, Australia, November 2014 Emily Petroff, Transient Phenomena in Astronomy and The neutral hydrogen content of galaxies in the GAMA Spectrum Astrophysics, Washington, USA, October 2014 survey: an HI stacking experiment Searching for fast radio bursts in pulsar surveys Caitlin Adams, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, Attila Popping, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, Emily Petroff, The 2014 Orange Pulsar meeting, The Demography of Fast Radio Bursts from Australia, November 2014 Cosmological Simulations Australia, November 2014 Melbourne, Australia, November 2014 CAASTRO Research – The Dark Universe Overview Bryan Gaensler, Transient Phenomena in Astronomy Tamara Davis, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, The galaxy clusters from hydro-dynamical simulations SUPERB and Astrophysics, Washington, USA, October 2014 Australia, November 2014 Weiguang Cui, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, Evan Keane, The 2014 Orange Pulsar meeting, Sydney, Australia, November 2014 Melbourne, Australia, November 2014. Everything you wanted to know about diffuse Background and Noise Estimation polarisation but were afraid to ask Paul Hancock, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, Kinematically offset AGN: Binary supermassive black High time resolution science with the Murchison Emil Lenc, Bolton Symposium, Sydney, Australia, Australia, November 2014 holes Widefi eld Array November 2014 James Allen, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, BIGHORNS: Broadband Instrument for the Global Ramesh Bhat, The 2014 Orange Pulsar meeting, Australia, November 2014 The True Nature of offset AGN HydrOgen Reionisation Signal Melbourne, Australia, November 2014 James Allen, Bolton Symposium, Sydney, Australia, Better galaxy scaling relations with SAMI Marcin Sokolowski, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, Galaxy haloes at high redshift: outfl ow vs pre- November 2014 Australia, November 2014 Nicholas Scott, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, enrichment Australia, November 2014 CAASTRO Research – The Evolving Universe Overview Comparing the 2MTF and 6dFGS Peculiar Velocity Emma Ryan-Weber, The Periphery of Disks, Australia, Stuart Wyithe, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, Surveys to models from redshift surveys Exploring 7.7 billion years of HI with ASKAP November 2014 Australia, November 2014 Christopher Springob, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, James Allison, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, Creating a Radio Source Catalogue for Calibration and Australia, November 2014 Australia, November 2014 Environmental Effects in Overdense Regions Peeling How do you do Slow transients? Complete Ionisation of the Neutral Gas in the Hosts Lister Staveley-Smith, The Periphery of Disks, Sydney, Jack Line, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, Australia, Tara Murphy, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, of High Redshift AGN as traced through HI and MgII Australia, November 2014 November 2014 Australia, November 2014 Absorption Inferring Explosion Properties of Type I Supernovae Dark Matter in the Cosmic Context Outreach and Education in CAASTRO Stephen Curran, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, Richard Scalzo, Australian Frontiers of Science, CBR Katie Mack, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, Australia, Steven Tingay, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, Australia, November 2014 Australia, December 2014 November 2014 Australia, November 2014 Exploring the Dynamic Universe with the SKA and its Gender Action Committee Overview and activities CAASTRO Research – The Dynamic Universe Overview pathfi nders Panel discussion and interview with Dr John O’Sullivan Rachel Webster, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, Evan Keane, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, Tara Murphy, CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014, Brian Schmidt, Australian Frontiers of Science, Australia, November 2014 Australia, November 2014 Australia, November 2014 Canberra, Australia, December 2014 70 CAASTRO 71 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

The Cosmological HI Power Spectrum Estimator The fi rst Real-time FRB Cathryn Trott, Early Science for Low Frequency Chris Blake, Frontiers of Science, Australia, December Telescopes, Tempe, Arizona, USA, December 2014 2014 Modelling the Spectral Energy Distribution of Fornax A Polarisation Update International Visitors to CAASTRO in 2014 Ben McKinley, Early Science for Low Frequency Emil Lenc, Early Science for Low Frequency Telescopes, Tempe, Arizona, USA, December 2014 Telescopes, Tempe, Arizona, USA, December 2014 Processing MWA EOR Data with the RTS The Brilliance of GLEAM: NGC253 and the Sculptor Bart Pindor, Early Science for Low Frequency Group Telescopes, Tempe, Arizona, USA, December 2014 Anna Kapinska, Early Science for Low Frequency Waves in the sky: Probing the ionosphere with the Telescopes, Tempe, Arizona, USA, December 2014 Murchison Widefi eld Array The MWA Exoplanet Survey Simona Bekeraite Bruno Leibundgut Cleo Loi, Early Science for Low Frequency Telescopes, Tara Murphy, Early Science for Low Frequency Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam, Germany ESO Offi ce for Science, Germany Tempe, Arizona, USA, December 2014 Telescopes, Tempe, Arizona, USA, December 2014 Jamie Bolton Nicholas Mahany Young and Frustrated: Studying GPS/CSS sources with Balmer decrements, binning and star formation rates University of Nottingham, UK Franklin & Marshall College, USA the MWA with SAMI Joe Callingham, Early Science for Low Frequency Adam Schaefer, SAMI Busy Week, Melbourne, Steve Curran Raffaella Margutti Telescopes, Tempe, Arizona, USA, December 2014 Australia, December 2014 University of Victoria, New Zealand Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, USA Radio Galaxy Zoo – Part II: The users Gas alignment in galaxies Roger Davies Paolo Mazzali Anna Kapinska, EMU/POSSUM/GALFACTS meeting Julia Bryant, SAMI Busy Week, Melbourne, Australia, University of Oxford, UK Astrophysics Research Institute, John Moores 2014, Australia, December 2014 December 2014 Julius Donnert University, Liverpool, UK Polarimetry with ASKAP and BETA (II) - A secondee’s Probing H Aperture Correction with SAMI Istituto di Radioastronomia, Bologna, Italy Fulvio Melia perspective Samuel Richards, SAMI Busy Week, Melbourne, Richard Easther University of Arizona, USA Emil Lenc, EMU/POSSUM/GALFACTS meeting 2014, Australia, December 2014 University of Auckland, New Zealand Kunal Mooley Australia, December 2014 The True Nature of offset AGN Bjorn Emonts California Institute of Technology, USA Positional Updating and Matching Algorithm (PUMA) James Allen, SAMI Busy Week, Melbourne, Australia, CSIC-NTO (Centro de Astrobiologica), Madrid, Spain Cherry Ng Jack Line, Early Science for Low Frequency Telescopes, December 2014 Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, Germany Tempe, Arizona, USA, December 2014 Stephen Fine Everything you wanted to know about the Universe but University of Western Cape in South Africa, South Africa Ken’ichi Nomoto SUPERB were afraid to ask University of Tokyo, Japan Evan Keane, FRB Workshop, Melbourne, Australia, Brian Schmidt, STEMFest 2014, Adelaide Roma Martha Haynes December 2014 Mitchell Secondary College , Adelaide, December 2014 Cornell University, USA Elena Pian George Heald INAF Institute of Space Astrophysics and Cosmic Physics, ASTRON, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Italy John Hillier Amrita Purkayastha University of Pittsburgh, USA Istituto di Radioastronomia, Bologna, Italy CAASTRO Annual Retreat 2014 Assaf Horesh Kevin Schawinski ETH Zurich, Switzerland Credit: Jacinta Den Besten Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Jeremy Howard Volker Springel University of San Francisco, USA Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies, Germany Garth Illingworth Ravi Subrahmanyan University of California Observatories, USA Raman Research Institute, India Huib Intema Nathan Tehrani National Radio Astronomy Observatory, New Mexico, US West Virginia University, USA David Kaplan Caterina Tiburzi University of Wisconsin, USA Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari, Italy Wolgang Kerzendorf Tony Willis University of Toronto, Canada Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory, Penticton, Canada Robert Kirschner Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, USA, Tim de Zeeuw USA European Southern Observatory, Garching, Germany Roland Kothes National Research Council, Canada Tom Landecker Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory, Penticton, Canada 72 73 CAASTRO 73 ANNUAL REPORT 2014 UNITE

Weiguang Cui Anna Kapinska Leiden University, The Netherlands Texas Tech University, USA Visits to overseas laboratories and facilities in 2014 Tamara Davis Antonios Katsianis Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Taiwan Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Marseille, Université Tamara Davis d’Aix-Marseille, France Martin Bell Stuart Wyithe Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA Eyal Kazin Arizona State University, USA Catania Observatory, Catania, Italy Tamara Davis Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Joe Callingham Jonghwan Rhee University of Auckland, New Zealand Universe, Tokyo, Japan Arizona State University, USA Center for Astronomy & Astrophysics, Shanghai Jiao Tamara Davis Eyal Kazin Tong University, China Bryan Gaensler University of Hawai’i, USA University of Oslo, Norway Arizona State University, USA Lister Staveley-Smith Tamara Davis Evan Keane Center for Astronomy & Astrophysics, Shanghai Jiao Jack Line University of Illinois, USA SKA Project Offi ce, Manchester, Jodrell Bank, UK Arizona State University, USA Tong University, China Alan Duffy Hansik Kim Cleo Loi Bryan Gaensler University of Manchester, UK Korea Institute for Advanced Study, South Korea Arizona State University, USA Centre d’Etudes de Saclay, Paris, France Alan Duffy Hansik Kim Ben McKinley Attila Popping Kyungpook National University, South Korea Arizona State University, USA Columbia University, New York, USA University of Nottingham, UK Tara Murphy Brian Schmidt Lisa Fogarty Anthea King Arizona State University, USA Dark Cosmology Centre, The Niels Bohr Institute, European Southern Observatory, Garching, Germany Royal Observatory, University of Edinburgh, UK Pietro Procopio Denmark Lisa Fogarty Anthea King Arizona State University, USA Bryan Gaensler Gemini South, La Serena, Chile University of St Andrews, UK Brian Schmidt Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Lisa Fogarty Anthea King Arizona State University, USA Toronto, Canada Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge, UK University of Sussex, UK Rachel Webster James Allen Lisa Fogarty Jun Koda European Southern Observatory, Garching, Germany Arizona State University, USA University of Oxford, UK Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the James Allison Danail Obreschkow Bryan Gaensler Universe, Tokyo, Japan ASTRON, The Netherlands University of Oxford, UK École Normale Supérieure, Paris, France Emil Lenc Se-Heon Oh Ramesh Bhat Bryan Gaensler SKA Project Offi ce, Manchester, Jodrell Bank, UK ASTRON, The Netherlands Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope, India Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale, Paris, France Emil Lenc Lister Staveley-Smith Ramesh Bhat Bryan Gaensler University of California (Berkeley), USA ASTRON, The Netherlands International Union of Radio Science, Beijing, China Leiden University, The Netherlands Jack Line Attila Popping Chris Blake Penn State University, USA ASTRON, The Netherlands University of California (Berkeley), USA Bryan Gaensler Observatoire de Paris, Paris, France Jack Line James Allison Chris Blake University of California (Berkeley), USA ASTRON, The Netherlands University of Canterbury, New Zealand Bryan Gaensler Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, Jean-Pierre Macquart Ewan Barr Chris Blake The Netherlands Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand University of Illinois, USA SKA Project Offi ce, Manchester, Jodrell Bank, UK Bryan Gaensler Willem van Straten Davide Burlon Felipe Marin Square Kilometre Array Offi ce, Jodrell Bank, UK Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand University of Trieste – INAF Trieste Astronomical Fundación Centro de Estudios de Física del Cosmos de Matthew Bailes Observatory, Italy Bryan Gaensler Aragón, Spain California Institute of Technology, USA Mike Childress Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France Felipe Marin Brian Schmidt Keck Telescope, Hawai’i, USA Bryan Gaensler Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Heidelberg, California Institute of Technology, Germany Mike Childress Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France Bryan Gaensler Queen’s University Belfast, Ireland Bryan Gaensler Felipe Marin Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, Mike Childress University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands University of Bologna, Italy Toronto, Canada Southampton University, UK Bryan Gaensler Jeremy Mould Richard Scalzo Mike Childress University of Groningen, The Netherlands Munich Institute for Astro- and Particle Physics, Carnegie Observatories in Pasadena, USA Germany University of Hawai’i, USA Anna Kapinska Anna Kapinska Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, University of Se-Heon Oh Catania Observatory, Catania, Italy Matthew Colless European Southern Observatory, Garching, Germany Portsmouth, UK Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain 74 CAASTRO 75 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

Pietro Procopio Brian Schmidt University of California (Berkeley), USA University of Auckland, New Zealand WORKSHOPS Mayuri Rao Brian Schmidt Raman Research Institute, Bangalore, India University of Southampton, UK Jonghwan Rhee Brian Schmidt University of Toronto, Canada Korean Astronomy and Space Science Institute, Korea Nic Scott Jonghwan Rhee European Southern Observatory, Garching, Germany National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China Nic Scott University of Oxford, UK CAASTRO hosted a number of interesting, well attended and stimulating workshops during 2014. Jonghwan Rhee Ivo Seitenzahl Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, China University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA Jennifer Riding Lister Staveley-Smith Penn State University, USA National Astronomical Observatories Chinese Academy SkyMapper Workshop Jennifer Riding of Sciences, China In April 2014, almost fi fty people came together for Kepler Space Telescope, the world’s most powerful University of California (Berkeley), USA Lister Staveley-Smith three days in the Commonwealth Solar Observatory tool for the study of micro variability. This session had Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, China Building at Mt Stromlo outside Canberra, to attend a a focus on initiatives for exploiting synergies between Ashley Ruiter CAASTRO workshop on the SkyMapper telescope. SkyMapper and Kepler. Lister Staveley-Smith University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA There has been high expectation of SkyMapper for SKA Project Offi ce, Manchester, Jodrell Bank, UK The afternoon was devoted to the subject of galaxy Elaine Sadler several years, however a diverse range of challenges had evolution, with a focus on a holistic approach to Lister Staveley-Smith European Southern Observatory, Garching, Germany delayed it. The telescope started its long-awaited survey understanding all the components that contribute to University of Waterloo, Canada only weeks before the workshop, so it was a good time Richard Scalzo a galaxy’s evolution. This included presentations on Edoardo Tescari to bring together the builders and users of the survey. active nuclei, the fate of gas in light of feedback, and Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, USA International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Starting the workshop, the then CAASTRO Director, the complications introduced by dust. The session Richard Scalzo Italy Bryan Gaensler, reminded attendees of SkyMapper’s also covered multi-wavelength approaches, as well as Stony Brook University, USA Edoardo Tescari cornerstone role in CAASTRO and its synergy with a combining SkyMapper observations with data from the host of other Australian all-sky projects. Brian Schmidt Australian SKA Pathfi nder, spectroscopic instruments, Richard Scalzo Istituto de Astrofi sica, Ponticia Universidad Católica de ran through SkyMapper’s history, which brought back and from the German-Russian eROSITA mission. University of Pittsburg, USA Chile, Chile memories of bushfi res, broken fi lters and ladybug The fi nal day of the workshop brought the focus back Adam Schaefer Edoardo Tescari invasions. Christian Wolf updated attendees on the Korea Institute for Advanced Study, South Korea to one of SkyMapper’s core strengths: the mapping of Durham University, Durham, UK current plan and progress with the telescope, now stars and the structure of the Milky Way. A report on Edoardo Tescari commissioned, and the survey strategy, the progress of Brian Schmidt the early discovery of the most metal-poor and pristine University of Trieste – INAF Trieste Astronomical projects, and updated science priorities. star known in the Universe found in early observations Institut Teknologi Bandung, Indonesia Observatory, Italy The afternoon of the workshop was dedicated to of SkyMapper was a highlight. Brian Schmidt Cath Trott technical and performance aspects of SkyMapper, There is strong support for the SkyMapper team to Johannes Gutenberg–Universität Mainz, Germany SKA Project Offi ce, Manchester, Jodrell Bank, UK including ideas for maximising the quality of data focus on an early data release in 2015 (a preliminary distributed to the community. The highlight of this Brian Schmidt Syed Uddin calibration, but it will cover the whole sky to shallow session was a demonstration by Simon Murphy limits), before progressing to implement the longer-term Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, Groningen, University of Illinois, USA (formerly ANU, now at the University of Heidelberg) of The Netherlands strategy. SkyMapper is now an Australian national Rachel Webster how the SkyMapper data will be accessed through the facility, with an ARC LIEF grant led by CAASTRO Brian Schmidt University of Auckland, New Zealand Virtual Observatory. This facility now offers powerful paying for its operation over the next fi ve years. Munich Institute of Astro- and Particle Physics, Germany Rachel Webster and versatile tools. The workshop was also an opportunity for the new University of California (Berkeley), USA On the morning of the second day, SkyMapper’s SkyMapper Executive Committee to meet for the Brian Schmidt work on variable phenomena was discussed, including fi rst time. Overall, the workshop made clear that the Miraikan National Museum of Emerging Science and Chris Wolf the supernova survey, target-of-opportunity alerts, community’s commitment to SkyMapper is strong European Southern Observatory, Garching, Germany Innovation, Japan GRBs, FRBs, and the potential to look for gravitational and that there is a growing interest in the science Brian Schmidt Chris Wolf waves. Brad Tucker (ANU) introduced a session on opportunities that it offers. Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Heidelberg, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore SkyMapper’s support for the extended mission of the Germany Brian Schmidt Chris Wolf Queen’s University Belfast, Ireland University of Oxford, UK Brian Schmidt Stuart Wyithe Queen’s University Kingston, Canada Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, USA Brian Schmidt Bonnie Zhang Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands Keck Telescope, Hawaii, USA 76 CAASTRO 77 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

LSST Workshop, AAO, Sydney The Stawell mine. Credit: Andy Green Credit: Jeremy Mould

Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) ASKAP Commissioning & Early Science MWA Workshop CoEPP/CAASTRO Joint Workshop Roadshow (ACES) Busy Weeks The MWA expansion workshop was held at CAASTRO In February 2013, CAASTRO and the ARC Centre headquarters at the University of Sydney during of Excellence of Particle Physics at the Terrascale The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) is an Over the past year the ASKAP Commissioning and 15–16 October. The purpose of the workshop was (CoEPP) held their fi rst joint Dark Universe meeting at 8.4-m optical and infrared telescope about to commence Early Science (ACES) Team has been holding regular to share the MWA Director Steven Tingay’s vision The University of Melbourne. One of the outcomes of construction on Cerro Pachón, Chile. CAASTRO, in busy weeks to combine in-house CSIRO expertise with for future phases of expansion for the MWA and for that meeting was a decision to pursue an Australian conjunction with AAO, ANU, Swinburne and ICRAR University researchers from across Australia. Led by science teams to discuss new science programs that dark-matter direct detection experiment. Towards the hosted an LSST roadshow in Sydney, Canberra, Dave McConnell, the team includes CAASTRO research could be supported by an enhanced MWA. end of 2013, the Northern Grampians Shire Council Melbourne and Perth during 27–31 October 2014. fellows Emil Lenc, Attila Popping and Pietro Procopio, contacted CAASTRO’s Katie Mack, interested in her and affi liates James Allison, Keith Bannister and Martin The workshop was well attended with representatives LSST offers many scientifi c opportunities and synergies description of direct detection experiments overseas. Bell. The novel phased-array feed technology, already from all the MWA key science programs and from for Australian astronomers. The aim of the roadshow This idea was progressed by CoEPP, and members being used with the 6-antenna test array, enables CSIRO, CAASTRO and the MWA Board. The was to initiate discussion about Australian participation of the Melbourne and Swinburne Physics groups astronomers to produce a single image that would presentations covered a myriad of topics, from in LSST. Our special guests for these events were began talks with the managers of the mine to discuss normally take multiple observations with a traditional ambitious new science like detecting the cosmic web Professor Steven Kahn (LSST Director) and Professor the possibility of using a portion of the mine as an interferometer. These activities have produced to practical issues of maintaining radio-quietness at the Željko Ivezić (LSST Project Scientist). underground physics lab. impressive results, with fantastic images of the radio Murchison Radio-astronomy observatory. Each workshop featured LSST overviews from sky, containing thousands of distant active galaxies. The meeting concluded with MWA Staff Scientist The 2nd CAASTRO CoEPP joint workshop, which Professors Kahn and Ivezić, and contributed talks from Stay tuned in 2015 for a number of early science occurred at the Seppelts Winery in the rural Victorian Australian astronomers on proposed LSST science. Randall Wayth presenting a proposed timeline for papers, including discoveries of jet-gas interactions concluding array confi guration discussions and the town of Great Western over 28–30 September 2014, There was strong and positive discussion about LSST in young radio galaxies (Allison et al., submitted to was an opportunity to build on those collaborations and and Australian participation at each location. Director’s plan for securing funding and expansion in MNRAS), wide-fi eld imaging and kinematics of HI gas in 2015. The MWA is an active and productive telescope, to make concrete plans for an exciting new opportunity LSST as an all-southern-sky, imaging survey, is highly galaxy groups (Serra et al., in prep.) and monitoring of and its future is exciting. in dark-matter research. In addition to bringing together complementary to the Australian community’s interest intermittent pulsars (Hobbs et al., in prep.). local and international experts on all aspects of in large-scale radio and spectroscopic surveys. At dark-matter research, the workshop was also designed present Australia does not have access to contiguous around introducing the scientifi c community to a digital optical imaging in the southern hemisphere proposal for the dark-matter detector in the Stawell (Sloan Digital Sky Survey, SDSS, only covers 2200 gold mine. square degrees south of +10 deg declination). While Attendees at the workshop included members of a SkyMapper improves this situation, in terms of the preliminary collaboration with scientists at the INFN static sky, the main advantage of LSST over other large in Italy, as well as the Science Attaché for the Italian area surveys is in the expected average seeing of 0.7 Embassy. Discussions at the workshop touched upon arcsecond which allows better star-galaxy separation. the radiation and cosmic-ray-shielding conditions at the Over the 10-year period 2022 to 2032, LSST Stawell mine, both of which appear to be acceptable. will image 18,000 deg2 of the sky in six bands, CoEPP has already received encouragement from the visiting every position about 800 times to reach a local Stawell council, and several public meetings have fi nal co-added magnitude limit r = 27.5. LSST will shown a great deal of community support. be transformational for a wide range of topics in astronomy, including weak lensing, baryon accoustic oscillation studies, supernovae, near-Earth objects, stellar astronomy, galaxy evolution, Galactic structure Members of the ASKAP Commissioning and Early Science and transients. LSST will also explore new frontiers in Team during one of their busy weeks. astronomy data management, producing 30 TB of data Credit: CSIRO and approximately one million transient alerts per night. Early Science from Low-Frequency Radio Telescopes meeting in Tempe Arizona. Credit: Emil Lenc 78 CAASTRO 79 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

CONFERENCES Women in Astronomy Conference, ANU Credit: Ruth Maddison

Supernovae in the Local Universe conference attendees Credit: Coffs Harbour Advocate 2014 Women in Astronomy Workshop ASA Early Career Researcher Mentoring In 2014 CAASTRO supported the annual Astronomy Workshop 2014 Society of Australia Women in Astronomy workshop CAASTRO also supported the Astronomical Society held in Canberra during 28–29 August 2014. Over of Australia (ASA) second Early Career Researcher the past three years the workshop has explored the Mentoring Workshop in 2014. The workshop took place important issues of unconscious biases and leadership over 2–3 June at Cedar Creek Lodges on Tamborine development for women. The theme this year was “We Mountain in the Gold Coast hinterland close to Brisbane, are all made of stars: establishing equity and diversity QLD. The purpose of the workshop was to address within Australian Astronomy”. topics related to career progression for the future leaders Attendees at the Workshop included astronomers, in our astronomy community. scientists, engineers, technical and administrative The workshop was aimed at postdocs, fi nishing PhD staff, who examined what we as a profession can do students, very junior faculty, and anyone beginning to improve gender, racial and sex-based equity within to establish themselves and looking for career our fi eld. guidance. The sessions included presentations and also Some high-profi le speakers inspired, and encouraged discussions and other thought-provoking activities with change for the audience. Elizabeth Broderick, participation and interaction. Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner and a highlight speaker at the conference, presented the outcomes of the “male champions of change” initiative. Gender equity does not come about by women working alone. Male champions, in their positions of infl uence, CAASTRO students inspecting the ATCA dishes during the ATNF Summer School. are standing up alongside women to give voice to Credit: Emil Lenc gender and equity issues. The Hon Michaelia Cash MP, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women, opened the conference and said “75% of astronomers are men, so 75% of the solutions on gender in your fi eld need to be coming from men […] because women’s issues are men’s issues and in the end, they are just people issues.” SUPERNOVAE IN THE LOCAL UNIVERSE Dr Cordelia Fine, an academic psychologist and Called supernova 1987A, it was the brightest exploding Associate Professor at the Melbourne Business School, Coffs Harbour NSW, 10-15 August 2014 star seen since telescopes were developed, and the one University of Melbourne, introduced us to the term CAASTRO’s “Supernovae in the Local Universe” was that most changed our understanding of what happens ‘neurosexism’. She explained how scientifi c studies on held during 10–15 August 2014 at Coffs Harbour in these events. brain functionality have been used to reinforce gender in NSW and was the second in the annual series of stereotypes in ways that are often not scientifi cally CAASTRO conferences in wide-fi eld astronomy. The SN 1987A was a supernova in the outskirts of the justifi ed. meeting was successful attracting over 140 professional Tarantula Nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a nearby dwarf galaxy. It occurred approximately Dr Megan Clark, Chief Executive of CSIRO, summarised astronomers from 24 countries to Coffs Harbour to 160,000 light-years from earth, close enough that the Workshop by saying that that every leader needs to celebrate the life and death of an exploding star. it was visible to the naked eye in the southern be responsible for ensuring diversity within their team Exploding stars, supernovae, are not just a curiosity: hemisphere. It was the closest observed supernova and setting targets to achieve this. they made all the gold, platinum, cobalt, nickel, and since SN 1604, which occurred in the Milky Way itself. lead we have on Earth. With his colleagues, Brian Schmidt used exploding stars to measure the expansion The light from the new supernova reached earth on of the universe, for which he was awarded the Nobel February 23, 1987. As it was the fi rst supernova Prize in Physics in 2011. discovered in 1987, it was labelled ‘1987A’. It was the fi rst opportunity for modern astronomers to see a The week-long conference particularly celebrated one supernova up close, and observations have provided star seen exploding in 1987 — 10,000 days ago. much insight into core-collapse supernovae. 80 CAASTRO 81 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

Supernovae in the Local Universe Conference. Credit: CAASTRO

Participants included Kate Scholberg astronomers presenting observations CAASTRO ANNUAL RETREAT (neutrino hunter from Duke University, spanning from ultra-high-energy USA) and the renowned amateur gamma-rays and X-rays, through The 2014 CAASTRO Annual Retreat took place in supernova hunter, the Reverend Bob visible and infrared light, down to the relaxing surroundings at Twin Waters, on the Sunshine Evans. Dick McCray gave an excellent lowest-energy radio wavelengths. Coast in Queensland, over 19–21 November, and overview of the remnant around After nearly thirty years, this unique SN 1987A. The conference also marked event continues to inspire and inform was attended by almost 100 members of CAASTRO. the 65th birthday of supernova supremo astronomers about the fundamental Attendees enjoyed a stimulating program of science Professor Robert (Bob) Kirshner of nature of exploding stars. talks and networking activities, including invited talks Harvard University. from overseas visitors Professor Volker Springel (the This conference received a large University of Heidelberg) and Dr Huib Intema (National Science highlights from the conference amount of media interest, with two Radio Astronomy Observatory). Volker Springel spoke include the discovery that a very articles in the local newspaper Coffs on hydrodynamical simulations of galaxy formation, high fraction of massive stars have Harbour Advocate, a segment on and in particular how they have progressed in the last companions, as well as the very both the Prime and NBN TV News, few years; Huib Intema spoke on how to correct for fi rst detection by the Hubble Space and a number of foreign language ionospheric distortions when making low-frequency Telescope of a star whose white SBS radio appearances from the radio observations. dwarf companion exploded as a faint conference’s invited speakers. It was thermonuclear supernova. Scientists at a very successful week of science The program packed in overviews of the CAASTRO the conference also presented an array and networking. themes, detailed talks on projects within the themes, and Many of the projects discussed at the meeting, such as of novel techniques for fi nding and free-ranging panel discussions, including an overview of SAMI, some of the MWA projects, and the upgrade of studying supernovae, such as the Gaia the opportunities in Australian astronomy. Although the MOST, were still being planned at the time of previous and Kepler satellites, massive neutrino program had a focus on science, time was also found CAASTRO retreats, but are now beginning to produce detectors, and new facilities hunting for for a speed mentoring session and, on the Friday, an results, to the clear satisfaction of both speakers and elusive gravity waves. informal breakfast for women in CAASTRO. In another listeners. SN 1987A itself was the focus of many step forward for gender equity, the prizes for best Now former CAASTRO Director Bryan Gaensler was science talks at the conference, with poster, best talk, best student talk and best student farewelled in style at the conference dinner, with Lister poster were all won by women: Rebecca McElroy, Emily Staveley-Smith (UWA), Anne Green (Sydney), Steven Petroff, Cleo Loi and Mayouri Rao. Tingay (Curtin), Kate Gunn (Sydney) and new Director Elaine Sadler (Sydney) all praising his leadership. There was also a session that allowed teams to create short videos to highlight their science. The The Annual Retreat ran very smoothly, thanks to the end result (of eight short video entries) was a great hard work of the CAASTRO A-team. Special thanks are success. (As)tropfrest is available for viewing on the due to Kylie Williams for planning and running many CAASTRO YouTube channel. excellent CAASTRO events during 2014.

Images from the Science in a Minute smartphone video competition. 1 2 1. Black Holes 2. FRB Assault 3. The CAASTROic times of SAMI (ScreenShot Galaxy) 4. Stacking on the Beach 5. MWA (which took out the award for most popular movie). All of the movies can be found on the CAASTRO YouTube Channel

3 4 5 82 CAASTRO 83 ANNUAL REPORT 2014 EDUCATION & OUTREACH PhD student Jennifer Riding (Swinburne) attended a Visitors of “Stars in the Yarra Ranges” were well looked “Telescopes in Schools” observing night. after by Mount Burnett Observatory members. Credit: Jacinta den Besten Credit: Roslyn Gupta

CAASTRO Voyages to the Red Centre The students and teachers alike love receiving their the amateur astronomy group organised the week-long CAASTRO merchandise and often come back asking event at various venues throughout the Yarra Ranges This year saw the start of our ‘Uluru Astronomer in questions about something they read in the booklet. including local schools and the Yarra Ranges Museum. Residence’ program with industry partner, Voyages 2015 will be an opportunity for CAASTRO to continue Along with telescope observing, hands-on activities Indigenous Tourism Australia. This program saw our connections with these schools in Melbourne’s and live feeds from extra-terrestrial telescopes, Dr fourteen CAASTRO members spend two weeks each northern suburbs as the TiS program expands into more Pietro Procopio, Mr Syed Uddin, Professor Chris Power, at Uluru as the CAASTRO ‘Astronomer in Residence’. schools and the second Astrophotography competition Professor Karl Glazebrook, Ms Emily Petroff and Dr Under the leadership of Mike Dalley, Ayers Rock is launched for National Science Week. Ewan Barr all gave very well received talks about current Resort Stars Department Manager, each of these CAASTRO research. Each of the talks was recorded, and astronomers spoke to the public on a daily basis in the an overview of the week was created and can now be town square about their research and CAASTRO, as viewed on the CAASTRO YouTube channel. In addition well as doing some solar observing. In the evenings, to National Science Week, regular guest speakers from the astronomers helped out with star tours and the CAASTRO attended the Mount Burnett Observatory renowned ‘Sounds of Silence’ dinner. This has been meetings, sharing their research and knowledge. Thanks a fantastic experience for both astronomers and the Dr Richard Scalzo (ANU) enjoyed a visit to Yulara School in are due to the organisation and enthusiasm of Dr James the Northern Territory. tourists alike and the program will expand in 2015. Murray, past Outreach Offi cer and new President, and his Credit: Yulara School The astronomers’ adventures can be followed on the team at Mount Burnett as the partnership continues to fl ourish and CAASTRO’s outreach to a wider community new @CAASTROatUluru Twitter account. This year’s Planetarium show highlights included plenty of photography from Dr grows. Sean Farrell and Dr Iraklis Konstantopoulos, Dr Richard Our collaboration with Museum Victoria is progressing Scalzo’s visit to Yulara School, and the fantastic towards the production of the planetarium show “A new Public Outreach era of astronomy”, featuring key CAASTRO projects and questions from all of the children. Our researchers continue to give public talks both telescope facilities. The show will introduce the public throughout Australia and internationally discussing their to the concept of all-sky astrophysics as the new and Astronaut Chris Hadfi eld presented at our co-sponsored “Space Oddity” event. research, astronomy in general, the future of science, unique approach that will take astronomy into the next Credit: ScienceAlert and equality in astronomy. We are particularly pleased golden age. In 2014, the collaboration’s management that both our senior and junior members actively team discussed and decided on a production script, A Space Oddity engage in public outreach. Ten Perth-based members based on which a few scenes were developed and are offered their expertise to the around 3,000 visitors being reviewed by selected CAASTRO researchers who The team from Science Alert organized NASA Astronaut, of the CAASTRO booth at the 2014 Astrofest which are experts on the particular topic in question. We are Commander Chris Hadfi eld, to come out to Australia featured a live waterfall plot of the radio frequencies as very excited about the previews and are looking forward for National Science Week. Famous for his rendition of received by a single dipole antenna of the Murchison to more sequences being produced and to live action David Bowie’s “A Space Oddity” in zero-G while on the Widefi eld Array. CAASTRO Partner Investigator fi lming at the two nominated telescopes sites, Siding International Space Station, Commander Hadfi eld took Professor Ray Norris, CSIRO, gave a lecture on Spring Observatory and the Murchison Radio-astronomy to the stage in sell-out shows in Sydney and Canberra to “Indigenous Astronomy and Navigation”. Observatory (MRO). talk about his experiences and sing a song. CAASTRO Affi liate Dr Katie Mack shared the stage with the famed Professor Tamara Davis spoke at TEDxNoosa and the astronaut for all three shows talking to audiences BrisScience Event in Brisbane before heading over The expert panel discussion with Dr Karl during the Uluru Telescopes in Schools about dark matter. Chief Investigator Professor Brian Astronomy Weekend. to Auckland, New Zealand, to share the stage with The University of Melbourne’s “Telescope in Schools” Schmidt joined the tour for the Canberra leg, taking the Credit: Voyages Professor Brian Schmidt to showcase “The Dark Side (TiS) program just completed its third year and now Commander out to Mt Stromlo and participating in the of Astronomy”. Naturally, Professor Schmidt’s schedule As a special signature event, National Science Week boasts 11 schools and well over 3000 students show in the evening. CAASTRO was a proud sponsor is diffi cult to sum up briefl y but he also spoke at the was celebrated with the Uluru Astronomy Weekend. having looked through the telescopes. CAASTRO of this overwhelmingly successful event, wrapping up a Universities of Western Sydney and Tasmania, took part The weekend was hosted by Dr Karl Kruzselnicki, has continued our proud support of this program huge National Science Week for 2014. in video broadcast panel discussions at the ANU (“The and four prominent Australian astronomers and with regular visits from members to the schools. PhD Future of Education in an Online World”) and the National CAASTRO members (Professors Bryan Gaensler, Ray students Jennifer Riding and Antonios Katsianis are Stars in the Yarra Ranges Library (“Seeing back to the Big Bang”), appeared at the Norris, Steven Tingay and Rachel Webster) gave talks, regular attendees at Gisborne Secondary College and Our continued support for the Mount Burnett Observatory Royal Society of Victoria fundraiser lunch, contributed to demonstrations, a panel session and conversed with Northcote High School, respectively. The TiS program in the Yarra Ranges, north-east of Melbourne, saw six “Science at the Shine Dome”, spoke in Toronto, attended attendants. The weekend was very well attended with coordinator and temporary 2014 CAASTRO outreach members of CAASTRO present short talks on their the Nobel Prize Awards, and was a key presenter at the all activities well received as participants combined their offi cer, Jacinta den Besten, always attends the school research to over 400 members of the public over four inaugural SAGE (Science in Australia Gender Equity) interest in astronomy with the spectacular backdrop of observing sessions armed with CAASTRO rulers, nights during National Science Week. The members of workshop at the Australian Academy of Science. the Australian outback. balls and copies of the “CAASTRO Readers Digest”. 84 CAASTRO 85 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

Nobel Laureate Prof Brian Schmidt (ANU) participated in PhD Student Aina Musaeva (University of Sydney) ran a Dr Vanessa Moss (University of Sydney) took students on a Dr Phil Crosby (CSIRO) ran the Professional Training workshop “CAASTRO in the Chinese Classroom”. “Spaceday” for four New South Wales schools. guided tour of the Universe. for CAASTRO students and postdocs. Credit: Lan Lin Credit: Hill End Public School Credit: Bridges to Higher Education Credit: Kate Gunn

Dr Katie Mack headed all over the world, both CAASTRO Social Media Professional Development physically and virtually giving public talks both in person and through various podcasts, including one to We continued communicating our science through the The annual training workshop for our students and India. She also explored the sounds of the Big Bang CAASTRO Twitter, Facebook and YouTube accounts, staff ahead of the 2014 CAASTRO Annual Retreat was as a part of Melbourne Knowledge Week. “Pint in the as well through news stories on our website. This presented by Dr Phil Crosby from CSIRO in Perth on the Sky”, hosted by her and Dr Alan Duffy, also released communication strategy has proven a massive success topic “Leading big projects in astronomy”. Taking place new podcast episodes with many more to come in with over 900 followers on Twitter, over 20,000 at the University of Queensland in Brisbane on Tuesday 2015. Dr Duffy was also busy with regular TV spots on Facebook users who ‘like’ our page, and almost 100,000 18 November, 30 Postdoctoral researchers and students ABC News commenting on the latest astronomy news, video views of our YouTube channel. The latter was fed learned about the challenges, risks, and rewards in project and he took part in the “Science of Dr Who” tour. In with the special “Pint in the Sky” recording from National management. Having previously worked as Business addition to Professor Bryan Gaensler continuing with Science Week 2013, starring Henry Reich (“Minute Strategist for CSIRO, Dr Crosby was selected to join the his regular weekly Q&A session with Linda Mottram on Physics”) and “Bad Astronomer” Phil Plait, generating SKA Program Development Offi ce in Manchester, UK, as 702 ABC Sydney, there were many other radio spots over 10,000 views by themselves. Manager for Industry Participation Strategy. His expertise Professor Tamara Davis (UQ) conveyed her enthusiasm for in seeing an astronomy project through from conception with participation by CAASTRO members. astronomy at TEDxNoosa. A new Video Press Release (ViPR) was produced in April via construction to completion made him a very engaging Credit: TEDx 2014, in conjunction with the publication of our ex-PhD trainer to our members, who enjoyed the day. The School Engagement In addition to our “CAASTRO in the Classroom” student Kitty Lo’s paper, illustrating how “Computers beat brainpower when it comes to counting stars”. participants self-assembled into workgroups to tackle In mid 2014, local coordination of our seminar program program, we are very appreciative of our individual questions and tasks and even came up with a project to “CAASTRO in the Classroom” (CitC), linking researchers superstars who dedicate their time to talk to school create a ‘death star’. from across Australia to schools in metropolitan and students about their astronomy research and about regional areas via video-conferencing technology, changed careers in science. Two of these superstars to highlight Networking and career advice by hands as we thanked Dr Jamie Farnes and Dr Shane in 2014 were University of Sydney PhD student Aina O’Sullivan for their efforts and welcomed the University Musaeva who single-handedly organised a “Spaceday” CAASTRO Mentors of Sydney’s Dr Nicholas Scott and Dr Vanessa Moss at Hill End Public School in New South Wales. The event CAASTRO continues to ensure our students and into their new roles. The program was re-launched in a was joined by three more local schools, Hargraves, early-career researchers receive valuable training, gain modifi ed structure in 2014 to align sessions more closely Wollar, and Glen Alice Public Schools, and reached transferable skills, and advance their careers. To this end, with the science curriculum. This led to a decrease in around 60 students. In the evening, Hill End also hosted in 2014 we continued our mentoring program designed to the total number of sessions offered but the dial-up a community dinner for residents of the village with Aina provide support and guidance for our younger members rate of schools increased, and the program ran six CitC leading the night sky viewing through telescopes. by experienced mentors. The nature, frequency, and PLUS Curriculum Revision Lectures that were attended The partial solar eclipse in late April presented an intensity of the mentoring sessions and activities are up by almost 1,000 students. In addition, the CitC Virtual opportunity that ICRAR-Curtin researchers Dr Cathryn The rapidly spinning pulsar emits radio waves. to each mentor-mentee pairing, with the high resolution Classroom allowed us to record and store sessions such Trott and Dr Randall Wayth used for outdoor astronomy Credit: Swinburne Astronomy Productions video conferencing equipment installed at all CAASTRO that schools can include the lectures in their teaching nodes assisting the program through virtual meetings. outreach at Bannister Creek Primary School in Perth Another CAASTRO press release, Dr Jean-Pierre Macquart’s at their convenience. Preliminary statistics from the At every CAASTRO Annual Retreat, we schedule formal where visibility proved much more favorable than in the and Professor Ue-Li Pen’s “Galactic lens yields precision Department of Education suggested that each lecture had and informal time for our mentors and mentees to have Australian Eastern states. pulsar measurement” was accompanied by a short been viewed more than 50 times, in particular by schools face-to-face discussions. In 2014 we re-introduced speed animation of a spinning pulsar that attracted over 27,000 in remote New South Wales locations. We also partnered Providing a lasting “Astrophysicist’s Guide to mentoring at the Annual Retreat to increase the mentoring views. This overwhelming response highlighted the value of up with the Queensland Government’s education service Exploring the Universe”, CAASTRO former PhD opportunities for those who chose to participate. high-quality visualisations of CAASTRO research, to which OneChannel to broadcast lectures. student and now research staff member Dr Vanessa Moss featured in a video by the Government program end we are continuing to work with the talented team CAASTRO also continues to have a good relationship EDUCATEOur program extension “CAASTRO in the Chinese “Bridges to Higher Education” that is available on at Swinburne Astronomy Productions to add more such with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Ultrahigh Classroom”, with enthusiastic support from Dr Fang YouTube. In addition to her virtual presence, she animations to our library. The CAASTRO website received bandwidth Devices for Optical Systems (CUDOS), Yuan at the ANU in Canberra, saw two sessions in also visited Greystanes Public School and Catherine over 66,000 views throughout the year, with just under a centred on monthly meetings between our respective 2014: on 30 May, there was a joint session by Dr McAuley Catholic School in mid 2014. quarter coming from Australia and the rest internationally. Centre Directors and COOs and a corresponding Brad Tucker (“Distances across the Universe”) and Dr The ‘News’ section, in particular, with its frequent infl ux continuous exchange of ideas and practices. In October CAASTRO researchers Associate Professor Chris Power, Fang Yuan (“Dark Energy Survey and OzDES”) with of short research stories (on average, every fortnight) 2014, CUDOS and CAASTRO held a joint careers Dr Rick Newton, and Mr Paul Scott-Taylor from ICRAR- Guangdong Experimental High School and Hangzhou and press releases provides an attractive port of call for workshop for researchers and students at the University UWA had the opportunity to show off their exciting No.1 High School, which approximately 50 students CAASTRO staff and students, collaborators, members of of Sydney. This program was considered highly valuable galaxy simulations to students as part of an episode of attended. On 21 October, it was our Nobel Laureate the astronomy community, industry and Government, as by participants who heard presentations from industry Channel Ten’s children’s science show “Scope”. They Professor Brian Schmidt who took time out of his busy well as the general public. partners as well as other scientists. schedule to present “The Universe from Beginning explained what we can learn from these simulations and to End” to Hangzhou No.1 and Beijing No. 57 High why we need supercomputers to run them. Schools, reaching approximately 100 students. 86 CAASTRO 87 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

CAASTRO AT THE INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR RADIO ASTRONOMY RESEARCH (ICRAR)

Astronomy and astrophysics research in Western CAASTRO postdocs and students are mixed in with Australia is largely conducted at ICRAR, which is an other ICRAR research groups, as encouraged by the equal joint venture between Curtin University and ARC. Perth-area meetings are organised on a frequent the University of Western Australia (UWA). ICRAR basis by Se-Heon Oh and Cathyrn Trott and alternate is a single organisation with two physical nodes, between Curtin and UWA. ICRAR’s signifi cant pre- located near the main campus of each university. existing involvement with radio astronomy projects has ICRAR has a unifi ed business plan and conducts joint allowed CAASTRO to leverage greater science return research programs, seminars and senior undergraduate from its investment and benefi t from considerable astronomy programs. CAASTRO’s engagement with in-kind support from ICRAR’s engineering, ICT and ICRAR is through the CAASTRO Chief Investigators science staff. at the individual universities, Steven Tingay and Lister Staveley-Smith, who are Curtin and UWA node leaders respectively, and who are both Directors at ICRAR.

CAASTROLOCATIONS

EoR Busy Week in Berkeley ICRAR members Credit: Emil Lenc Credit: ICRAR 88 CAASTRO 89 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

CAASTRO AT CURTIN UNIVERSITY CAASTRO Curtin University team members

Prof Steven Tingay Dr Stephen Ord The Curtin Institute of Radio Astronomy was home to CAASTRO Curtin MSc student Mehran CAASTRO Chief Investigator, Node Leader, CAASTRO Associate Investigator fourteen CAASTRO members in 2014 who contributed Mossammaparast graduated in 2014, having developed Leader Education and Outreach Theme: Dynamic to the Dynamic and Evolving Universe research themes, an alternative radiometric receiver for the BIGHORNS Themes: Dynamic, Evolving the CAASTRO Education and Outreach program, and to set-up. Two summer students were further involved During 2014, Ord was heavily involved in the the administration of the Curtin node. in the BIGHORNS project in 2014, and characterised Tingay’s CAASTRO involvement continues to span the preliminary design of the SKA correlator. This project a new front-end receiver for the set-up to improve the administrative, as member of the CAASTRO Executive, involves industrial partnerships with NVIDIA, IBM and In the Dynamic Universe, the Curtin team continued CISCO Systems. Ord continues to work with Tremblay, accuracy of the signal calibration process. This new and the scientifi c. Tingay’s interests in time-domain the hunt for, and analysis of, ‘fast radio bursts’ (FRBs), astronomy and instrumentation are refl ected in his Oronsaye, Bhat, and Tingay on the high-time-resolution system will soon be deployed at the MRO and will using the Murchison Widefi eld Array (MWA). With involvement with other CAASTRO staff in work to pipeline for the MWA. bring the BIGHORNS team closer to having a chance of their pooled expertise in pulsars, high-time-resolution, detect pulsars and fast radio bursts with the Murchison discovering the EoR. voltage capture and statistics, CAASTRO is well Widefi eld Array (MWA). Tingay’s involvement in Epoch Dr Randall Wayth positioned to be a major player in this exciting research Data collected as part of the MWA EoR project (led by of Reionisation research, both via global signal and CAASTRO Associate Investigator fi eld. Dr Steven Tremblay implemented an end-to-end Dr Cathryn Trott) were successfully run through the power spectrum techniques, continues strongly within Theme: Evolving pipeline to take raw voltage data from the MWA on-site pipeline for estimating the EoR power spectrum CHIPS CAASTRO. As Director of the MWA, Tingay has played and process incoherent fast transient event detection. (Cosmological HI Power Spectrum). The outputs were a high level role in delivering one of the key elements Wayth is a Senior Research Fellow, MWA staff scientist, project manager for the CAASTRO-supported In 2014, tens of hours of data were processed and consistent given the amount of data and instrumental of Australia's next-generation astronomy infrastructure, BIGHORNS EoR Global Signal project, and team leader used to provide a quality check on the pipeline and to effects. The team continued to develop a better an element that forms a signifi cant pillar of CAASTRO's for the MWA GLEAM sky survey. Wayth co-supervises refi ne methods for event detection. The CAASTRO understanding of the impact of foregrounds on EoR scientifi c success. two CAASTRO PhD students working in the evolving Annual Retreat in November 2014 marked the start detection, developed techniques to treat foreground Dr Ramesh Bhat theme. In addition to the GLEAM survey, Wayth works of coordinated follow-up observations that now see contaminants in the data, and compared different with several CAASTRO members on the MWA Epoch CAASTRO Associate Investigator the MWA in Western Australia, along with the Giant observational techniques for performing the EoR of Reionisation key science program. Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) in India, the experiment. This research has resulted in several papers Theme: Dynamic Very Large Array (VLA) in the United States, and the that contribute to the literature in this fi eld. Bhat’s research continues to focus on observational Dr Wiebke Ebeling Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope (MOST) on The Curtin node is the headquarters of the CAASTRO pulsar astronomy and the transient radio Universe. CAASTRO Education & Outreach Coordinator the east coast of Australia, shadow CSIRO’s Parkes Highlights from 2014 include him pioneering the fi rst Education and Outreach team: the program leader is Theme: Education & Outreach radio telescope in the search for FRBs. Also in high- Professor Steven Tingay and the program coordinator, pulsar-science publication with the newly-developed Ebeling project-manages all activities in the CAASTRO time-resolution science, CAASTRO PhD student Samuel Dr Wiebke Ebeling. Activities include news stories, high-time-resolution capability for the MWA, and his Oronsaye, under the supervision of Dr Ramesh Bhat, Dr involvement in the discovery of a fast radio burst in Education and Outreach program and liaises with press releases, social media, school engagement, program collaborators throughout Australia. In 2014, Stephen Ord, Dr Steven Tremblay and Professor Steven public-outreach activities and professional training real-time, which enabled multi-wavelength followups for the fi rst time. In the year ahead, Bhat plans to focus on Ebeling continued to support Astrofest, "CAASTRO in Tingay, cross-matched data from the MWA and from opportunities for CAASTRO junior members. Having further advancing the scientifi c capabilities for the MWA, the Classroom", National Science Week, "Telescopes Parkes to identify giant pulses from the Crab pulsar. established Science Outreach as a novel research while actively pursuing science with multiple instruments in Schools" and Mount Burnett Observatory and was In the Evolving Universe, the BIGHORNS Epoch of fi eld at Curtin, Dr Ebeling and Professor Tingay also including the MWA, GMRT and the Parkes telescope. responsible for the CAASTRO website, social media Reionisation (EoR) Global Signal project, led by Dr co-supervised a third-year project student who looked channels, press releases and “CAASTRO Reader’s Digest” Randall Wayth and driven by Dr Marcin Sokolowski, at different presentation formats of all-sky data sets Dr Jean-Pierre Macquart booklets. New additions to Ebeling‘s portfolio were the gathered momentum in 2014. The week long in research and outreach. The previously developed partnership with Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia, CAASTRO Associate Investigator deployment of the mobile set-up at a remote inland MWA demonstrator tool was a well-received addition the CAASTRO planetarium show by Museum Victoria, location in Western Australia in April allowed for the to the CAASTRO stand at Perth Astrofest in March Theme: Dynamic and the production of a research specifi c media library by collection of good-quality data that fuelled the system- 2014, and at the inaugural astronomy weekend at In 2014 Macquart continued work on the properties of Swinburne Astronomy Productions. Ebeling published in description paper, now published in the Publications of Uluru for National Science Week in August 2014. A fast radio bursts as a means of probing the baryonic her previous research fi eld (neuroscience) in early 2014 the Astronomical Society of Australia (PASA). Since successful press release originating from Curtin was the content of the Inter-Galactic Medium, and the use of and supervised a Curtin University third year project October 2014, the full BIGHORNS set-up, featuring the CAASTRO collaboration between Partner Investigator FRBs as cosmological tools in their own right. Closer student in the newly established research fi eld Education fi nal conical log-spiral antenna, has been deployed at Professor Ue-Li Pen at the University of Toronto and to home, he worked on the exceptionally unusual and Outreach in the fi rst half of 2014. Ebeling also the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory (MRO) in Dr Jean-Pierre Macquart at Curtin in May 2014. Other properties of the local interstellar medium as revealed represented CAASTRO in the “Education, Outreach and Western Australia. With over 3 TB of valuable data at Education and Outreach activities were conceived at by the scintillations of an intra-hour variable quasar. Careers” Working Group to advise the National Committee 50 millisecond resolution collected since, data-analysis and coordinated from the Curtin node and delivered This work, performed in collaboration with Professor for Astronomy for the Decadal Plan for Australian Astronomy 2016–2025. and improvements to the data analysis pipeline are in nationally. Ger de Bruyn at ASTRON in the Netherlands, revealed the presence of an exceptionally turbulent and dense full swing. patch of plasma only 1pc from Earth. Macquart also investigated optimal strategies for surveying the radio sky for transients whose bursts occur on relatively slow (>10 s) timescales. 90 CAASTRO 91 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

Dr Paul Hancock Dr Steven Tremblay CAASTRO Affi liate CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher Theme: Dynamic Theme: Dynamic Hancock has taken the idea of image stacking and applied In 2014, Tremblay led the commissioning of the Voltage it to transient radio phenomena to provide insights into Capture System (VCS) on the MWA. This commissioning the nature of type Ia supernovae and long gamma-ray was completed and the system is now in general use bursts. Hancock is one of the main contributors to the by MWA observers. During this process, a number of VAST pipeline, an analysis and visualisation tool designed pulsars, with varied dispersion measures and periods were to detect and classify variable and transient radio sources observed with the MWA. The VCS system is also being from the latest generation of radio surveys. Hancock is utilised by Tremblay to search for fast radio bursts, using currently using the VAST pipeline to process data from the directors time in 2014 and now has an approved MWA MWA in order to detect various signatures of variability. project to continue this work. Tremblay is a co-supervisor One such signature is the scintillation of distant galaxies of CAASTRO PhD student Samuel Oronsaye whose that occurs as their light passes through the interstellar thesis involves searching for RRATs and bursty pulsars medium of the Milky Way. with the MWA and uses the VCS to do so. Additionally, CAASTRO AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA (UWA) Tremblay worked on the BIGHORNS EOR Global Signal Mr Mehran Mossammaparast Experiment. This system was deployed this year at the CAASTRO Masters Student Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory and is now taking continuous sky data. Further work on calibration of Theme: Evolving The UWA node of CAASTRO is situated at the BETA observations of the southern GAMA G23 the system is underway at Curtin University. International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research region, which will ultimately also be the target for Mossammaparast carried out extensive receiver (ICRAR), a joint venture of Curtin and UWA. ICRAR the DINGO ultradeep project. This data will be used characterisation including RF characteristics and temperature Dr Cathryn Trott has a vigorous research program involving continuum for HI stacking experiments in the nearby Universe, variations in a controlled laboratory environment. The CAASTRO Affi liate receiver that he built is now ready to be integrated and and HI surveys, optical surveys and cosmological with a comparison of results to existing Parkes data. tested in the BIGHORNS system. Mossammaparast Theme: Dynamic, Evolving and galaxy-formation simulations, which perfectly . Popping and Meyer started reducing new VLA data completed his thesis for his M.Phil. in 2014. Trott’s work in the Evolving Universe theme has focused complements the research focus of CAASTRO targeted at the GAMA fi elds to perform a stacking on designing and implementing an Epoch of Reionisation researchers at UWA and other nodes. experiment and measure the cosmic gas evolution Mr Samuel Oronsaye (EoR) estimation algorithm, for application to data from Activities this year back to almost half the age of the Universe. The CAASTRO PhD Student the MWA. Trott is also leading efforts to understand the upgraded VLA allows measuring neutral hydrogen at impact of foreground contamination on EoR estimation. CAASTRO research at UWA has ramped up this Theme: Dynamic redshifts that are currently unexplored. Trott has derived a framework for understanding the year with the appointment of two new CAASTRO In 2014, Oronsaye focused on the analysis of the Crab noise properties of EoR datasets with low-frequency researchers, Popping and Rhee. This now brings . Popping contributed to the development of a new giant pulses observed simultaneously with the MWA and radio interferometers, contributing to the optimal design the number of CAASTRO postdoctoral research software package to perform automated source the Parkes radio telescope. The result of the analysis has of EoR experiments. Trott continued her collaborative appointments at UWA to fi ve. There was considerable fi nding called SoFiA (Source Finding Application). been fi nalised and written into a paper currently undergoing projects in 2014, working with medical physicists from research activity in 2014 in studying the kinematics of This package is now publicly available and resulted collaboration review, and to be published in 2015. Harvard to evaluate the utility of new medical imaging galaxies, both on a cosmological scale and a local scale in an accepted paper. The principle use of this techniques for estimating the size and location of through surveys such as 2MTF and SAMI, and through software will be to perform source fi nding and Dr Marcin Sokolowski tumours. Trott also has an active collaboration with the simulation and other observations. parameterisation for the DINGO and WALLABY CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher Radiation Physics group at the University of Sydney. As surveys. Theme: Evolving part of the Dynamic Theme, Trott contributes across a CAASTRO researchers at UWA have contributed to range of projects predicting the rate of Fast Radio Bursts CAASTRO’s Dynamic science theme as follows: . Popping and Meyer have successfully tested and In early 2014 Sokolowski worked on improvements in the detections with the MWA and SKA-Low, developing implemented CASA scripts to combine data and BIGHORNS system stability and calibration. In April 2014, a framework for accurately interpreting the results . Staveley-Smith, with Gaensler and PhD student generate image cubes for the CHILES (Cosmos Sokolowski and Wayth deployed the mobile system at the of current surveys, and understanding the statistical Zanardo, led a paper with exciting new data from HI Large Extragalactic) survey. CHILES is a large Wondinong Station in Western Australia.The inland location properties of high time resolution data in order to the Atacama Large Millimeter/sub-millimeter Array project on the VLA where a single pointing will was chosen in order to avoid radio-frequency interference detect signals more effi ciently. Trott is also performing (ALMA) and the Australia Telescope Compact Array be observed for 1000 hours. This ongoing project (RFI) identifi ed in the data previously collected at the cross-theme work, exploring the impact of ionospheric (ATCA), which detailed the relative contributions of is the ultimate precursor for future HI surveys on coastline location. The collection of several days worth and interplanetary-induced intensity variations on the dust and synchrotron emission in the remnant of the of good-quality (low-RFI) data enabled him to fi nalise and ASKAP. detectability of the EoR. famous Supernova 1987, and examined a possible submit a BIGHORNS system description paper to PASA. In . Further development of the WALLABY 2D new contribution from a pulsar wind nebula. the second half of the year he was preparing deployment Mrs Angela Dunleavy kinematics pipeline for resolved galaxies has of the conical log-spiral antenna at the Murchison Radio- Major contributions to the Evolving science theme have Administrative Coordinator occurred. Tests are being conducted on data from astronomy Observatory (MRO). It was deployed at the been: existing HI surveys in preparation for ASKAP. Dunleavy is responsible for collating non-fi nancial data MRO in October 2014 and has been collecting data since . Cui is currently fi nalising his research on the cosmic then. Thus, in the last part of the year Sokolowski was for CAASTRO reports and provides administrative . Investigation of central dark-matter distribution web. analysing the new data. Finally, in December he was also support to the CAASTRO team at Curtin and at in nearby (< 11 Mpc) dwarf galaxies from high- working together with his summer student Daniel Ung on CAASTRO Annual Retreats. . As part of a joint program between the SAMI/ resolution HI galaxy survey has concluded and a characterisation and testing of the new front-end receiver GAMA/DINGO teams, Meyer, Obreschkow, paper has been accepted for publication. Ms Tina Sallis which is planned to be deployed at the MRO in early 2015 Popping, Staveley-Smith and other CAASTRO . Cosmological galaxy formation zoom simulations in order to improve accuracy of the signal calibration. Finance Manager members commenced a JVLA survey to carry have been used to study Milky Way-mass galaxies Sallis is responsible for fi nancial support to the CAASTRO out widefi eld HI observations in the G09 fi eld. In in different environments. Ms Kim Steele January, they obtained ~60 pointings in this region, team members and Curtin and for reconciliation of . Important limits have been placed on the CAASTRO Honours Student fi nancial data against the CAASTRO budget. initially selecting fi elds to maximise the direct temperature of dark matter using galaxy-clustering detection of SAMI sources. These observations will Theme: Evolving measurements. be used to carry out studies of angular momentum Steele was part of the ‘Student Army’ who helped Major contributions to the Dark science theme have constructing the 128-tile Murchison Widefi eld Array (MWA) in galaxies, the impact of group environment on been: in Western Australia. Her Honours thesis “Measuring galaxy evolution, and HI stacking experiments at HI absorption in distant quasars with the Murchison intermediate redshifts. . In a major milestone, Springob has led the Widefi eld Array” used MWA commissioning data to look . Meyer, Popping, and other members of the DINGO publication of a cosmographic analysis using for absorption in the radio spectrum of TN0924-2201. and WALLABY survey teams obtained three ASKAP- data from the 6dF Galaxy Survey. The paper was The work confi rmed previous results on this source and continued into 2014 with new data from the full MWA. 92 CAASTRO 93 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

higher redshift (z~0.9). A large amount of data has Mr Scott Meyer been secured and more observations will be carried CAASTRO PhD Student out in 2015 for WiggleZ fi elds. Using the data, Rhee will work on a data-analysis pipeline including removal Theme: Evolving and Dark of radio-frequency interference and foreground Meyer is investigating the Tully-Fisher relation using contamination from the observed data. stacked HI profi les with his supervisors (Martin) Meyer, Obreschkow and Staveley-Smith. His research uses the Dr Weiguang Cui S-cubed simulations and HIPASS data. CAASTRO Affi liate CAASTRO UWA team members Ms Clare Peter Theme: Evolving and Dark CAASTRO Administrator Cui works on the cosmic web, using the cosmic web Peter provides administrative support at the UWA node. accompanied by the public release of the peculiar- derive a (improved) rotation curve of the Large identifi cation codes DISPERSE and Vweb, focusing on . She looks after the UWA node fi nancials and reports velocity data. Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and mass model using the predictions of cosmic-web properties from simulations back to the CAASTRO Chief Operating Offi cer. She newly developed pipeline and comparisons with observation results. Cui also . Additional papers co-authored with the 6dF works on modifi ed gravity/dark-energy simulations. He works alongside the ICRAR UWA administration team. Galaxy Survey team at other nodes include the . apply the pipeline to SAMI velocity fi elds and HI has a modifi ed Gadget code to undertake cosmological Fundamental Plane data release paper (Campbell data from early ASKAP observations simulations, and is applying a new minimalist modifi ed Dr Paul Scott-Taylor et al. 2014) and the fi rst cosmology results paper . establish how satellite galaxy properties depend gravity (gamma) model to the new updated Gadget-3 CAASTRO PhD Student (Johnson et al. 2014). on the underlying dark-matter model and galaxy code. In collaboration, he runs cosmological simulations Theme: Evolving and Dark . Peculiar velocities have also been derived for formation physics under modifi ed gravity and alternative dark-energy Scott-Taylor has been investigating the formation the 2MASS Tully-Fisher Survey (2MTF). The . produce synthetic galaxy surveys in non-standard models, and documents the changes in halo properties and evolution of galaxies using simulation models fi rst measurement of the bulk fl ow of the local cosmological models of dark matter and dark energy and merger histories. Cui also investigates the cosmic Universe using 2MTF has been published by PhD with supervisors Power and Obreschow, and co- . complete the cosmographic analysis of 2MTF, and web in those models to examine any major differences student Hong. This is the most accurate current supervisors Staveley-Smith and Andrew Benson submit for publication with the standard CDM model. measurement and was the basis for his PhD thesis, (Carnegie Observatories, Pasadena). This investigation which was successfully defended this year. . continue analysis of 6dF Galaxy Survey peculiar Mr Steven Murray has focused on the development of new semi-analytic velocities and bulk fl ow models that will enhance Benson’s Galacticus software . A cosmographic of the 2MTF peculiar-velocity fi eld CAASTRO PhD Student . assist the TAIPAN collaboration to complete a and other codes, including METAXES, used to create is under way. Theme: Evolving and Dark survey strategy that accounts for the various the TIAMAT database (University of Melbourne). Scott- . Planning for the TAIPAN survey has commenced. scientifi c objectives Murray has continued his doctoral research developing Taylor is also developing new software to model the distribution of HI gas in galaxies. Scott-Taylor intends Future goals . contribute to the fi rst data release of the Galactic statistical tests and innovative software frameworks to use the simulation data produced by the software Over the next year, researchers at CAASTRO’s UWA and Extragalactic All-sky MWA survey (GLEAM) for fundamental calculations with dark-matter halos, under the supervision of Chris Power at ICRAR UWA. to create mock galaxy catalogs and simulated skies. node aim to: . assemble the fi rst samples of radio galaxies based These calculations make semi-empirical predictions These products will be delivered using the latest 3D on GLEAM. . complete the fi rst analysis of Parkes HI intensity for the spatial clustering of galaxies, and are able to visualisation techniques. mapping experiment connect this to the properties of dark matter. Using this Professor Lister Staveley-Smith Dr Attila Popping . conclude analysis of HI spectral stacking studies in framework, he is exploring means of testing the nature CAASTRO Deputy Director the COSMOS and VVDS fi elds of the dark-matter particles using current and next- CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher . lead an alternative cosmology simulation comparison Themes: Dark and Evolving generation massive galaxy surveys, and his software Themes: Evolving project, collaborating with other groups, including Staveley-Smith is Node Director and CAASTRO Deputy has also been implemented as a web application, attracting the attention of researchers across the globe. Popping joined CAASTRO at UWA in March 2014. the WiggleZ, TAO, SAMI and GAMA teams Director. He leads the 2MTF project under the Dark He was already an active member of the DINGO and Theme and the Intensity Mapping and Wallaby/Dingo . development of a physically-based model of the Associate Professor Danail Obreschkow WALLABY surveys on ASKAP and will continue to emission of radio continuum emission from AGN projects under the Evolving Theme. His main research contribute to these surveys. He is also a core member CAASTRO Affi liate and star-forming galaxies contributions have been in the 2MTF project with the of CHILES (the Cosmos HI Large Extragalactic Survey), successful graduation of PhD student Tao Hong and . contribute to ASKAP early science with stacking Theme: Evolving and Dark which is a very large project on the VLA. Popping is the publication of the fi rst tranche of papers, and the experiments Within the Evolving theme, Danail Obreschkow is working on several experiments to do HI stacking and commencement of the Intensity Mapping project, jointly leading theoretical and observational studies of angular one of the goals is to use stacking techniques to do . analyse HI data from the JVLA in the GAMA led with Stuart Wyithe at Melbourne. He has also momentum in galaxies. As part of these studies, he is early science with ASKAP. Popping is member of the regions to measure the cosmic gas density by using contributed to the Radio Galaxy Environments project, leading the analysis of angular momentum in the spiral ACES team (ASKAP Commissioning and Early Science). stacking techniques by ensuring the continued success of the MWA GLEAM galaxies of SAMI. Within the Dark theme, Obreschkow . reduce and analyse HI data from the widefi eld JVLA survey. is developing and applying statistical estimators for Dr Se-Heon Oh program to study the angular momentum properties observational cosmology, e.g. the velocity function CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher of SAMI galaxies, the impact of group environment Dr Jonghwan Rhee and the line-correlation function to distinguish between on galaxy evolution, and to carry out further HI CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher Theme: Evolving different dark-matter models. He also collaborates stacking experiments at intermediate redshifts Themes: Evolving with Meyer in the WALLABY and DINGO projects and Oh has continued his work on the development of . complete the WALLABY 2D kinematics pipeline the WALLABY kinematics pipeline, particularly the Rhee joined CAASTRO at ICRAR/UWA in June 2014. studies of the Tully-Fisher relation. and publish a series of pipeline papers including the tilted-ring analysis of 2D velocity fi elds based on He has worked on HI gas evolution out to z~0.4 using WALLABY velocity fi eld extraction algorithm Bayesian MCMC. A standalone C program has been 21-cm HI emission stacking technique. Now he is developed and intensively tested using both simulated working on an HI intensity mapping experiment using synthetic HI data cubes and those of the observed the Parkes radio telescope to extend the research to galaxies from ATCA LVHIS and VLA THINGS nearby 94 CAASTRO 95 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

HI galaxy surveys. Oh has been working on a series of survey that will provide us with enormous amount paper drafts that describe the pipeline algorithm and of data. In 2014 Kapinska become Project Manager discuss its performance, and he aims to publish them for the EMU survey, which is to be conducted with early this year. Recently (Jan 2015), a paper (“High- ASKAP. resolution mass models of dwarf galaxies from LITTLE THINGS”, Oh et al. 2015) which addresses the ‘cusp/ Associate Professor Martin Meyer CAASTRO AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY core’ problem in CDM simulations, was accepted for CAASTRO Associate Investigator publication in the Astronomical Journal. Themes: Evolving Professor Chris Power Martin Meyer’s leadership role in the DINGO survey The CAASTRO Sydney node is located within the . Upgrading the Molonglo radio telescope to a CAASTRO Associate Investigator has seen him contribute to projects to stack HI data Sydney Institute for Astronomy (SIfA), which is part system with increased bandwidth and a new digital at moderate redshifts with telescopes such as Parkes, of the School of Physics within The University of correlator, in collaboration with CAASTRO CI Themes: Evolving the VLA, and ASKAP-BETA. Studies of the cosmic Sydney. SIfA is one of Australia’s largest research Matthew Bailes and colleagues at Swinburne. The Power’s CAASTRO-related work focuses on providing HI density and the global Tully-Fisher relation are groups in astronomy and astrophysics, and carries huge collecting area and wide fi eld of view of the theory and simulations support for the SAMI galaxy underway with PhD students. Through CAASTRO, out observational and theoretical research as well Molonglo telescope will make this a powerful new survey, in collaboration with CAASTRO investigators he is also leading VLA survey program to obtain HI as developing novel astronomical techniques and facility for pulsar timing and identifying ‘fast radio Obreschkow and Croom, and on galaxy-formation data of SAMI galaxies for a detailed study of angular instrumentation. SIfA’s long-standing involvement bursts’ (Campbell-Wilson, Green). modelling for future cold-gas surveys, in collaboration momentum and galaxy evolution. in instrumentation and large-area astronomical Our visitors this year included Prof Roger Davies with CAASTRO investigators at the University of surveys underpins many of the research activities at Dr Richard Newton (Oxford), Dr Stephen Fine (University of Western Melbourne (Kim, Wyithe) and at overseas nodes Durham CAASTRO’s Sydney node. Cape), Prof Martha Haynes (Cornell University), Prof University. He continues to supervise CAASTRO PhD CAASTRO Affi liate With the change in CAASTRO Directorship in Garth Illingworth (UC Santa Cruz), Prof Tom Landecker students Murray (on the nature of dark matter and limits Theme: Evolving and Dark September 2014, Elaine Sadler also took over from (University of Calgary), Dr Tom Mauch (SKA Africa) from future galaxy surveys), Scott-Taylor (on synthetic Bryan Gaensler as the Sydney node leader. In 2014 and Dr Kevin Schawinski (ETH Zurich), as well as the surveys for ASKAP and the SKA), and CAASTRO Newton spent one year at ICRAR and CAASTRO at many researchers from other CAASTRO nodes who affi liate Cui (on modelling structure formation in non- UWA from the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics there were 31 CAASTRO team members at the Sydney visited us for ‘busy weeks’ and workshops over the standard cosmologies). as a Jim Buckee Fellow between November 2013 and node, including 10 students. The main research November 2014. He worked on developing software activities at the Sydney node fall within the Evolving course of the year. In October 2014, we hosted a well- Dr Chris Springob for generating the inputs to simulations of galaxies and and Dynamic themes. attended workshop on ‘Extended Capabilities for the Murchison Widefi eld Array (MWA)’. CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher for creating rendered images and movies. He was a In the Evolving Universe theme, our major activities for core member of the ICRAR/UWA simulations team who 2014 (and the researchers involved in them) included: Our research highlights for 2014 are wide-ranging, Theme: Dark created and presented the “Spinning the Cosmic Web and refl ect the fact that two major new facilities with The SAMI Galaxy survey, an ambitious new study Springob has derived the Malmquist bias corrections in a Supercomputer” planetarium show at Scitech in . which we have been closely involved, MWA and SAMI, of the internal structure and kinematics of stars and for the 2MASS Tully-Fisher Survey (2MTF) peculiar October 2014. moved into full operational mode this year, while early gas within galaxies that uses a novel ‘hexabundle’ velocities, and collaborated with Tao Hong on the results are also emerging from the commissioning multi-object integral-fi eld spectrograph jointly analysis of these peculiar velocities. He has also Mr Tao Hong phase of ASKAP. As a result, we are now starting to developed by Sydney and AAO (Allen, Bland- examined the cosmography of the 6dF Galaxy Survey CAASTRO PhD Student see exciting scientifi c returns from the effort put into Hawthorn, Bloom, Bryant, Croom, Fogarty, McElroy, peculiar velocity fi eld, working on comparisons with survey design, data pipeline work and analysis tools Theme: Dark Richards, Sadler, Schaefer, Scott), predicted velocity fi eld models, which will also be over the past three years. applied to 2MTF. Hong is enrolled at the National Astronomical . Studies of the redshifted 21-cm absorption line of 2014 saw the fi rst public release of data from the Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences and spent neutral hydrogen as a probe of the cold gas content SAMI galaxy survey, with a paper presenting fully- Dr Anna Kapinska 50% of his time in Australia working on the 2MASS of galaxies in the distant Universe, as part of the calibrated data cubes for a representative selection of CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher Tully-Fisher project (2MTF) as a CAASTRO student. ASKAP FLASH survey (Allison, Curran, Glowacki, 107 galaxies drawn from the GAMA regions, along He works with Springob and Staveley-Smith and has Moss, Reeves, Sadler), Theme: Evolving with information about these galaxies from the GAMA recently led a paper describing the fi rst bulk fl ow . Calibration and analysis of low-frequency radio data Kapinska joined CAASTRO at UWA in August 2013. measurements from 2MTF. Hong successfully defended catalogues. CAASTRO students Sam Richards and from the Murchison Widefi eld Array (MWA), with She joined the Galactic and Extragalactic (GEG) Surveys his PhD thesis in 2014 and now holds a staff position Adam Schaefer discovered a luminous star-forming a particular focus on polarisation measurements MWA team to execute and complete the continuum at NAOC. complex in the outskirts of a dwarf galaxy observed by and characterisation of the foreground source MWA All-Sky Survey (GLEAM). The fi rst data release SAMI. This unresolved region contributes over 70% of populations relevant to studies of the Epoch of is planned for late 2015. Kapinska is also part of the Dr Dan Taranu the total star formation rate in its parent galaxy, and Reionisation (Callingham, Gaensler, Lenc). Radio Galaxies, Clusters & Cosmic Web GEG Science CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher could easily have been missed in a conventional (single- Team, focusing predominantly on radio galaxies and In the Dynamic Universe theme, our main activities were: fi bre) spectroscopic survey. Theme: Evolving large scale AGN feedback; she investigates these . Continuing development of the data pipeline and This year also saw the fi rst detection of neutral hydrogen subjects with the use of radio data and semi-analytical Taranu joined CAASTRO in late 2014 and his research analysis tools for two ambitious new radio transient in a distant galaxy with ASKAP. CAASTRO Affi liate models. Kapinska also continues work on the LOFAR areas are simulations of galaxy formation and evolution; surveys, MWA transients and ASKAP VAST, James Allison and colleagues used commissioning Deep Sky Surveys, which she joined in 2012. In synthetic observations of simulated galaxies; and including a particular focus on (i) understanding and data from the six-antenna test array to observe a set addition, Kapinska is a science-team member of a modelling of spiral galaxies for the SAMI survey. calibrating ionospheric effects in MWA data and (ii) of bright, compact radio sources, and discovered a citizen-science project Radio Galaxy Zoo, devised as a analysing large archival radio, optical and X-ray data previously unknown HI absorption line at z=0.44 pilot study for classifying complex radio sources from sets to identify new and rare classes of transient towards a radio galaxy of unknown redshift. Optical the upcoming EMU (Evolutionary Map of the Universe) sources (Burlon, Gaensler, Loi, Musaeva, Murphy), spectroscopic observations (using Gemini South) 96 CAASTRO 97 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

CAASTRO University of Sydney team members

confi rmed that the absorbing gas is located within the Professor Elaine Sadler scaling relationship between galaxy mass and the young radio galaxy PKS 1740-517; the fi rst discovery host galaxy of the radio source, and this represents an CAASTRO Director (from 15 Sep 2014) internal motions of gas and stars. In mid 2014 the using the ASKAP six-antenna BETA prototype. In 2015 important milestone for HI studies with ASKAP. team also produced the SAMI Early Data Release of Allison will continue to make new discoveries with Theme: Evolving CAASTRO Honours student Cleo Loi discovered a series over 100 galaxies for astronomers around the world to BETA and towards the end of the year he will help the of spectacular wave-like structures in the ionosphere by In 2014 Sadler has been working with Allison, Moss, use. In 2015 there is much science to look forward to, FLASH team carry out an early science survey with analysing time-series data from the Murchison Widefi eld Curran, Reeves and Glowacki on the identifi cation and including investigations into the role of environment in ASKAP-12. study of redshifted 21-cm HI absorption in galaxies determining star formation and dynamics in galaxies, Array. Cleo’s work was initially motivated by a desire to Dr Martin Bell understand the effect of variations in the electron density out to redshift z=1, using new tools and techniques tests of the role of super-massive black holes in of the ionosphere on the measured positions and fl ux developed for the forthcoming ASKAP FLASH survey. preventing star formation, examining the distribution of CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher young and old stars in galaxies, and much more. densities of distant radio sources, but she discovered A particular highlight was the detection of HI absorption Theme: Dynamic that the wide-fi eld nature and excellent snapshot lines in early commissioning data from ASKAP, Dr Tara Murphy Bell is principle investigator of the Murchison Widefi eld capabilities of the MWA also make it a powerful including the discovery of associated HI absorption Array Transients Survey (MWATS), which aims to instrument for ionospheric science which can probe the in the radio galaxy PKS 1740-517. In 2015 they will CAASTRO Chief Investigator survey almost the entire southern hemisphere multiple ionosphere on regional (1–100 km) scales. Cleo’s work continue a program of spectral-line observations as Theme: Dynamic times at low frequencies, on timescales of one month. represents the fi rst time a radio telescope has been used ASKAP moves into its Early Science phase. Murphy’s focus is on radio observations of transient The aim of the project is to search for dynamic to probe the ionosphere with such high spatio-temporal and variable sources such as supernovae and gamma- and explosive objects in the Universe. Bell is also a resolution over such a wide fi eld of view. Professor Bryan Gaensler CAASTRO Chief Investigator ray bursts. In addition, she works on developing member of the Australian Square Kilometre Array One of our main education and outreach activities (Director until 15 September 2014) intelligent algorithms for detecting transient events in Pathfi nder (ASKAP) commissioning team. In the 2015 continues to be the “CAASTRO in the Classroom” the large volumes of data that will be produced by next- the team will prepare the instrument for early science (CitC) program, which uses our video-conferencing Themes: Evolving and Dynamic generation radio telescopes. In 2014, Murphy used new later in the year. system to stream talks and discussion sessions Gaensler leads the radio-galaxy environments project low-frequency data from the MWA to investigate ultra- with CAASTRO astronomers to high schools across within CAASTRO’s Evolving Theme. In 2014, he cool dwarf stars and exoplanets, as well as conducting Professor Joss Bland-Hawthorn New South Wales. Several Sydney node researchers worked on catalogues of broadband polarisation of a blind survey for radio transients. CAASTRO Associate Investigator and students also travelled to Uluru to take part in active galaxies, which probe the ionised material in Theme: Evolving CAASTRO’s new ‘Astronomer in Residence’ program at which these sources are embedded. He also began a Dr James Allen the Voyages resort. new joint Evolving/Dynamic project on hydrodynamic CAASTRO Affi liate Bland-Hawthorn leads the development of new survey instruments for the Anglo-Australian Telescope. The University of Sydney hosts CAASTRO’s main cosmological simulations of fast radio bursts, which he Theme: Evolving These include (a) the SAMI 13-bundle spectrograph administrative offi ce, which in 2014 consisted of Kate used to constrain the spatial distribution and energetics Allen has led development of the data-reduction (in collaboration with Scott Croom); (b) the Hector Gunn (Chief Operating Offi cer), Debra Gooley (fi nance), of these events. In 2015, he plans to investigate in pipeline for the SAMI Galaxy Survey, culminating in the 100-bundle spectrograph (in collaboration with Michelle Sullivan (executive support), Kylie Williams detail the polarised emission from individual galaxies Early Data Release of a subset of the survey galaxies. Julia Bryant); and (c) the PRAXIS OH suppression (events and communications) and Helen Sim (media within the broadband catalogues his team has derived, This data is now public, allowing researchers across spectrograph. His particular interest is understanding and Annual Report). This team oversees a transparent and to obtain early-science polarisation data on radio the world to make use of the SAMI Galaxy Survey the evolution of galaxies in the context of their reporting system across the Centre, handles all our galaxies from ASKAP and the MWA. data. Allen has also been investigating the relationship environment. As part of this effort, he is a member of fi nancial obligations and transactions, organises between active galactic nuclei and their host galaxies, the SSimPL consortium carrying out massive CDM + our scientifi c workshops, manages the CAASTRO Associate Professor Scott Croom focusing on a small number of galaxies with unusual hydro simulations of how galaxies get their gas over a Mentoring Program and prepares the regular CAASTRO CAASTRO Chief Investigator kinematic properties. cosmological volume. He is a member of the GASKAP newsletter. A notable extra activity this year was the Theme: Evolving survey team that targets gas on the Galactic halo, and a organisation and administrative support of the ARC Dr James Allison member of the GAMA and CALIFA galaxy survey teams. Mid-Term Review of CAASTRO in November. A great Croom is leading the SAMI Galaxy Survey within the CAASTRO Evolving theme. This is a project to CAASTRO Affi liate deal of work went into making sure we were as well- Dr Julia Bryant prepared as possible, and it was gratifying to see things observe thousands of galaxies using spatially resolved Theme: Evolving run so smoothly on the review day. spectroscopy with the Sydney-AAO Multi-object CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher Allison is a member of the ASKAP FLASH survey, Integral Field Spectrograph (SAMI) on the Anglo- Theme: Evolving Australian Telescope. In 2014 the SAMI Galaxy Survey which will probe the distribution and evolution of was in full swing, with over 1000 galaxies observed atomic hydrogen (HI) to high redshifts. His current Bryant is deeply involved in the SAMI instrument and to date. Exciting new results published included the research focuses on using HI absorption lines to study the SAMI Galaxy Survey. In 2014 she chaired the discovery of dwarf galaxies with extreme star-forming the role of neutral gas in fuelling active galactic nuclei SAMI Target Selection Working Group, and selects the regions, the characterisation of gas outfl ows in galaxies and the subsequent feedback on the host galaxy. In galaxies to be observed in the SAMI Galaxy Survey, and the demonstration of a new universal dynamical 2014 he found a new HI absorption system in the 98 99 CAASTRO 99 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

as well as developing and maintaining the SAMI Dr Steve Curran Dr Sean Farrell Professor Anne Green instrument. CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher CAASTRO Affi liate CAASTRO Affi liate She continues to use the SAMI data to investigate Theme: Evolving Theme: Dynamic Themes: Dynamic, Evolving whether gas gets into galaxies from internal or external processes, by looking at the resolved dynamics of both Curran is preparing for the First Large Absorption Farrell’s specialisation is X-ray astronomy, focusing Green leads the upgrade to the capabilities of the the gas and the stars in galaxies and the impact of Survey in HI, to be undertaken with the Australian on the study of accreting compact objects (i.e. black Molonglo telescope in collaboration with the Swinburne the environments surrounding the galaxies. Working SKA Pathfi nder, in the search for the cool, star-forming holes, neutron stars and white dwarfs). His research Node. In 2014 the new system achieved ‘fi rst light’ with Leslie and Sadler, she has on-going research into material in the early Universe. In 2012, in conjunction in particular has targeted intermediate-mass black imaging and detected several pulsars. In 2015, Green the radio properties of the SAMI galaxies, and she with Matt Whiting at CASS, he found that placing a holes and the role they played in the formation and plans to focus on searches for transient sources at supervises PhD student Richards, who is researching powerful quasar in a galaxy of gas will ionise all of evolution of galaxies. As a CAASTRO Affi liate, in cosmological distances and deep imaging of radio relics aperture effects within the SAMI data. the neutral hydrogen (HI). Now, with James Allison 2014 he applied machine-learning techniques to and halos around massive galaxy clusters. and their CAASTRO student, Marcin Glowacki, they automatic classify X-ray sources in the Third XMM- In 2015 Bryant will not only continue her SAMI science have expanded this to state-of-the-art optical data, Newton Serendipitous Source Catalogue (3XMM). He Dr Emil Lenc but will also be Project Scientist for a future large with preliminary results indicating that singly ionised also provided support through his expertise in X-ray CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher integral-fi eld instrument called HECTOR. magnesium (MgII, which has a similar ionisation astronomy to various CAASTRO activities. In October Theme: Evolving Dr Davide Burlon potential to HI) is also absent in the host galaxies of 2014 Farrell left astronomy. powerful quasars. The previous HI 21-cm observations, In 2014 Lenc primarily continued work to survey CAASTRO Affi liate which fi rst alerted us to this effect, cannot rule out Dr Ilana Feain polarised point-sources and diffuse polarisation as Theme: Dynamic that the gas is simply heated to beyond the detection CAASTRO Affi liate part of the GLEAM/EoR projects within the MWA threshold of current radio telescopes. The fact that HI collaboration and investigated the effect of the Burlon is an expert on high-energy emission from black Feain leads the development of a novel and cost- and MgII exhibit a similar UV luminosity above which ionosphere on polarisation at MWA wavelengths. He holes. His main focus in the past year has been to pave effective radiotherapy machine designed to level the neither is detected, supports the theoretical model that also commenced work half-time as a commissioning the way to the SKA in the theme of stellar explosions playing fi eld in global accessibility to equitable cancer ALL of the gas is indeed ionised. This has profound scientist for the Boolardy Engineering Test Array (BETA) known as gamma-ray bursts. He is advising the treatment. Feain obtained her PhD in Astrophysics implications for quasar-mode feedback in these as part of a secondment to CSIRO. In 2015 he plans Transients working group of the SKA. from the University of Sydney in 2006, and became galaxies, through the suppression of star formation by to continue work on polarisation within the GLEAM a research astronomer and project scientist on the the active nucleus, and means that there may exist a and EoR projects and to search for evidence of the Mr Duncan Campbell-Wilson Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfi nder (ASKAP) population of very distant gas-rich galaxies hidden from synchrotron cosmic web in diffuse emission mapped CAASTRO Affi liate at CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science. This led to optical surveys. with the MWA. Feain developing a cross-disciplinary research program Theme: Dynamic Dr Jamie Farnes to enable ASKAP’s novel receiver technology to be used Dr Vanessa Moss In the past year Campbell-Wilson’s work has consisted beyond astronomy, including in health and defence. She CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher of successfully developing a new radio receiver based CAASTRO Affi liate then made a major career change in 2014, when she on integrated radio receivers, fi eld-programmable Theme: Evolving moved into medical physics, working in the Radiation Theme: Evolving gate arrays and fi bre optics. A number of subtle Since joining CAASTRO in 2012, Farnes has been Physics Laboratory at the School of Medicine of the Moss joined the First Large Absorption Survey in HI diffi culties in operating digital technologies adjacent organising the ‘CAASTRO in the Classroom’ programme University of Sydney. (FLASH) team in mid-2014 and is working on science to very sensitive astronomical receiving equipment together with Shane O’Sullivan, and has very recently preparations for this survey, which will be made using were identifi ed. Solutions have been identifi ed and Dr Lisa Fogarty handed over to new organisers. He’s very excited to the Australian SKA Pathfi nder, as well as studies tested. Implementing the engineering solutions is in see how CAASTRO in the Classroom develops in the CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher carried out with its precursor, the Boolardy Engineering progress. A highlight this year was the successful future, and is looking forward to now focusing on Test Array. Her focus is on the galactic ecosystems return of the telescope imaging capabilities using the Theme: Evolving CAASTRO science in 2015. of both intervening and associated absorbing systems, new receivers. Since this success, system development Fogarty works on the SAMI Galaxy Survey – a with an emphasis on their multi-wavelength footprints and receiver fi ne-tuning has taken most of Campbell- project to observe 3000 galaxies with integral fi eld determined from large-scale datasets. Wilson’s time. A number of critical systems within the spectroscopy (IFS). In 2014 Fogarty published the fi rst telescope infrastructure are being redeveloped with paper on the SAMI Pilot Survey, an investigation of the newer technology. Testing of RF losses in materials angular momentum of early-type galaxies in clusters. and the testing of a well matched wideband antenna In 2015 Fogarty will extend this work, using the was successfully conducted at DRAO in Canada. The main SAMI Galaxy Survey observations to investigate CHIME team have further developed the antenna for the properties of galaxies in groups, to infer their radio-astronomical applications. evolutionary history. 100 CAASTRO 101 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

Dr Shane O’Sullivan Mr Joseph Callingham on AGN feedback. In 2015 McElroy will be helping Mr Adam Schaefer CAASTRO Affi liate CAASTRO PhD Student with SAMI observations, and working to combine CAASTRO PhD Student her AGN dataset and the SAMI sample in a new Theme: Evolving, Dynamic Theme: Evolving comparison paper. Theme: Evolving Callingham has been working on spectral modelling of Schaefer is a postgraduate student working on the In 2014 O’Sullivan worked on creating a new all- Ms Aina Musaeva sky catalog of polarised radio sources, characterising young radio galaxies using data from the MWA and theme of the Evolving Universe who joined CAASTRO CAASTRO PhD student their polarisation morphologies and optical host- ATCA. He has also been empirically modelling the in mid 2013. Using data from the SAMI Galaxy Survey galaxy properties. Initial results from this work will primary beam of the MWA and constraining the low- Theme: Evolving Schaefer used spatially resolved spectroscopy to study be published in ApJ in early 2015. The catalog has radio-frequency fl ux scale for the southern hemisphere. the environmental dependencies of the star formation In 2014 Musaeva submitted several X-ray and profi les within galaxies. also been disseminated amongst the collaboration, Mr Marcin Glowacki radio proposals for the (previously identifi ed) most generating several new exciting projects. O’Sullivan promising intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH) Ms Kate Gunn continued coordinating the CAASTRO in the Classroom CAASTRO PhD Student candidates, with some of them granted observing time Chief Operating Offi cer outreach program in 2014, with a transition to new Theme: Evolving in 2015. She presented the results of her research at coordinators occurring towards the end of the year. Glowacki has joined the FLASH (First Large Absorption an international workshop in Leiden, Netherlands, with A start-up specialist with a wealth of business and In 2015, he will continue his research on radio-galaxy Survey in HI) team working with ASKAP in its BETA her poster awarded the best poster of the workshop. University experience, Gunn has been well placed to environments under the CAASTRO Evolving Universe commissioning stage. The aim of FLASH is to search At the end of 2014 Musaeva had a paper accepted establish the necessary foundations for CAASTRO theme, in his new position at the National Autonomous for cool, star-forming material in the early Universe (by Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical to grow and achieve its goals. She has 25 years of University of Mexico (UNAM) in Mexico City. through HI 21-cm absorption, and through this learn Society) on testing the hypothesis that the strongest management experience, and has a background in the commercialisation of University intellectual property. Dr Nicholas Scott more about galaxy evolution across epochs. In 2014 candidate IMBH (HLX-1 in ESO 243-49) is the nucleus of a stripped dwarf galaxy. Glowacki created a publicly accessible website to aid in Ms Debra Gooley CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher target selection, and used this to compile a target list Theme: Evolving of bright, red quasars that was searched against for HI Ms Sarah Reeves CAASTRO Finance Offi cer CAASTRO PhD Student In 2014 Scott worked on the SAMI Galaxy Survey, a 21-cm absorption with ASKAP. Glowacki also assisted Gooley is responsible for the co-ordination and ground-breaking new project to obtain spatially resolved in observing nearby compact sources with the Australia Theme: Evolving management of ARC Centre of Excellence KPI and Telescope Compact Array (ATCA), and subsequent fi nancial reporting and other associated reports for spectroscopy of more than 3000 galaxies. Scott is Reeves is working on HI emission- and absorption- currently leading the work on stellar populations and data reduction and analysis. CAASTRO, to support the achievement of the Centre’s line studies of galaxies, as part of preparation for the goals and objectives. galactic dynamics within the survey. Scott also worked Ms Cleo Loi ASKAP-FLASH survey. In 2014 she completed a study on a number of related smaller projects, publishing a CAASTRO Honours Student of HI emission and absorption in a sample of nearby Ms Michelle Sullivan study of slow and fast rotators in the Fornax cluster galaxies with the ATCA, as well as working on a new CAASTRO Executive Assistant early in the year. Towards the end of 2014 Scott Theme: Dynamic HI absorption stacking project. Reeves’ focus in 2015 took over as co-coordinator of the CAASTRO in the Loi has been working with MWA data, looking for radio will be on fi nishing her PhD thesis, which she plans to Sullivan provides executive assistance to the CAASTRO Classroom program, which brings astronomy education emission from low-mass stars and also characterising submit in early 2015. Director and other CAASTRO staff, including assisting to schools throughout New South Wales via video- the ionosphere over the MWA. She completed an the COO and Events and Communications Offi cer with conferencing. Honours project in 2014 supervised by Tara Murphy, Mr Samuel Richards their duties. CAASTRO PhD Student Ms Jessica Bloom focused on exploring the MWA’s capabilities as an Ms Kylie Williams ionospheric probe. In 2015, she will begin a PhD Theme: Evolving PhD Student project supervised by Tara Murphy, with the aim of CAASTRO Events and Communications Offi cer In 2014, Richards presented the result of an isolated Themes: Evolving, Dark performing a climatological study of the ionosphere Williams coordinates the regular CAASTRO newsletter dwarf galaxy with an intense HII region on its outskirts using existing data from MWA transient surveys. Loi and organises various events hosted by CAASTRO Bloom’s focus is understanding the role of events such (the “LMC’s lonely twin”), identifi ed from the data of is working to establish the MWA as a quantitative tool around Australia. as mergers in galaxy evolution. In 2014, she used tools the SAMI Galaxy Survey. This dwarf galaxy, and ones she had developed to identify perturbed galaxies. Early for geospace physics, its high sensitivity and widefi eld nature allowing it to image the ionosphere in a novel similar to it, help in the evolutionary understanding Ms Helen Sim science results from this work include investigations of ‘clump-cluster’ systems at higher redshift (z~1). and detailed way. Public Relations Offi cer into the colour, stellar mass and star-formation rates of Richards also used the resulting data from SAMI to test these galaxies. Ms Rebecca McElroy single-fi bre aperture corrections that are used routinely Sim has extensive experience in writing and performing public relations for scientists, and is skilled in CAASTRO PhD student in large surveys such as GAMA and SDSS. Identifying any systematic errors in these corrections is of great translating complex information into language for non- Theme: Evolving importance to studies of galaxy evolution in the local technical audiences. McElroy works on integral-fi eld spectroscopy of active Universe. galaxies and is also a member of the SAMI Galaxy Survey. In 2014 she presented her fi rst talk at an international conference and published her fi rst paper 102 CAASTRO 103 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

CAASTRO AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE CAASTRO University of Melbourne team members

The University of Melbourne node of CAASTRO is Summary of 2014 Research Highlights effect of recombinations in unresolved, small-scale combination of observation and modelling, before robust housed within the School of Physics. The Astrophysics We developed a semi-analytic method for assessing structures, aids in achieving the required accuracy estimations of the cosmological annihilation signal can group at Melbourne was founded less than 20 the impact of the large-scale IGM temperature for the reionisation history even in simulations with be made. (Mack) years ago, but has a track-record of excellence in fl uctuations expected following He II reionisation on low spatial resolution. In 2014, we made the fi rst During 2014 we used a new set of cosmological observational and theoretical cosmology, areas which three-dimensional clustering measurements of the study of the redshift evolution of clumping factors of hydrodynamic simulations, ANGUS (AustraliaN provide the basis for our contributions to CAASTRO. Ly-alpha forest. Our methodology builds upon the different ionised species of H and He. We investigated GADGET-3 early Universe Simulations), run with a University of Melbourne researchers are primarily existing large volume, mock Ly-alpha forest survey the dependence of the value and redshift evolution modifi ed and improved version of the parallel TreePM- engaged within the Evolving Universe theme of which simulations presented by Greig et al. by including a of clumping factors on their defi nition, the ionisation smoothed particle hydrodynamics code GADGET-3 Professor Stuart Wyithe is lead, with an emphasis on prescription for a spatially inhomogeneous ionising level of the gas, the grid resolution, box size and mean called P-GADGET3(XXL), to study the role of feedback Epoch of Reionisation (EoR) science, including: background, temperature fl uctuations induced by dimensionless density of the simulations. (Jeeson-Daniel) from supernovae (SN) and black holes in the evolution patchy He II photoheating and the clustering of quasars. . A wide-fi eld survey of neutral hydrogen in the The rapid decline in the number of strong Ly-alpha of the star formation rate function (SFRF) of z~4–7 This approach enabled us to achieve a dynamic range high-redshift Universe with the Murchison Widefi eld emitting galaxies observed at z > 6 provides evidence galaxies. We fi nd that the SFRF is insensitive to feedback within our semi-analytic model substantially larger than Array (MWA) of which the University of Melbourne for neutral hydrogen in the intergalactic medium, prescription at z > 5, meaning that it cannot be used to currently feasible with computationally expensive, fully was a founding partner (Webster, McKinley, but is diffi cult to explain with plausible models for discriminate between feedback models during reionisation. numerical simulations. We use these simulations to Mitchell, Pindor, Procopio, Riding, Line) reionisation. In 2014 we demonstrated that the However, the SFRF is sensitive to the details of feedback show that large-scale temperature fl uctuations introduce observed reduction in Ly-alpha fl ux from galaxies at prescription at lower redshift. By exploring different SN- . Numerical simulation of the evolution of early a scale-dependent increase in the spherically averaged z > 6 can be explained by evolution in the escape driven wind velocities and regimes for the AGN feedback, galaxies and their interaction with the high redshift 3D Ly-alpha forest power spectrum of up to 20–30 per fraction of ionising photons. Specifi cally we found that we found that the key factor for reproducing the observed intergalactic gas (Wyithe, Tescari, Jeeson-Daniel, cent at wavenumbers k ~ 0.02 Mpc-1. We show that the median observed drop in the fraction of galaxies SFRFs is a combination of ‘strong’ SN winds and early Bolton, Kim, Katsianis). although these large-scale thermal fl uctuations will not showing strong Ly-alpha emission, as well as the AGN feedback in low-mass galaxies. We then went on to The University of Melbourne is also making substantially impact upon the recovery of the baryon observed evolution of the Ly-alpha luminosity function, investigate the evolution of the star formation rate–stellar contributions to the Dark Universe theme: acoustic oscillation scale from existing and forthcoming both follow from a small increase. More generally, our mass relation (SFR-M*) and galaxy stellar mass function . The use of Ly-alpha in absorption and emission to dark-energy spectroscopic surveys, any complete analysis also showed that the drop in the Ly-alpha (GSMF) of z ~ 4–7 galaxies, using these simulations. We study Baryonic acoustic oscillations at high redshift forward modelling of the broad-band term in the fraction is quantitatively consistent with the observed showed that our fi ducial model, with strong energy-driven using the next generation of widefi eld spectroscopic Ly-alpha correlation function will nonetheless require evolution in the Ly-alpha luminosity functions of Ly- winds and early AGN feedback, is able to reproduce the surveys (Wyithe, Bolton, Greig, Jeeson-Daniel). their inclusion. (Greig, Bolton, Wyithe) alpha emitters. (Wyithe) observed stellar mass function obtained from Lyman- break selected samples of star-forming galaxies at 2014 saw activity at Melbourne in all of these areas. At In 2014 we used high-resolution simulations of Dark matter self-annihilation holds promise as one of redshift 6 < z < 7. At z ~ 4, observed estimates of the its peak the CAASTRO team numbered 20 people this cosmological volumes to model galaxy formation at high the most robust mechanisms for the identifi cation of GSMF vary according to how the sample was selected. year, including four CAASTRO-funded postdocs, fi ve redshift, with the goal of studying the photon budget the particle responsible for the Universe’s missing mass. We fi nd that our simulations are more consistent with PhD candidates, and a further fi ve affi liated postdocs. for reionisation. We demonstrated that galaxy formation In 2014 we examined the evolution of the dark-matter models that include a strong, thermally coupled annihilation power produced by smooth and collapsed recent results from K-selected samples, which provide supernovae scheme reproduce current observations of structures over cosmic time, taking into account a better proxy of stellar masses and are more complete star-formation rates and specifi c star-formation rates, uncertainties in the structure of dark-matter haloes. at the high-mass end of the distribution. Our simulations both during and after the reionisation era. These models As astronomers search for observational signatures of predict a population of faint galaxies not seen by current produce enough UV photons to sustain reionisation at annihilation, an understanding of this time evolution observations. (Katsianis, Tescari, Wyithe) z  8 (z  6) through a signifi cant population of faint, will help to best direct observational efforts, either with The correlation between 21-cm fl uctuations and galaxies unobserved, galaxies for an assumed escape fraction local measurements or investigation of the effects of is sensitive to the astrophysical properties of the galaxies of 20 per cent (5 per cent). This predicted population annihilation on the intergalactic medium at high redshift. that drove reionisation. Thus, detailed measurements is consistent with extrapolation of the faint end of We fi nd that there are several key sources of uncertainty of the cross-power spectrum and its evolution could observed UV luminosity functions. We fi nd that heating in our ability to estimate the dark-matter annihilation provide a powerful measurement of both the properties from a global UV/X-ray background after reionisation from collapsed structures, including: the density profi le of early galaxies and the process of reionisation. In 2014 causes a dip in the total global star-formation rate of dark matter haloes; the small-scale cut-off in the dark we studied the evolution of the cross-power spectrum density in galaxies below the current observational matter halo mass function; the redshift-dependent mass- between 21-cm emission and galaxies using a model threshold. (Duffy, Wyithe) concentration relation for small haloes; and the particle- which combines the hierarchical galaxy formation model Estimating the intergalactic medium ionisation level of a velocity dependence of the dark matter annihilation GALFORM implemented within the Millennium-II dark- region needs proper treatment of the reionisation process process. Varying assumptions about these quantities matter simulation, with a semi-numerical scheme to for a large representative volume of the Universe. The can result in annihilation power predictions that differ describe the resulting ionisation structure. We found that clumping factor, a parameter which accounts for the by several orders of magnitude. Our work demonstrates inclusion of different feedback processes changes the that these uncertainties must be resolved, through a cross-power spectrum shape and amplitude. In particular, 104 CAASTRO 105 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

the feature in the cross-power spectrum corresponding Mapping (DSM) and will allow the measurement of this year in concert with the inaugural CoEPP program. Ms Catherine de Burgh-Day to the size of ionised regions is signifi cantly affected the mass of dark-matter haloes around individual 2014 also saw the expansion and consolidation of the CAASTRO PhD student by supernovae feedback. We predicted observational galaxies and potentially the shape of the dark-matter Telescopes in Schools Program developed by members uncertainties of the cross-correlation coeffi cient based on profi le as well. Null tests of the algorithm on nearby of the Melbourne node. In all, eleven telescopes Theme: Dark specifi cations of the Murchison Widefi eld Array (MWA) high resolution three-dimensional radio datasets have have been installed in underprivileged schools across De Burgh-Day is working on Direct Shear Mapping combined with galaxy surveys of varying area and depth. confi rmed the viability of the algorithm. In addition, Melbourne and regional Victoria. CAASTRO PhD (DSM), a new method to measure 3D weak lensing We found that the cross-power spectrum could be several hundred potential pairs of galaxies have been students and postdocs regularly attend schools to using the velocity maps of rotating galaxies. She has detected over several square degrees of galaxy survey identifi ed in the GAMA catalogue, with estimated give talks and to help out on observing nights for the fully tested the DSM fi tting algorithm and is currently with galaxy redshift errors z  0.1.(Kim, Wyithe) shears in the observable range. Observing time has program. Coordinating both of the aforementioned investigating promising targets for measuring galaxy- During 2014 we have used the MWA to undertake been obtained on several telescopes to test for weak activities, Jacinta den Besten successfully generated galaxy lensing with DSM, by searching for good lens- over 1000 of hours of observations targeted at the lensing. (de Burgh-Day, Taylor, Webster) involvement in the work experience programme across source pairs in the Galaxy and Mass Assembly (GAMA) the wider School of Physics, enabling more outstanding key Epoch of Reionization (EoR) fi elds. Working with Outreach and Professional Development Activities public data release. She plans to directly target the the EoR collaboration, we have developed systems students to get a taste of a future career involving best of the pairs she discovers in GAMA, measure their The Melbourne node continued to make strong to ensure that this data is archived at the Pawsey science. shear, and use this to measure properties of the lens contributions in outreach, public, and professional Centre in WA with appropriate quality-control fl ags. galaxies dark matter halo. She also intends to develop a education activities throughout 2014. Activities ranged Professor Stuart Wyithe We estimate that by the end of 2015 we will have non-analytic formalism for fl exion of a generalised lens, from public lectures, to school visits, to our terrifi c Year obtained a suffi ciently sensitive dataset to enable CAASTRO Node leader which unlike previous analytic derivations does not Ten work-experience program; contributing stories and foreground removal and cosmic bias in each of our require circular symmetry in the lens. She is hoping to comments to the popular science media and general Theme: Evolving (Theme Leader) chosen fi elds. This experiment is designed to allow use this to extend DSM to include fl exion fi tting, which press; continuing to host international visitors to In 2014 Wyithe worked on simulations of the star- detection of the theoretically predicted HI signal of will allow her to probe the profi le of dark-matter haloes engage and collaborate with local staff and students; formation rate functions and stellar-mass functions of the EoR. (Webster, and the EoR collaboration: this as well as their shape. and providing a range of conference, seminar and high-redshift galaxies, and on modelling the effects of includes Pindor, Procopio, McKinley, Line, Riding at training workshop opportunities to our students and environment on Ly-alpha transmission studies using Melbourne; Trott, Wayth, Tingay at Curtin; Offringa Ms Jacinta den Besten early-career researchers. numerical simulations. In 2014 Wyithe also initiated and Briggs at ANU; Lenc and Gaensler at Sydney; and CAASTRO Affi liate new programs to model the cross-correlation between Mitchell at CSIRO) In June, for example, local members of the MWA EoR Theme: Education and Outreach team (Webster, Pindor, Riding, Line) travelled to the US HI and galaxies with application to the CAASTRO The fi rst analysis of the MWA data uses a novel for the annual MWA Busy Week collaboration, held at intensity-mapping experiment, and to perform hydro- Midway through 2014 den Besten joined the CAASTRO approach to compare the output of four different and UC Berkeley in California but organised by CAASTRO dynamic simulations of SAMI galaxies. In 2015 Wyithe administration team part-time to take on the social media independent pipelines developed by the Australian Executive Offi cer, Kim Dorrell, from Melbourne. Here will work on these new CAASTRO programs. and outreach activities while Ebeling was on parental and US EoR collaboration. The same three-hour researchers from around the world were able to leave. She provided support for the Mount Burnett dataset is analysed by each pipeline, allowing a Professor Rachel Webster compare notes from the past year’s work in an intense Observatory Astronomy Festival during National Science direct comparison of the outputs. The fi nal output of but informal setting and map goals and tasks to be CAASTRO Chief Investigator Week and assisted with CAASTRO’s Mid-Term Review each of these pipelines is compared using the two- completed in the next year of the project. Theme: Evolving by the ARC and the fourth Annual Retreat. In her affi liate dimensional power spectrum. This has allowed the role, den Besten continued implementing the Telescopes EoR collaboration to understand different features in Throughout 2014 CAASTRO affi liate Katie Mack During 2014 Webster continued to manage the wider in Schools program, supported by CAASTRO for many the power spectrum, and to perform an extensive set continued her formidable outreach schedule. Her international Epoch of Reionisation (EoR) collaboration years, and provided administration support for the of experiments to understand the effi ciency of the diverse engagements included guest speaking and panel within the Murchison Widefi eld Array (MWA). This expanded Year 10 work-experience program. calibration and foreground removal algorithms. The key participation at the World Science Fiction Convention team is making good progress in the development of contribution to this program from the Melbourne node followed by presenting a public lecture at Imperial pipelines to analyse the massive EoR dataset that has Ms Kim Dorrell College London in the UK; providing mentoring advice is the development of the Real Time System (RTS), an been observed to date by the MWA. Webster continued CAASTRO Executive Offi cer extensive data-reduction pipeline for the MWA. The to young women at the “Girls on Film” festival “Girls her collaboration with Catherine de Burgh-Day and RTS is being used to routinely analyse MWA data for Germs” event in Melbourne; performing in the National Edward Taylor on the Direct Shear Mapping technique, In 2014 Dorrell continued her role as node administrator, other projects as well. (Pindor, Procopio, Webster, Line, Science Week “Space Oddity” stage show in Sydney establishing that the technique is not only viable but has liaising with the School of Physics, Faculty of Science Riding, McKinley) and Canberra; and participating in numerous national a high probability of being measured in local galaxies. and central University groups to ensure the appropriate and international radio interviews, podcasts and chats integration of Centre activities into the University’s The algorithm to detect weak three-dimensional with the public via Google ‘hangouts’. overarching administrative structures. She also liaised gravitational lensing in relatively nearby spiral galaxies with CAASTRO HQ in Sydney to ensure all reporting As in previous years, CAASTRO continued its was fully developed and tested, showing that it was requirements for the node were met in an effective and sponsorship of the week-long work-experience program possible to detect shears of ~0.02 for individual timely manner. Dorrell also contributed to the burgeoning offered by the Astrophysics group which was held galaxies. This technique has been called Direct Shear relationship between CAASTRO and the ARC Centre of 106 CAASTRO 107 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

Excellence for Particle Physics at the Terascale (CoEPP) that uses positional and spectral information to cross- for galaxy type and whether it helps to reduce the Mr Tristan Reynolds by helping to organise a second joint workshop on the match existing catalogue data and fl ag extended scatter in the Tully-Fisher relation (TFR) as a third CAASTRO Masters student theme of the direct detection of dark matter, held in sources. In 2015 he will enhance this software and parameter. As this ratio does not depend on the regional Victoria. Other event management included apply it in various projects, including the effects of distance of the galaxy this study could enable future Theme: Evolving assisting at the fourth CAASTRO Annual Retreat in time- averaging. inclusion of galaxies at higher redshifts in the analysis Commencing with CAASTRO in July 2013, Reynold’s Queensland and organising the MWA EoR Busy Week of the TFR. thesis is investigating using the Five-hundred-metre held at UC Berkeley in the USA. Dr Katherine Mack Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST), currently under CAASTRO Affi liate Dr Bart Pindor construction in China, to detect quasar-generated HII Mr Antonios Katsianis Themes: Evolving, Dark CAASTRO Affi liate regions during the EoR. He has modifi ed the semi- CAASTRO PhD student numerical code for simulating the 21-cm signal from Since December 2012, Mack has been working to Theme: Evolving Theme: Evolving the EoR, 21cmFAST, to include quasar HII regions improve models of the evolution of the reionisation-era Pindor is continuing his research as a core member of and added telescope and foreground noise to the Katsianis began his PhD during 2012 studying the universe and to explore new observational avenues by the MWA EoR team. In 2014, CAASTRO researchers simulated quasar line-of-sight 21-cm spectra. He next properties of high-redshift galaxies via numerical investigating the effects of dark-matter particle physics. at Melbourne, Curtin, ANU, and Sydney collaborated plans on determining what properties (HII region radius, simulation, focusing on calculating the stellar mass Using her theoretical expertise, Mack has formed new to create an integrated Australian-based end-to- temperature step across HII region boundary) of the HII function and star-formation rate function from the collaborations within CAASTRO and with members of end pipeline for processing MWA data from raw region can be recovered from these spectra with FAST, CAASTRO suite of simulations. In 2013 he worked CoEPP, aiming to connect observational and numerical visibilities through to two-dimensional power spectra. following Geil and Wyithe (2008). on interpreting what these simulations imply for the projects to new theoretical developments. In 2015 Pindor will use the Pawsey Centre’s Galaxy feedback mechanisms important in high-redshift supercomputer to lead the production of power spectra Mrs Jennifer Riding Dr Ben McKinley galaxies. He also tested the consistency of observations from the fi rst year of MWA EOR observations. CAASTRO PhD student from different surveys and provided evidence of tension CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher between different groups. In 2014 he expanded this Dr Pietro Procopio Theme: Evolving Theme: Evolving work for lower redshifts and investigated the evolution CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher During 2014 Riding worked on the newly commissioned of the star formation rate–stellar mass relation. In 2015 This year McKinley completed his PhD thesis “From the Theme: Evolving MWA. ‘Shapelets’, a modelling method, was optimised he is focusing on submitting his thesis. Moon to the nearest radio galaxies: early science with for the most compact representation of a resolved the Murchison Widefi eld Array”. The thesis consisted of During 2014 Procopio focused on new calibration source, reducing the computational requirements Dr Han-Seek Kim three refereed journal articles related to the fi eld of low- techniques to be used in the pipeline for MWA EoR and keeping the RTS real time. This method is in the CAASTRO Affi liate frequency radio astronomy, the most recent of which data reduction. These improvements resulted in a process of being evaluated in the RTS and early results was a multi-wavelength study of the nearby radio galaxy better handling of the noise levels in the fi nal product, Theme: Evolving suggest successful source subtraction allowing deeper Fornax A. McKinley is now employed at the University of allowing a cleaner power-spectrum estimation. foreground removal in our EoR fi elds. In 2015 Riding In 2014 Kim worked on studies to predict the 21-cm Melbourne as CAASTRO postdoctoral Researcher in EoR Procopio is also writing a pipeline for the processing of plans to spend time observing complex sources and power spectrum during the epoch of reionisation using science. Here, he continues to be part of the MWA team MWA GLEAM data, using the Real Time System (for then modelling them with shapelets. large volume dark-matter simulations such as the GiggleZ and in particular contributes to the project aiming to calibration and peeling) and Miriad (for cleaning). This and Millennium-XXL combined with a new method of detect the signal emitted by neutral hydrogen in the early pipeline should lead to the realisation of the fi nal phase Dr Edward (Ned) Taylor making 21-cm mock observations. Additionally, he Universe. He still maintains an interest in studying radio of processing of the data, leading to what should be CAASTRO Affi liate worked on the importance of the effect of reionisation galaxies as well as objects in earth orbit, such as space the defi nitive MWA source catalogue. on the HI mass-function of the local Universe. junk and the Moon! Theme: Dark Ms Nastaran Rezaee Since June 2013 Taylor has been exploring a new Mr Jack Line Ms Sinem Ozbilgen CAASTRO MPhil student approach to measuring the dark matter surrounding CAASTRO PhD student CAASTRO PhD student Theme: Evolving galaxies, exploiting the physical phenomenon of weak Theme: Evolving Theme: Dark gravitational lensing. Connected to this work, he has In 2014, Rezaee submitted her Masters project, been an active member of the SAMI Galaxy Survey Line began working on his PhD in 2013, looking at Completing her CAASTRO-sponsored MSc studies in “Noise Characterization of Murchison Widefi eld Array team. The SAMI survey, already the largest in its class, the effects of time-averaging on interferometric data. late 2013, Ozbilgen commenced her PhD candidature Simulation”, and will re-submit her work in March of will map the distribution and dynamics of stars and star It soon became clear that to properly probe these at Melbourne in March 2014. She has continued 2015. formation within thousands of galaxies, and shed new effects on a detection of the EoR using the RTS, a her earlier work to obtain WiFeS IFU cubes of spiral light on the processes that drive and regulate star- and good knowledge of the radio foreground sources is galaxies from the HICat to determine whether the galaxy-formation. necessary. In 2014, Line developed PUMA, software velocity dispersion/circular velocity is a good indicator 108 CAASTRO 109 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

CAASTRO AT SWINBURNE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Year Ten work-experience group presentations In 2014 Swinburne partnered with the University of map of local dark matter yet. Mould was successful Credit: Jacinta den Besten Sydney and ANU to work on making the giant Molonglo in obtaining ARC LIEF funding for the KISS transient Observatory Synthesis Telescope into an extremely object survey at Dome A in Antarctica. An infrared fl exible software instrument. The fi rst maps were made camera will be built for a Chinese 0.85-metre telescope. in late 2014 and allowed us to measure the fl ux of Jeremy Mould and Research associate David Lagattuta SN1987A again for the fi rst time in many years and obtained high-resolution infrared spectra of galactic complete a map of the lobes of Fornax A. nuclei with the Magellan FIRE instrument. A glitch in the Vela pulsar was detected using timing data and 20 pulsars are being regularly timed using the new Professor Matthew Bailes facility. New surveys for fast radio bursts and pulsars CAASTRO Node Leader started at the Parkes telescope and CAASTRO PhD Theme: Dynamic (Theme Leader) student Emily Petroff detected the fi rst real-time fast radio burst using Parkes and achieved a great deal of media Bailes is overseeing a project to refurbish the Molonglo attention when the result was published. Dr Evan Keane Observatory Synthesis Telescope with new digital was given an ongoing position with the SKA offi ce. instrumentation to monitor pulsars and search for dispersed radio pulses from fast radio bursts, pulsars In 2014 the CAASTRO cosmology group at Swinburne and rotating radio transients. published new results using galaxy and velocity surveys to test the prevailing cosmological model. Year Ten students and parents at the Observing Night at the 2014 Year Ten work-experience group photo Associate Professor Chris Blake University of Melbourne waiting while PhD student Craig PhD student Andrew Johnson used the 6-degree Field Credit: Jacinta den Besten CAASTRO Chief Investigator Burnett sets up the instrument Galaxy Survey peculiar-velocity dataset to test the Credit: Jacinta den Besten laws of gravity on the largest scales achievable from a Theme: Dark galaxy survey to date, measuring a scale-dependence Blake is co-ordinating the CAASTRO Dark Theme consistent with the predictions of General Relativity. activities at Swinburne. His CAASTRO research involves Research associate Jun Koda fi nalised forecasts for cosmological analyses and simulations of galaxy surveys Dr Edoardo Tescari Dr Laura Wolz how these results can be extended by future velocity to extract information from large-scale structure, surveys such as Taipan and WALLABY, and was gravitational lensing and galaxy velocities. He is leading CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher awarded a prestigious Darklight postdoctoral fellowship a new 50-night galaxy survey at the Anglo-Australian Theme: Evolving Theme: Evolving in Italy. Research associate Eyal Kazin published an Telescope, the 2-degree Field Lensing Survey (2dFLenS), In 2014 Tescari concluded the simulation project, In October 2014 Wolz joined CAASTRO to work analysis doubling the accuracy of the measurements of which began in 2014. The aim of the project is to test “The interplay between galaxies and intergalactic gas”, on the theoretical modelling of HI intensity mapping the distance–redshift relation from the WiggleZ Dark gravitational physics through the manner in which the which was assigned a total of 5.5 Million CPU hours in surveys. She is realistically simulating the cross- Energy Survey; Eyal has since started a job in industry. distribution of matter imparts both velocities to galaxies, and defl ections to passing light rays. Blake and his three years through the CAASTRO CPU time-allocation correlation of optical data such as the WiggleZ galaxy Research associate Felipe Marin has undertaken a group work on the interface of observations and theory, scheme. Two papers on properties of galaxies at redshift survey with intensity-mapping observations. She is careful comparison of large-scale structure in the testing the properties of the dark energy that fi lls the z~4–7 have been published in MNRAS. Two more investigating how the joined analysis of optical and overlap regions of WiggleZ and the Baryon Oscillation Universe using a variety of tools such as baryon acoustic papers are currently submitted to MNRAS. The fi rst one radio measurements gives insight into galaxy-evolution Spectroscopic Survey. The group has also used an oscillations, redshift-space distortions, peculiar velocity is a follow up at lower redshift (z~1–4) of the previous processes and might allow to distinguish between allocation of CAASTRO supercomputing time to surveys, and galaxy voids. two papers on galaxy properties and the fi rst author is different star-formation scenarios. Furthermore, she produce a large new suite of cosmological simulations. CAASTRO PhD student Antonios Katsianis. The second will be involved into the processing and analysis of the At the end of the year, the group was boosted by the Professor Jeremy Mould is a study of both the metal and molecular content of intensity maps taken by the Parkes telescope. arrival of new postdoc Ixandra Achitouv. simulated galaxy populations made in collaboration Chief Investigator Chief Investigator Jeremy Mould is joint leader of a with Umberto Maio (University of Trieste) and Ryan dark-matter direct-detection experiment in the Stawell Theme: Dark Cooke (University of California, Santa Cruz). Since gold mine. This arose from the second CAASTRO During 2014 Mould and two CAASTRO students February 2014 Tescari has been co-supervising (with CoEPP workshop in September. worked on improvements to two extragalactic distance principal supervisor Emma Ryan-Weber) Swinburne indicators. The celebrated supernova ‘standard candle’ CAASTRO PhD student Angela Garcìa on a project called Mould commenced work with postdoctoral research (Nobel Prize for Physics 2011) may be improved by “Diagnosing hydrogen reionisation with metal absorption fellow Elisabetta DaCunha on target selection for the measuring supernova brightness after separation line ratios”. Taipan Galaxy survey with the UK Schmidt Telescope at Siding Spring Observatory. This will result in the best into host-galaxy star-formation rate classes. The 110 CAASTRO 111 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

to image the local Universe from simulations in a similar Ms Emily Petroff fashion to ASKAP and to probe the nature of the IGM. CAASTRO PhD Student Mr Andrew Jameson Theme: Dynamic CAASTRO Affi liate Petroff started her PhD in 2012 with CAASTRO Theme: Dynamic scientists Dr Willem van Straten, Dr Matthew Bailes, and Dr Simon Johnston. Her work focuses on searching Jameson is highly experienced in software development, large radio surveys from telescopes like Parkes for new systems administration, high-performance computing pulsars and exotic radio transients through single-pulse and scientifi c visualisation. He has implemented several emission. Her main work this year has centered around generations of pulsar instrumentation at the Parkes fi nding fast radio bursts, which are bright, millisecond Radio Telescope. His work continues in the areas of data CAASTRO Swinburne University of Technology team members pulses believed to come from other galaxies. She acquisition, high-speed networking, real-time systems, found one such event in ‘real time’ and coordinated interference excision, GPU software development and the largest international follow-up ever attempted. She ‘big data’ management. will be building on this work to develop triggering and Tully-Fisher relation for SAMI galaxies may be improved Dr Vikram Ravi Dr Ewan Barr shadowing programs with international collaborators to by measuring the velocity dispersion of the galaxy’s CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher understand more about this mysterious class of objects. bulge as well as its rotation velocity. Luca Cortese CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher Theme: Evolving (Swinburne) wrote an ApJ Letter on this. Mould also Theme: Dynamic Mr Rahul Sai Poruri organised the second joint CAASTRO/CoEPP workshop Ravi joined CAASTRO in late 2014 to work on the CAASTRO PhD Student Barr has been at Swinburne since April 2013. His on direct detection of dark matter. CoEPP is interested UTMOST project with Professor Matthew Bailes. research expertise lies in the fi elds of digital signal Theme: Evolving in hosting an INFN dark-matter detection experiment Ravi has been assisting with the development and processing, data-mining and high-performance looking for annual modulation from a southern commissioning of the various observing modes of Poruri is a fi nal year student pursuing a BS & MS in computing, particularly in the fi eld of pulsar astronomy. hemisphere site. If an underground physics lab can this system, from making wide-angle images of the Physics degree at the Indian Institute of Technology, Since arriving at Swinburne, Barr has led a project to be developed in the Stawell gold mine, participants radio sky to searching for the mystifying fast radio Madras. At the Swinburne University of Technology, develop state-of-the-art high-performance software in the meeting have a strong interest in organising bursts. Ravi has recently completed a PhD in Physics Poruri worked with Professor Jeremy Mould to that uses graphics processing units to enable real- a collaboration between CoEPP and INFN for this at the University of Melbourne, and will be taking up a construct a Tully-Fisher (TF) relationship from the SAMI time searches for binary pulsars. This work has now purpose. A working group will refi ne the parameters of Fellowship at the California Institute of Technology in survey data. Over the span of two months, Poruri facilitated the fi rst real-time accelerated pulsar and this collaboration. September 2015. worked to reduce IFS data cubes to extract the H alpha transient survey, the Survey for Pulsars and Extragalactic emission lines and built a data set to construct the Professor Karl Glazebrook Dr Chris Flynn Radio Bursts (SUPERB), which is currently making new TF relationship. Poruri discovered interesting double discoveries. The main focus of Barr’s current work CAASTRO Affi liate CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher lobed H alpha emission line profi les, a characteristic of is the the design and development of the required galactic HI observations. His work was presented as a Theme: Dark Theme: Dynamic instrumentation for pulsar science with the Square poster at the conference on ‘The Role of Hydrogen in Glazebrook’s main activity in CAASTRO has been the Flynn has been closely involved with the management Kilometre Array (SKA). This includes design and the Evolution of Galaxies initiation and early development of the OzDES project, of the Molonglo telescope project upgrade, including development of an SKA (and also MeerKAT) pulsar a collaboration between Australian researchers and the the GPU-based correlator and pulsar-folding systems, timing backend at Swinburne, but also development of Mr Fabian Jankowski large international Dark Energy Survey (DES), which is hardware upgrades to the receivers and digitisation a real-time pulsar search backend (the fi rst dedicated CAASTRO PhD Student carrying out a very deep large-area imaging survey of instrument of its kind) with partners in Europe. Barr’s systems, observing scheduler and automation of Theme: Dynamic the southern sky. OzDES involves numerous CAASTRO observing. Signifi cant milestones during the year work has also seen him involved in the re-commissioning senior investigators and PDRAs. Professor Glazebrook include operating the telescope as an array on 25% of the Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope Jankowski commenced his PhD at Swinburne in is also engaged in the SAMI survey for quantifying the of the antennae, producing our fi rst maps of radio (MOST). Here, we are working to vastly increase the September 2013 under the supervision of Professor role of angular momentum in galaxy formation. sources, the fi rst pulsar observation using the telescope scientifi c capabilities of the telescope, providing a world- Matthew Bailes, Dr Willem van Straten and Dr as a coherent array, detection of individual pulses class instrument for the discovery of fast radio bursts. Evan Keane. He leads the pulsar-timing science Dr Willem van Straten programme at the Molonglo radio telescope and helps from the bright pulsar Vela, full remote operations Dr Evan Keane CAASTRO Affi liate of the telescope, resuming fl ux monitoring of the re-commission, debug and verify the instrument. More CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher than a year’s worth of high-cadence data has now Theme: Dynamic supernova 1987A, timing of about a dozen pulsars weekly, signifi cant progress ameliorating the effects of Theme: Dynamic been taken, mainly using an automatic observing mode van Straten is an expert in high-precision pulsar timing mobile-telephone calls, shadowing of the Parkes radio designed by him, with the current timing program In 2014, Keane began the SUPERB survey at the and radio polarimetry. He has developed state-of-the- telescope when it is conducting pulsar and radio-burst consisting of about 16 pulsars. Parkes telescope: this has the goal of discovering art instrumentation and high-performance data analysis surveying, and development of our pipeline system new pulsars and fast radio bursts. The project has software for the world’s premier radio observatories to search for individual bursts (also known as fast Ms Shivani Bhandari has already made some discoveries. As part of the and is currently leading the design of the pulsar-timing radio bursts, one of our primary science drivers for the CAASTRO PhD Student instrumentation for the Square Kilometre Array. van project, Keane identifi ed ways to improve search upgraded instrument). Theme: Dynamic Straten is actively involved in the Survey for Pulsars and techniques for fast radio bursts and to more accurately Extragalactic Radio Bursts (SUPERB) based at the Parkes Dr Alan Duffy determine their characteristic parameters. He was also Bhandari is involved with transforming Australia’s part of teams that performed the fi rst low-frequency largest radio telescope, the Molonglo Observatory Observatory in New South Wales. For this project, he CAASTRO Affi liate supervises PhD student Emily Petroff’s search for fast high time resolution transient searches with LOFAR, Synthesis Telescope, into a wide-fi eld camera capable radio bursts and rotating radio transients and Masters Themes: Evolving, Dark made focused studies of individual pulsars including of performing precision timing of multiple pulsars, student Vincent Morello’s development of machine- Duffy has created a new simulation series tracking the PSRJ1227-4853, an X-ray binary that recently radio-sky mapping, and searching the radio sky learning techniques that differentiate between promising formation of the fi rst galaxies, properties of which will transitioned to a millisecond pulsar, and worked on a for fast radio bursts. The main challenges involve pulsar candidates and radio-frequency interference. be crucial for determining the visibility of the Epoch of neural network for identifying new pulsar discoveries in detection and excision of radio-frequency interference, Reionisation by radio telescopes such as the Murchison radio-telescope data. and phasing the array to ultimately create tied- Widefi eld Array. As well as working on the distant array beams and radio maps using the output of the Universe, he has also created a bespoke online pipeline supercomputer. Bhandari’s science goals are related to 112 CAASTRO 113 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

synthesis imaging using Molonglo, and also include the Dr Eyal Kazin Emma Ryan-Weber, Professor Michael Murphy and Dr of the current accelerated expansion of the Universe. localisation of new pulsars that are being discovered CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher Neil Crighton. His work focuses on absorption systems The many different theories attempting to explain at Parkes, and large-scale structure in red-shifted in high-redshift quasar spectra as a way to understand the accelerated expansion predict different structure- HI. Bhandari is also part of the High Time Resolution Theme: Dark the end of the Epoch of Reionisation and the stellar formation histories and consequently change the Universe surveys (HITRUN) and Surveys for Pulsars and Eyal Kazin’s paper performing improved cosmological populations responsible for it. Studying the relative velocities of galaxies, among other things. As a result Extragalactic Radio Burst (SUPERB) teams. distance measurements to redshift z=1, by applying strengths of different ionisation states of carbon, these measurements will allow the researchers to narrow reconstruction of the baryon acoustic feature to oxygen, silicon and other metals will constrain the down the plethora of current theories, and perhaps Mr Venkatraman Krishnan the WiggleZ Dark Energy Survey, was accepted for stellar-population models and their number density in identify a single physical cause for this cosmic mystery. CAASTRO PhD Student publication in MNRAS. In July 2014, Eyal left academia order to better understand the process of reionisation of cosmic hydrogen. Dr Felipe Marin Theme: Dynamic to take up a position in industry after three years as a CAASTRO Research Associate. CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher Krishnan is a fi rst year PhD student working with Dr Ixandra Achitouv Theme: Dark Professor Matthew Bailes, Dr Willem van Straten and Dr Syed A Uddin CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher Evan Keane at Swinburne University of Technology. His CAASTRO PhD Student Marin worked in fi nding the dependence of the measured thesis mainly focuses on developing new instrumentation Theme: Dark growth-rate of structures on the galaxy tracer used via techniques for time domain astronomy. He will Theme: Dark Achitouv joined CAASTRO in 2014 as a postdoctoral redshift-space distortions (RSD) of the clustering pattern. specifi cally focus on new ‘telescope generic’ ways to Uddin’s PhD thesis falls within the framework of fellow. Her research focuses on developing analytical Using data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and from detect and excise radio-frequency interference which is CAASTRO’s Dark theme. He is investigating the models to describe large-scale structure. In particular, the WiggleZ Dark Energy Survey, he tested systematics crucial at the dawn of the SKA era. He will also develop effect of host-galaxy environments on the light-curve she has worked on predicting the abundance of voids of current RSD models using Koda’s COLA mock galaxy effi cient algorithms for the detection, analysis and timing parameters of Type Ia supernovae. Large datasets are and clusters in the case of non-standard cosmologies catalogs, and then applied his fi ndings to the real data of pulsars and other fast radio transients in ‘real time’, being built from SNLS, SDSS, and CSP supernova such as primordial non-Gaussianity or the quintessence catalogs, fi nding concordance in the measured growth harnessing the advancements in computer science surveys for this work. Additional datasets may come model of dark energy. Achitouv’s work also focuses rate for both tracers and with the standard cosmological such as massively parallel computing architectures and from the DES and SkyMapper surveys. With a large on analysing N-body simulations in order to understand model. The results of this investigation will be sent to ‘big data’ management. Krishnan will primarily use the dataset and controlled analysis methods for photometry non-linear gravitational processes leading to MNRAS in early 2015. Blake and Koda have collaborated Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope (UTMOST) and SED fi ttings, this work has potential to improve cosmological observables. in this research. In addition, Marin worked on measuring for his thesis, and he will help with several aspects of systematic uncertainties originating from different host- and analysing the bispectrum of WiggleZ galaxies the refurbishment of this telescope during the initial part galaxy properties (e.g. dust extinction) in supernovae Ms Luz Angela Garcia (higher-order clustering in Fourier space), which is a of his PhD. Apart from UTMOST, he will also use the light-curves. Understanding the force responsible CAASTRO PhD Student complementary measure of clustering that allows us MEERKAT radio telescope and the CSIRO Parkes radio to measure the growth of the Universe as a function for cosmic acceleration is an important implication Theme: Evolving telescope for developing and testing his techniques. of this work. Uddin has been involved in the OzDES of time. Also, using Koda’s method for generating fast Once the techniques are developed, he will use them to collaboration where the AAOmega spectrograph on AAT Garcia started her PhD in Febraury 2014 at Swinburne N-body simulations, Marin is working on generating do high-precision pulsar timing and transient searching is used to follow up supernovae candidates discovered under the supervision of Associate Professor Emma mock catalogs for the 6dFGS and for the future TAIPAN with the telescopes mentioned above. by DES. First year OzDES observations are fi nished Ryan-Weber, Dr Edoardo Tescari and Professor Stuart survey. These will allow us to estimate uncertainties and and an article has appeared in AAObserver. Several Wyithe. Garcia is studying the Epoch of Reionisation forecast the performance of future surveys. Dr David Lagattuta supernova discovery-confi rmation telegrams have also using hydrodynamical simulations to derive theoretical CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher been published by the IAU. Uddin plans to submit his constraints on the end of this era and investigate Vincent Morello PhD thesis by the middle of 2015. different scenarios. She is focused on the existence of CAASTRO Masters Student Theme: Dark correlations among metal absorption-line ratios, which In 2014 Lagattuta published a study of the Associate Professor Emma Ryan-Weber can give a quantitative measure of the neutral-to- Theme: Dark gravitational lens 3C220.3. He obtained high- CAASTRO Associate Investigator ionised hydrogen at high redshift (z~6). Morello mainly focuses on pulsar searching and the resolution infrared spectra of galactic nuclei with the application of machine learning to radio-astronomy Magellan FIRE instrument. Stellar population models Theme: Evolving Dr Jun Koda data, under the supervision of van Straten and Barr. will be compared with these data to see if the initial Ryan-Weber’s research in 2014 continues to focus CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher In 2014 he developed an automated machine-learning mass function is bottom heavy (an excess of low- based system to analyse pulsar-search survey outputs. on metal absorption-line systems in the high redshift Theme: Dark mass stars) in massive ellipticals, possibly explaining Universe. Two new PhD students have commenced at It can differentiate rare pulsar signals from millions of their high mass-to-light ratios. Swinburne on this project under her supervision. Luz Koda worked on forecasting the accuracy with which radio-frequency interference signals with high accuracy, future peculiar-velocity surveys may be used to test In addition, Lagattuta was also actively involved Angela Garcia is collaborating with Edoardo Tescari a task previously requiring a very large amount of the cosmological model. In July 2014, Koda moved with the OzDES survey and the Uluru Astronomer in and Stuart Wyithe on simulating metal absorption-line human intervention and time. His work contributed to accept the Darklight post-doctoral fellowship at the Residence scheme. In OzDES he is interested in the systems. Alex Codoreanu is working on high signal- to the discovery of 10 new pulsars to date, including Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera after three years as Strong Lensing Working Group: a team identifying and to-noise ratio spectra of redshift 6 quasars to search some left behind in previously searched data. for metal lines in the intergalactic medium at the a CAASTRO Research Associate. studying strong gravitational lenses in DES. With these Ms Sue Lester newly discovered systems, he intends to expand upon conclusion of reionisation. Mr Andrew Johnson the efforts of SHARP, a Keck project using gravitational Node Administrator Alex Codoreanu CAASTRO PhD Student lenses to fi nd dwarf satellite galaxies. He has moved to Lester continues to support the activities of CAASTRO Lyon to pursue this lensing work. It promises to confi rm CAASTRO PhD Student Theme: Dark personnel at Swinburne and was involved with the LSST or deny one of cold dark matter’s most controversial Theme: Evolving Johnson is involved in using a number of recent Town Hall event as well as the annual retreat. 2014 predictions: the prevalence of substructure. saw a year of structural and personnel changes within Codoreanu commenced his PhD at Swinburne in May cosmological measurements with a focus on the the University with CAASTRO now sitting within a new 2014 under the supervision of Associate Professor velocities of galaxies, to try to understand the origin Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology. 114 CAASTRO 115 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

CAASTRO AT THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY (ANU) CAASTRO ANU team members

Research at the ANU node of CAASTRO spans the when the fi rst stars are lighting up. Offringa built novel hydrodynamic explosion models for optical transients, Germany. In November, along with his High-Z Supernova breadth of the Centre’s activities, with extensive links software for RFI characterisation and excision, as well including thermonuclear explosion models for the faint Search Team Supernova Cosmology Project colleagues, into all of the other nodes through CAASTRO’s major as a novel implementation of the image deconvolution SNe Iax. Ruiter worked on the theoretical formation he received the 2015 Breakthrough Prize in Physics in a initiatives of Skymapper survey science, SAMI, fast algorithm (CLEAN) that is especially effi cient for the channels of interacting binary stars that lead to transient ceremony held in Silicon Valley. radio bursts, the OZDES project, MWA science, and widefi eld imaging applications with the MWA. phenomena, in particular Type Ia supernova progenitors. transient science. Within the Dynamic Universe theme, student Manish Her models have given further credence to the notion Professor Frank Briggs Within the Evolving Universe, we welcomed Caleb, working with the team at Swinburne, has that many Type Ia supernovae arise from exploding CAASTRO Chief Investigator PhD student Mayuri Sathyanarayana Rao to the investigated the rates of fast radio bursts (FRBs). She white dwarfs that are less massive than previously Themes: Evolving, Dynamic team. She, along with Professor Frank Briggs and is part of the team that is refurbishing the Molongo speculated, and provided new theoretical birthrates for Briggs’ research interests have focused on the use Professor Ravi Subrahmanyan (Raman Research Radio Telescope (MOST) to substantially increase its Type Ia supernova progenitors that arise from exploding of the radio 21-cm line of neutral hydrogen to follow Institute), is investigating the feasibility of detecting sensitivity and bandwidth. This should enable large sub-Chandrasekhar mass white dwarfs. the history of galaxy formation and evolution. Atomic additive spectral distortions in the cosmic microwave numbers of FRBs to be discovered in 2015 and beyond. Within the Dark Universe, we welcomed PhD student hydrogen is the most primitive and most common of background arising from the epochs of cosmological Caleb has also been investigating the measurement Bonnie Zhang. Zhang is working to undertake a the elements, and primordial clouds of hydrogen gas hydrogen and helium recombination. of the polarisation of single pulses from rotating radio joint cosmological analysis between SkyMapper are the substance from which the visible components ANU also welcomed Honours student Sarah Leslie, transients which could then be applied to the single SN Ia and those in the existing SNLS survey (with of the structure of the Universe (the stars and who successfully completed her degree working with pulses from FRBs. This method has proven successful LPNHE CAASTRO affi liates), and the new objects galaxies) form. Briggs has been a member of the the SAMI team at the University of Sydney, looking at and was used by Petroff et al. (2014) to measure for discovered as part of the OZDES survey. Yuan has MWA Consortium to design, build and operation the optical and radio measures of star formation. Matthew the very fi rst time the polarisation of a real-time FRB set up and maintained the OzDES database hosted Murchison Widefi eld Array in Western Australia since Colless used the SAMI survey data to undertake detection. at ANU, participated in observing and data analysis the project’s conception. He has also been engaged in analysis of the Fundamental Plane and other kinematic Our Dynamic Universe work has also cut through and is leading the fi rst-year survey paper. The OZDES an ongoing collaboration with Indian astronomers at scaling relations: that work continues. the optical domains, with the team including Dr Fang survey, in addition to Zhang and Yuan, includes the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics in Pune and Jonghwan Rhee, Frank Briggs, and Matthew Colless Yuan, Dr Michael Childress, Dr Richard Scalzo, Dr Chris efforts by Schmidt , Childress, Scalzo, and Wolf. Also with astronomers within Australian institutes to use the used deep observations from the Giant Metrewave Wolf, and Professor Brian Schmidt overseeing activity. within the Dark Universe, Colless helped complete Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) to measure Radio Telescope (India) and Westerbork Synthesis Scalzo has continued to refi ne his light-curve modeling the analysis of the WiggleZ survey, with two WiggleZ the evolution of the gas content of galaxies over the Radio Telescope (Netherlands) to measure the neutral technique for measuring masses of SNe Ia progenitors, papers published in 2014. last seven billion years, and the relation of the gas to hydrogen content of normal fi eld galaxies in the redshift applying it to other candidates for explosions of super- Professor Brian Schmidt star-forming properties of galaxy populations. range 0.1 < z < 0.4, a period spanning roughly 30% Chandrasekhar-mass white dwarfs, and for deriving of the age of the Universe. Despite looking back in the intrinsic distribution of masses for a large sample CAASTRO Node Leader; Gender and Diversity Professor Matthew Colless time nearly four billion years in order to probe galaxies of Type Ia supernovae. Using SkyMapper, Wolf, Yuan, Committee Chair CAASTRO Chief Investigator when they were forming stars nearly four times faster and Scalzo coordinated multi-wavelength monitoring Theme: Dark than they do at present, these observations show that Themes: Evolving, Dark campaigns with the MWA and Kepler Extragalactic Schmidt continued to lead work on SkyMapper, which the gas content of the galaxies has remained nearly Colless led the 6dF Galaxy Survey that used the UKST teams, searching for young supernovae and fast radio spent 2014 undertaking the Southern Sky Survey. constant over this time, implying that they are being bursts and for QSO micro-variability. to map the density and velocity fi elds in the local replenished by accretion of fresh material from the More than 80% through its short survey of the Universe by measuring Fundamental Plane distances intergalactic medium. Rhee completed his PhD thesis Dr Michael Childress led a sustained effort to Southern Sky, in 2015 the telescope’s attention will and peculiar velocities for 10,000 nearby galaxies. He based on this work and took a postdoctoral research spectroscopically observe a large number of supernovae be turned to extending the survey to fainter limits. brings this expertise to the WALLABY survey team, position at University of Western Australia. throughout their evolution with the ANU-2.3m In 2014 Schmidt continued to oversee the software which will test the current cosmological paradigm that telescope, work that was combined with the optical pipelines, with these expected to produce data for Ben McKinley, André Offringa and Frank Briggs the distributions of dark and luminous matter are the group’s continuing participation in the Public ESO the wider CAASTRO community in 2015. A decision participated in commissioning and calibrating the same on the largest scales by combining the WALLABY Spectroscopic Survey of Transient Objects (PESSTO) was made to postpone a major supernova survey with Murchison Widefi eld Array (MWA), to develop software all-sky neutral hydrogen survey using ASKAP with project. Childress used this work to gain insights into the telescope until 2015, but many reference frames to characterise and mitigate radio-frequency interference an all-sky optical survey using SkyMapper. Colless is the explosion dynamics of Type Ia Supernoae (SN Ia) (required for supernova detection) were taken. (RFI), to help design and implement software that enables engaged in the comparison of the radio and optical from the evolution of their spectra. calibration and imaging. McKinley completed his PhD at Schmidt continues to make many public appearances surveys and the analysis of the velocity fi eld and its the ANU using MWA observations to study the extended Finally, within the Dynamic Universe, we have bolstered both in Australia and internationally, including being a implications for cosmological models. The CAASTRO radio lobes of the nearby radio galaxies Centaurus A and the theoretical capability of CAASTRO by welcoming keynote speaker at the World Economic Forum in Davos, research program brings together the WALLABY and Fornax A. He also explored the possibilities for using Dr Ivo Seitenzahl and Dr Ashley Ruiter. Seitenzahl the Euroscience Open Forum (ESOF) in Copenhagen, The FLASH ASKAP surveys with the 6dF and the proposed the Moon as a calibrating screen for use in Epoch of showed that the 5.9 keV X-ray line emission from the European Space Agency's 50th Anniversary Celebration, TAIPAN UKST surveys. As a member of all four Reionisation studies of neutral gas at redshift 7 to 12, decay of iron-55 is a promising diagnostic to distinguish as well giving major lectures in New York City USA, survey teams, Colless plans to study the co-evolution between Type Ia supernova explosion models, and build Tokyo Japan, Groningen Netherlands, and Mainz of gas and stars out to a redshift z ~0.25 using the 116 CAASTRO 117 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

ASKAP radio surveys to measure the neutral hydrogen sources, and works on the mitigation of radio-frequency redshifts and their application to quasars. His research Fellow in April 2014. He is a theoretical nuclear gas component of galaxies and the UKST optical interference (RFI). interests include galaxy evolution and the decline of astrophysicist and his research focuses on explosive spectroscopy to measure the stellar component. star formation in spiral galaxies as well as supernovae, nucleosynthesis and three-dimensional simulations of Dr Richard Scalzo GRBs and their host galaxies. His most recent work Type Ia supernova explosions. Seitenzahl’s research Dr Fang Yuan CAASTRO Associate Investigator focused on the transformation of spiral galaxies in also includes work on the formation and propagation CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher Themes: Dark, Dynamic clusters and the effects of ram-pressure stripping. of detonations powered by nuclear fusion, the Galactic chemical evolution of manganese, the atomic and Theme: Dynamic Scalzo’s research focuses on observational studies of Dr Robert Sharp nuclear physics of late-time supernova light-curves, Yuan is a member of the SkyMapper transient team. supernovae at optical wavelengths, with emphasis on CAASTRO Associate Investigator and the detectability of the 5.9 keV X-ray line emission The SkyMapper transient search found its fi rst Type Ia supernova progenitors and explosion physics. from the decay of 55Fe in thermonuclear supernovae. supernova in late 2013 and is expected to have a Scalzo published three papers in 2014 on the diversity Theme: Evolving, Dark steadily increasing discovery rate as the survey area of ejected masses in Type Ia supernovae, including Sharp is instrument scientist for the Giant Magellan Ms Sharon Rapoport expands and the pipeline continues to be improved. (with CAASTRO Associate Investigators Stuart Sim and Telescope Integral Field Spectrograph, a new CAASTRO PhD Student Her main science interest involves understanding of a Ashley Ruiter) the fi rst detailed distribution of ejected instrument under design at the Australian National diverse range of stellar explosions. She studies core- masses for a large sample of Type Ia supernovae used University and destined for the Giant Magellan Theme: Dynamic collapse supernovae and is responsible for coordinating in dark-energy experiments. These results suggest that Telescope in Chile in 2021. Within CAASTRO Sharp Rapoport joined CAASTRO’s ANU team as a PhD SkyMapper and the ANU 2.3-m to follow up gamma- progenitor-mass variation plays an important role in is a leader of the SAMI Galaxy Survey data analysis student in 2011. She worked on studying the expected ray bursts, fast radio bursts and gravitational-wave explaining the empirical relations used to standardise group, for which the SAMI survey team delivered the angle-dependent synthetic spectra from jet-driven candidate events. Yuan is also a member of the OzDES supernova distances for cosmology, and have been fi rst public data release in July 2014. For the OzDES models (using Stuart Sim’s 3D radiative transfer code) team. In addition, she is running the “CAASTRO in the featured in science media, talks at two international supernova survey project (which completes the second to better understand the observational expectations Chinese Classroom” outreach program. conferences, and invited seminars in Australia and full year of its fi ve year campaign in early 2015), Sharp from gamma-ray bursts associated with supernovae, the United States. Scalzo continues to build new is the local coordinator for the ‘reverberation mapping’ and constrain physical phenomena of the explosions Dr Michael Childress collaborations with theorists and observers to work component that will measure the masses of giant black properties by studying their observational consequences. CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher on supernova progenitors, with the goal in 2015 of holes in distant quasars. Additionally, Sharp has teamed She submitted her thesis in August 2014. Theme: Dark creating a robust Bayesian inference framework for up with radio astronomers interested in faint radio progenitor properties of massive star explosions. galaxies and is using the repeated visits to the OzDES Ms Manisha Caleb Childress’ research focuses on observations of nearby supernova survey fi elds to record sensitive observations CAASTRO PhD Student supernovae, particularly through optical spectroscopy. Together with colleague Dr Fang Yuan, Scalzo of these enigmatic galaxies to identify the underlying In 2014 Childress had three papers published: one on has also continued development and operation of Theme: Dynamic source types and their distances from Earth. high-velocity features in spectra of Type Ia supernovae SkyMapper’s Supernova Search, including coordinated Caleb began her PhD in July 2013 under the (accepted in 2013), one describing the data-reduction observations with the Kepler Extra-Galactic Survey Dr Ashley Ruiter supervision of Frank Briggs at ANU and Matthew Bailes pipeline for the WiFeS instrument (accepted in 2013), (KEGS) and the Murchison Wide-Field Array to search and Chris Flynn at Swinburne. ‘Fast radio bursts’ (FRBs) CAASTRO Associate Investigator and one on ages of Type Ia supernovae as a function of for supernovae and fast radio bursts. The Supernova are bright, coherent, millisecond-duration radio emission galaxy environment and cosmic time. Childress is the Search also discovered and confi rmed SN 2013hx, a Theme: Dynamic of unknown origin thought to occur at cosmological Theme Scientist for the Dark theme, and is a member rare, superluminous Type Ic supernova. The Supernova Ruiter works in binary star evolution modelling to distances. Only a handful of these sources have been of the SkyMapper, OzDES, and 2dFLenS surveys. Search will begin taking data at full scale for its Type Ia understand the formation of interacting stars discovered to date. When more sources are discovered supernova cosmology project in early 2015. that give rise to explosive phenomena. She is they could potentially help unveil some of the mysteries Dr Andre Offringa Dr Christian Wolf interested in transient sources involving white dwarfs of the cosmos. Caleb is part of the team at Swinburne CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher (e.g., Type Ia supernovae), and uses theoretical that is taking part in the worldwide race to discover CAASTRO Associate Investigator Themes: Dynamic, Evolving methods to uncover the evolutionary channels that more of these exciting sources. Theme: Evolving, Dark lead to their formation, predict their birth rates, and Offringa joined CAASTRO in 2012 as postdoctoral Caleb is also performing Monte Carlo simulations to constrain their birth sites (ages). Ruiter has been fellow at ANU. He is part of the Epoch of Reionisation Wolf started work as SkyMapper Survey Scientist determine the discovery rates of these FRBs at the a member of CAASTRO since 2013 and joined the ANU team that uses the Murchison Widefi eld Array (MWA) to in April 2013 and currently works on optimising Parkes and Molonglo radio telescopes. The Molonglo in April 2014. detect faint redshifted HI signals from a yet unseen era operations, preparing survey data releases, and helping radio telescope, a interferometer near Canberra, is of our Universe. The MWA radio telescope will generate third-party users to make best use of the telescope. He Dr Ivo Seitenzahl currently being collaboratively refurbished with state- huge data volumes, and processing these effi ciently is an previously led the COMBO-17 optical multi-band of-the-art backend technology to transform it into a CAASTRO Associate Investigator exciting challenge. Offringa works on effi cient algorithms survey, which explored the evolution of galaxies and burst-detection machine. When fully recommissioned, that are required for processing these data. He is also quasars over most of cosmic time. He is an expert Theme: Dynamic the telescope will be able to detect events four times involved in the analysis of observations for the Epoch of in photometric redshift and statistical classifi cation Seitenzahl became a CAASTRO Associate Investigator better than Parkes. Reionisation to investigate the properties of foreground techniques and pioneered high-precision photometric in October 2013 and joined ANU as a SkyMapper 118 CAASTRO 119 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

CAASTRO AT THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND

It has been an exciting year for UQ astrophysics, as emission from the Milky Way, which disproved the speculated dark-matter origin of the galaxy-cluster line. Ms Bonnie Zhang Ms Sarah Leslie 2014 saw us becoming a new node of CAASTRO. Being part of the CAASTRO community has has had a Michael Drinkwater continues to work on SAMI CAASTRO PhD Student CAASTRO Pre-PhD Student: tangible impact on our group, particularly our students, science, and student Adam Thomas completed his Theme: Dark, Dynamic Theme: Evolving and helped us build on our existing collaborations and Honours thesis on searching for ram-pressure stripping Zhang began her PhD in February 2014 under the In 2014 Leslie completed her Honours in Astronomy establish new ones. in galaxy clusters with SAMI. While no defi nite cases supervision of Brian Schmidt. Her research is in and Astrophysics at ANU under the supervision of Research at the Queensland node focuses on the Dark of ram-pressure stripping were present in his sample, observational cosmology with Type Ia supernovae, with Professor Lisa Kewley, and of the University of Sydney and Evolving themes. In September we welcomed our he did fi nd strong evidence for a trend of increasing the goal of constraining dark energy. As part of both CAASTRO members Professor Elaine Sadler and Dr new CAASTRO postdoctoral fellow, Edward Macaulay, gas ionisation with distance from the nucleus in several the SkyMapper team and the OzDES collaboration, she Julia Bryant. Leslie works with the SAMI galaxy survey, who is working on measuring the lensing magnifi cation galaxies. Continuing our close CAASTRO ties, Adam will analyse light-curves of supernovae discovered in and her thesis involved combining the optical data from of supernovae in the OzDES survey. This should improve has moved on to a PhD at ANU. Michael was also the SkyMapper Supernova Survey, at low redshift, and SAMI with radio-continuum data from the VLA FIRST the precision with which the supernovae can be used awarded a prestigious teaching fellowship at UQ to the Dark Energy Survey, at high redshift. She will also survey. Aiming to better understand radio emission in as standard candles, and also allow for the amplitude develop his innovative teaching methods. compare the photometric calibrations of both surveys star-forming galaxies, Leslie found that shocks could of density fl uctuations to be measured from signals in The Type Ia supernova rate has been looked at in an to quantify and minimise the systematic uncertainty play an important role in enhancing radio emission in the data that would previously be considered as noise. unusual way by Holger Baumgardt who quantifi ed associated with the calibration. galaxies with large-scale winds. Leslie will expand on Macaulay has a background in peculiar velocities, and the role that direct collisions between white dwarfs this work next year as a Masters student. so will be working also with students for our peculiar- Ms Mayuri Sathyanarayana Rao may play. He and his student Lara Cullinane simulated velocity projects. collision rates between single white dwarfs in various CAASTRO PhD Student Ms Denise Sturgess David Parkinson has been drilling into non-standard globular clusters, and also investigated the role of stellar CAASTRO Administrator Theme: Evolving cosmologies: in particular, he has made the fi rst binaries for these collisions. Sturgess has worked as CAASTRO Node Administrator Sathyanarayana Rao began her PhD in March 2014 predictions for what large-scale structure should look Tamara Davis’ work has focused on OzDES this year, under the supervision of Frank Briggs at ANU and Ravi at the Australian National University, Mt Stromlo like in Galileon cosmologies. These models have an Observatory, since CAASTRO’s inception. with our second year of observations now complete. Subrahmanyan at the Raman Research Institute. Theory extra degree of freedom, which may have stochastically She worked with software engineering Honours student predicts additive spectral distortions in the cosmic She provides ongoing, broad administrative support independent initial conditions that can break complete Samuel Hinton, who rewrote the 2dF redshifting microwave background (CMB) radiation arising from to the team and works alongside Chief Investigator correlation between density and velocity power software, making it much easier to use and more photons emitted during the epochs of hydrogen and Professor Brian Schmidt as his assistant. spectra, and thus make interesting testable predictions. powerful, while being accessible from a web browser helium recombination. These distortions are expected Meanwhile his Honours student Caitlin Adams has without needing any complex installation. Sam won to be buried in a sky spectrum that is eight orders investigated the effect neutrinos would have on power several awards for his thesis including the Institute of of magnitude brighter. Although an experimental spectra, using a combination of COLA simulations Electrical and Electronics Engineers student thesis award detection of these distortions of the CMB is extremely made by our CAASTRO colleagues in Swinburne and and the GroundProbe Prize Award for best thesis in challenging, the benefi ts of such a detection are emulator techniques to fi ll in the gaps between models photonics, microwave and communications. Meanwhile immense: it would provide a wealth of information that were able to be simulated. Adams has now moved Honours student Conor O’Neill completed a simulation about the early history of the Universe, a measure of on to a PhD at Swinburne. of the effi ciency of our OzDES strategy of re-observing pre-stellar helium abundance, and more. Despite the fact that Signe Riemer-Søresnsen has supernova host galaxies until we obtain a successful For her PhD, she is developing a prototype element for moved to the University of Oslo, we continue our active redshift. He is currently in Chile on a Gemini studentship. an array of radio telescopes, custom-designed to detect collaboration and co-supervision of students with her. Davis also wrote a non-technical review of Cosmological the spectral signatures of the epochs of hydrogen In 2014 we published the strongest neutrino mass Dark Energy constraints for General Relativity and and helium recombination. She is also working constraint to date from cosmology based on Planck Gravitation. on developing effi cient algorithms for foreground observations of the cosmic microwave background It was our great pleasure to be the host node for the subtraction, with a potential application to other combined with the galaxy power spectra from WiggleZ. annual CAASTRO retreat at the Sunshine Coast in cosmological problems including the detection of the The analysis also provided interesting information on the November and, earlier in the year, the OzDES busy redshifted 21-cm signal from the Epoch of Reionisation. neutrino hierarchy. In related work Signe performed a week. We spoke about our CAASTRO research at case study for improving measurements of the primordial numerous conferences worldwide, including the deuterium abundance in order to constrain the presence Aspen workshop on cosmology, the CoEPP-CAASTRO of beyond-standard-model physics around the time of Big workshop on direct dark matter detection, the Dark Bang nucleosynthesis; and following the detection of a Energy Survey collaboration meetings in Chicago and 3.5-keV emission line in stacked galaxy-cluster spectra University of Illinois, and the Academy of Science by Bulbul et al. (2014), she performed a search for line Frontiers of Astronomy conference in Canberra. 120 CAASTRO 121 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

Dr Signe Riemer-Sørensen Ms Anthea King CAASTRO Affi liate CAASTRO PhD Student Theme: Dark Theme: Dark In 2014 Riemer-Sørensen published the strongest King is investigating whether active galactic nuclei neutrino mass constraint to date from cosmology (AGN) are useful and viable standard-candle candidates based on Planck observations of the cosmic microwave using a technique called reverberation mapping (RM). CAASTRO University of Queensland team members background combined with the galaxy power spectrum It is her hope that we can use them to help constrain from WiggleZ. The analysis also provided interesting the properties of dark energy, as well as giving insight information on the neutrino hierarchy. She also did into galaxy–blackhole coevolution. King is involved in a case study for improving measurements of the OzDES, which will regularly monitor 500 AGN over its Outreach and other activities were also high on our Dr Holger Baumgardt primordial deuterium abundance in order to constrain fi ve year duration, allowing a RM investigation. Her agenda. Group members gave talks everywhere from CAASTRO Affi liate the presence of beyond-standard-model physics around current work concentrates on predicting the expected the Australian Museum to TEDx, including a Cosmology the time of Big Bang nucleosynthesis. Furthermore, performance and scientifi c output of the OzDES RM Winter School in Taiwan and even the Woodford Folk Theme: Dynamic following the detection of a 3.5-keV emission line in project as well as testing the most effi cient survey Festival. Tamara presented New Zealand’s Beatrice Baumgardt’s focus is on the role that direct collisions stacked galaxy cluster spectra by Bulbul et al. 2014, extensions and optimal target selection. Hill Tinsley Lecture Tour, which consisted of a week between white dwarfs play in determining the overall she performed a search for line emission from the Milky travelling around New Zealand talking about astrophysics Supernova Type Ia rate in galaxies. In 2014, he and a Way, which disproved the speculated dark-matter origin Mr Conor O’Neill to schools and the public. Edward attended a Maths student worked on calculating collision rates between of the galaxy-cluster line. CAASTRO Honours Student in Industry conference, and applied techniques from single white dwarfs in various globular clusters. He also Theme: Dark cosmology to solve commercial challenges for industry. did simulations to investigate the role of stellar binaries Ms Caitlin Adams UQ was awarded a Bronze in the inaugural Pleiades for these collisions. CAASTRO Honours Student O’Neill is a member of OzDES and has been working to Awards for supporting Women in Physics, and is optimise the observation strategy of the survey in order Theme: Dark next year’s host for the ASA’s Women in Astronomy Dr David Parkinson to maximise the number of redshift measurements, conference, which is being supported by CAASTRO. CAASTRO Affi liate Adams completed her Honours research in 2014, and therefore science results, that OzDES obtains. As and was jointly supervised by Dr David Parkinson and part of his thesis he also investigated the effectiveness Professor Tamara Davis Theme: Dark Associate Professor Chris Blake. The project covered of SNe and BAO as measurement probes in the CAASTRO Node Leader Parkinson has been leading research into the construction of an emulation pipeline that could constraints they place on cosmological parameters. testing theories of modifi ed gravity, as an be used to estimate a galaxy power spectrum from a O’Neill’s supervisors are Tamara Davis and Chris Theme: Dark (Theme Leader) alternative explanation for the accelerated limited set of N-body simulation power spectra. This Lidman. Davis specialises in interpreting cosmological expansion of the universe. His work has focused extended on previous emulation work by including observations in terms of their implications for on using measurements of the large-scale structure a neutrino mass parameter. As a part of the project, Mr Adam Thomas fundamental physics. In particular she focuses on of the universe to test these models. He has the pipeline was incorporated into CosmoMC, and the CAASTRO Honours Student determining the nature of dark energy and dark matter, WiggleZ power-spectrum data was used within this developed theoretical predictions and numerical Theme: Evolving using supernovae, large-scale structure, and galaxy simulations for the formation of structure under framework to constrain the neutrino mass. Her results velocities. She is a leader of the OzDES project, which alternative theories of gravity. He is part of the OzDES indicated that the emulation approach could be used to Thomas completed an honours project in 2014 under began in 2013 being awarded 100 nights over fi ve project, and an executive member of the 2dfLens produce strong constraints on cosmological parameters the supervision of Michael Drinkwater. His research years on the AAT to take spectra of sources discovered survey, which will follow up large-area lensing surveys while reducing the computational cost by using fewer made use of 2D spectral data from the SAMI Galaxy by the Dark Energy Survey (DES). This year the with spectroscopic observations. N-body simulations. Survey to try to identify signs of ongoing ram-pressure Australian Academy of Science announced that she stripping in cluster galaxies. He will continue to study will be the recipient of the 2015 Nancy Millis Medal for Dr Edward Macauley Mr Sam Hinton galaxy evolution in a PhD in 2015. Women in Science. CAASTRO Honours Student CAASTRO Postdoctoral Researcher Ms Sarah Thomson Theme: Dark Professor Michael Drinkwater Theme: Dark CAASTRO Honours Student Hinton completed his software engineering thesis CAASTRO Associate Investigator Macaulay’s main research interest is testing Theme: Dark fundamental physics with cosmological surveys, with a under supervision of Professor Tamara Davis in 2014, Theme: Evolving particular focus on understanding dark matter and dark where his project, Marz, was to provide the OzDES Thomson has undertaken a project to determine Drinkwater’s research focus is on the origin and energy with galaxy surveys. He is currently working on team a more effi cient and advanced redshifting tool. whether it is possible to detect a suppression at large evolution of dwarf galaxies. He is using high-resolution measuring the lensing magnifi cation of supernovae in Hinton has explored the limits of current standards scales in the primordial power spectrum with galaxy observations and simulations to test models of the the OzDES survey. This should improve the precision and technology by implementing the program entirely surveys. Her project supervisors are Dr David Parkinson formation of the smallest galaxies, ultra-compact with which the supernovae can be used as standard as a client based web application, allowing complete and Professor Ray Norris. dwarf galaxies, which he discovered. He is also using candles, and also allow for the amplitude of density platform independence. The web application is the new Sydney-AAO Multi-object Integral Field fl uctuations to be measured from signals in the data currently in ‘open-beta’, and Hinton intends to continue Ms Candy Wu Spectrograph (SAMI) to determine the importance of that would previously have been considered as noise. development whilst undertaking science honours as a CAASTRO Administrator hydrodynamic processes in the evolution of galaxies in CAASTRO student in 2015. Wu joined the CAASTRO UQ node in March 2014, rich cluster environments. having worked for School of Maths and Physics and School of Business at UQ in fi nance and HR for fi ve years. Wu provides fi nancial and administrative support to the CAASTRO members at UQ, and is responsible for reconciliation of fi nancial data against the CAASTRO budget. 122 CAASTRO 123 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

CAASTRO LINKAGES

CAASTRO has very strong national and international theme areas. Furthermore, Couch has a major leadership and which accelerates their evolution when they are at Dr Keith Bannister linkages through a substantial network of high- role in the SAMI Galaxy Survey, being a member of its close quarters. Iraklis is an expert on two- and three- CAASTRO Affi liate performing Australian and overseas researchers who Executive, and directing and resourcing research being dimensional spectroscopy and an exponent of the Dr Bannister is an Affi liate in CAASTRO. His role participate in one or more of CAASTRO’s three research undertaken in the ‘galaxy morphological transformation’ astroinformatics movement. in the Dynamic theme is in modelling fast radio themes. These carefully selected Partner Investigators area. In his position as AAO Director, he is also able bursts, following-up astronomical transients at offer some of the strongest scientifi c track records to facilitate new scientifi c opportunities for CAASTRO radio wavelengths and radio transients surveys. His in international astronomy, with proven performance through the AAO’s involvement in projects such as expertise is in radio data processing, radio transients in the successful execution of large survey projects, the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) and and archival searches. and are from world-class institutions including the 4MOST on the European Southern Observatory’s Australian Astronomical Observatory, CSIRO, Oxford, 4-metre VISTA telescope. Dr Antonia Rowlinson Commonwealth Scientifi c and Industrial CAASTRO Affi liate Caltech and the Max Planck Institutes. Our international Associate Professor Andrew Hopkins Partner Investigators are not only active participants CAASTRO Partner Investigator Research Organisation Dr Antonia Rowlinson is an Affi liate in CAASTRO and in research studies with Australian telescopes but her role is in the Dynamic Universe theme contributing Associate Professor Hopkins is coordinating the Dr Brian Boyle also enhance these efforts by contributing results and CAASTRO Partner Investigator to the search for slow transients and fast radio bursts, techniques from major international projects. We also contributions of the Australian Astronomical typically using low-frequency radio images from the Dr Brian Boyle is the Acting SKA Director for the have Associate Investigators and Affi liates from our Observatory to CAASTRO, together with AAO Director Murchison Widefi eld Array. Her expertise is in the Department of Industry, following his role as CSIRO Partner Organisations. Professor Warrick Couch. analysis of radio-transient and variability surveys using SKA Director. Previously, he was the Director of Hopkins manages and coordinates CAASTRO-supported automated imaging and analysis pipelines, using multi- The Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfi nder the CSIRO Australia Telescope National Facility student and postdoctoral researchers who observe with wavelength data to constrain the progenitors of short telescope combined with the Murchison Widefi eld (2003–2009) where he initiated the construction and utilise data from the Anglo-Australian Telescope gamma-ray bursts and the magnetar central-engine Array, SkyMapper, the Square Kilometre Array of ASKAP, and Director of the Anglo-Australian Molonglo Prototype and the Pawsey High Performance and the UK Schmidt Telescope. He facilitates AAO model for short gamma-ray bursts. support astronomer interactions with CAASTRO Observatory (1996–2003). His main research interests Computing Centre for SKA Science, Australia’s large are cosmology, active galactic nuclei and quasars. investments in wide-fi eld technologies and in high- personnel, coordinating pipeline data processing for observations with AAO facilities, and managing access During his career he has overseen the successful performance computing will enable CAASTRO to create commissioning of world-class instruments and has led a world-leading research programme. to computing resources. Hopkins is responsible for identifying programmes using AAO facilities that many international scientifi c collaborations. He has Along with the world-class team of CAASTRO been a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company complement and add value to CAASTRO projects. California Institute of Technology, USA researchers across our nodes based at Australia’s By leveraging the existing effort on such projects, Directors since 2005. As Chairman of the National highest-ranked universities and fastest growing new scientifi c goals from CAASTRO projects will Committee for Astronomy, he led the development of Professor Shri Kulkarni centres of Australian astronomy, bringing together be enabled, increasing the return from the existing the Decadal Plan for Australian Astronomy 2006–15. CAASTRO Partner Investigator this expertise in radio astronomy, optical astronomy, He was also the facilitator for the NCRIS investment investment. Hopkins’ primary research activities within Professor Kulkarni’s focus within CAASTRO is in theoretical astrophysics and computation will enable plan for optical and radio astronomy. CAASTRO fall under the Evolving Universe theme, the Dynamic Universe theme. He has long-standing CAASTRO to reach its vision of being an international although there are several overlapping aspects of his Dr Simon Johnston collaborative links with Professors Matthew Bailes and leader in wide-fi eld astronomy. work with activities that CAASTRO will pursue under CAASTRO Partner Investigator Brian Schmidt, as exemplifi ed by a history of ARC the Dark Universe theme. Within CAASTRO, Hopkins Dr Johnston is Head of Astrophysics for CSIRO Discovery and (formerly Large) grants in the areas of Partner Organisations is primarily pursuing research on the EMU and the Astronomy and Space Science. His interests include software correlation and instrumentation development proposed TAIPAN projects. pulsars, radio transients and Extreme Scattering applicable to the Square Kilometre Array, and gamma- Dr Chris Lidman Events and are thus closely aligned with the Dynamic ray bursts. Kulkarni is one of the originators of the CAASTRO Associate Investigator theme. He is a key member of the VAST survey Palomar Transient Factory (PTF), a northern-hemisphere complement to the Skymapper project. Using these Dr Lidman is an Associate Investigator in CAASTRO, project and is a member of the Pulsar Science Working Group for the SKA. facilities in concert, the CAASTRO team can monitor the Australian Astronomical Observatory and his role is in the Dark Universe theme, where he entire sky for optical transients, and can share algorithmic Professor Ray Norris Professor Warrick Couch is contributing to the follow-up of Type Ia supernovae and software development. Swinburne and Caltech CAASTRO Partner Investigator CAASTRO Partner Investigator discovered by SkyMapper and the Dark Energy have already signed a Memorandum of Understanding Survey. His expertise is in observational cosmology, Professor Norris has recently retired as the Chief of scientifi c collaboration that spans the early years of As Director of the Australian Astronomical Observatory, Type Ia supernova, galaxy clusters, primordial galaxies, Professor Couch has a signifi cant role in supporting Research Scientist within CSIRO Astronomy and Space CAASTRO and provides access to the Keck telescopes and exotic transient phenomena. Lidman is an expert in Science, and Project Leader for EMU (Evolutionary for Swinburne astronomers. This MoU has triggered a the operations and management of CAASTRO as the adaptive optics, near-IR imaging and optical spectroscopy. AAO is providing some of the Centre’s key facilities, Map of the Universe), one of the two key projects (the number of new collaborative projects involving scientists through the wide-fi eld optical spectroscopic capabilities Dr Iraklis Konstantopoulos other being WALLABY) that were selected to drive the from these two institutions. Professor Kulkarni has taken of the Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT) and of the UK CAASTRO Affi liate design and construction of ASKAP. EMU is an all-sky an interest in the origin of the Fast Radio Bursts, ruling Schmidt Telescope (UKST). Of particular importance are Dr Iraklis Konstantopoulos is a CAASTRO Affi liate continuum survey that lies within CAASTRO’s Evolving out some scenarios for their origin and trying to ascertain the SAMI multi-integral fi eld unit and AAOmega multi- working in the Evolving Universe theme. Through his Universe theme, with its primary goal being to trace the whether they can be at cosmological distances. fi bre spectrograph facilities on the AAT and the new involvement in the SAMI Galaxy Survey he is revising origin and evolution of galaxies over cosmic time. EMU TAIPAN positioner and spectrograph on the UKST, each the technological methodology of astronomical data will also have a major impact on characterising Dark of which are or will play a key role in CAASTRO’s three archiving, and through his work on galaxy groups he Energy and Modifi ed Gravity, aligning it with the Dark Evolving Universe, Dark Universe and Dynamic Universe aims to identify the ‘glue’ that keeps galaxies together, Universe theme. 124 CAASTRO 125 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

Associated Organisations

Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial University of Arizona, USA Physics, Germany University of Nottingham Professor Xiaohui Fan Dr Mara Salvato Dr Jamie Bolton CAASTRO Partner Investigator CAASTRO Partner Investigator Raman Research Institute, India CAASTRO Associate Investigator Professor Fan’s primary involvement in CAASTRO Dr Salvato works in the High Energy Group and is a Professor Ravi Subrahmanyan Dr Bolton is an Associate Investigator in CAASTRO science is within the Evolving Universe theme. He is member of the eROSITA team. eROSITA is an X-ray CAASTRO Partner Investigator and he is currently a Royal Society University Research Fellow and lecturer at the University of Nottingham, a renowned for his expertise in the discovery of high- satellite which is soon to be launched and will map the Professor Subrahmanyan’s focus within CAASTRO position he has held since October 2012. In 2014 he redshift quasars, and more generally in the use of all-sky entire sky. As a Partner Investigator Salvato promotes is the Evolving Universe theme. His background is in completed work with former CAASTRO PhD student surveys to discover rare objects, especially valuable for collaboration between CAASTRO and eROSITA and developing methods and instrumentation for all-sky Brad Greig on developing simulations to calculate the Skymapper survey’s search for high-redshift quasars. leads project groups enhancing the synergy between measurements of the radio background, in particular the effect of temperature fl uctuations on Lyman- X-ray, Radio and Optical surveys of AGN. detecting reionisation signatures in the cosmic radio alpha absorption statistics towards quasars. He also background. Subrahmanyan and his colleagues at the examined the impact of high mass X-ray binaries on Raman Research Institute are contributing primarily to the ionisation state of the intergalactic medium, in the Murchison Widefi eld Array’s efforts to detect the collaboration with CAASTRO Associate Investigator Epoch of Reionisation. University of Durham, USA Professor Chris Power (UWA) and researchers at the University of Leicester. Professor Carlos Frenk CAASTRO Partner Investigator Laboratoire de Physique Nucléaire et de Professor Frenk’s contributions to CAASTRO are Hautes Energies (LPNHE), France under the themes of the Evolving and Dark Universes. University of Oxford Dr Reynald Pain Over the coming decade, CAASTRO will observe the Professor Roger Davies CAASTRO Partner Investigator moderate redshift neutral hydrogen Universe for the Professor Roger Davies was until recently Head of University of Belfast fi rst time via the ASKAP FLASH, WALLABY and DINGO Dr Pain is contributing to CAASTRO’s Dark Universe Astrophysics at Oxford University. Within CAASTRO, Dr Stuart Sim surveys. For this reason it is important to take stock of theme within CAASTRO. Pain is the Director of LPNHE, Davies’s contribution will be primarily in the Evolving CAASTRO Associate Investigator what theoretical galaxy formation models tell us about a large physics research grouping that works in a broad Universe theme and the SAMI project. His research the abundance and distribution of HI in the Universe. range of high-energy and particle physics experiments. interests include cosmology: the distance scale, large Dr Sim’s research focuses on the theory of supernova Frenk, as the head of the Institute for Computational As French lead investigator of the Supernova Legacy scale motions of galaxies and galaxies at high redshift; explosions. In particular, he works on developing Cosmology and joint lead investigator on the Millennium Survey (SNLS) project, Pain is one of the leaders of galaxy evolution: dynamics, stellar populations and models for Type Ia supernovae, the events that are simulation (the largest simulation of the Universe ever using type Ia supernovae to measure the acceleration of galaxy clusters; and telescopes, instruments and used as ‘standard candles’ to map out the expansion undertaken), is in a unique position to contribute the the universe. As part of CAASTRO, Pain and his team at techniques. history of the Universe. He is also working with theoretical galaxy formation models that will be needed LPNHE actively participate in the SkyMapper supernova CAASTRO student alumna Sharon Rapoport on new to exploit CAASTRO’s scientifi c observations. survey, taking leading roles in the calibration and studies of bipolar supernovae, the class of explosion precision photometric analysis of the supernova data. associated with gamma-ray bursts. Such theoretical modelling is an important part of understanding and Max Planck Institute National Computational Infrastructure interpreting observations taken as part of the next for Radio Astronomy generation of astrophysical transient surveys, such as Professor Lindsay Botten will be carried out with the SkyMapper telescope. CAASTRO Partner Investigator Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, University of Toronto, Canada As Director of National Computational Infrastructure, Germany Professor Lindsay Botten is supporting CAASTRO’s Professor Ue-Li Pen access and usage of NCI’s high-end computing services Professor Michael Kramer CAASTRO Partner Investigator CAASTRO Partner Investigator across all of CAASTRO’s three themes and from all University of Cambridge Professor Pen brings to CAASTRO a wealth of nodes. In 2014, some 8 million CPU hours were utilised. Dr Greg Madsen Professor Kramer’s research activities are under the experience in tackling fundamental problems in CAASTRO Affi liate Dynamic Universe theme of CAASTRO. His focus is cosmology associated with many of the Centre’s on the exploration and exploitation of the dynamic science themes. He has considerable experience Dr Greg Madsen is an Affi liate in CAASTRO within radio sky, both in the study of pulsars as well as new in studies of the Epoch of Reionisation and of the Dynamic Universe theme. He is contributing to types of transients, allowing CAASTRO to address a extragalactic hydrogen, and has worked in this area the interpretation of Fast Radio Bursts and is using wide range of astrophysical questions, ranging from with fellow CAASTRO investigators. Within CAASTRO, historical plate archives to discover new populations of the state of matter at extreme densities, to cosmology Pen’s research activities are primarily under the theme long term variable stars and quasars. His expertise is in and tests of theories of gravity. The enabling process of the Evolving Universe. His specifi c focus is to the interstellar medium, planetary nebulae, and variable of this exciting science starts with the search for fast quantify the errors in the power spectra of neutral stars. He is an expert in Fabry-Perot spectroscopy and transients. Kramer is contributing his expertise to this hydrogen in galaxies, as measured by ASKAP surveys optical/near-IR imaging. area by developing hardware and software solutions in such as WALLABY and DINGO. collaboration with the CAASTRO partners. 126 CAASTRO 127 ANNUAL REPORT 2014 CAASTRO COLLABORATIONS

CAASTRO team members have been involved in a number of collaborations with institutions both in Australia and internationally during the course of 2014, including the following:

eROSITA SkyMapper Supernova Search S-PASS the scientifi c plans for the TAIPAN facility and surveys Institutions: Max-Planck-Institut für Extraterrestrische Institutions: HEP-Paris VI, Australian National Institutions: CSIRO, Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, are closely aligned with CAASTRO goals, they are not Physik, CAASTRO University, OZ-DES Collaboration, PESSTO Australian National University, The University of presently receiving any funding from CAASTRO The extended ROentgen Survey with an Imaging Collaboration Sydney, ICRAR / University of Western Australia, OzDES Radboud University Nijmegen, Leiden University, Telescope Array (eROSITA) is an instrument on the Among the core goals of SkyMapper is a large nearby Institutions: AAO, Australian National University, Russian Spektrum-Rötgen-Gamma (SRG) satellite, to supernovae survey. Working with the European Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, INAF Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari University of Queensland, The University of Sydney, be launched in 2015. eROSITA will perform an X-ray PESSTO collaboration, the SkyMapper Supernova University of Melbourne, Swinburne University of survey of the entire sky with unprecedented angular Search is obtaining spectra of all of the survey’s The S-band Polarisation All Sky Survey (S-PASS) has Technology, Monash University, Macquarie University, resolution and sensitivity. The German eROSITA discoveries to a limiting magnitude of g=19. A used the Parkes radio telescope to map the polarised CSIRO, The Dark Energy Survey (members from over consortium (eROSITA_DE) and CAASTRO have principal survey aim is to produce a nearby SN Ia emission from the entire southern sky at a frequency of 30 institutions worldwide) signed a memorandum of understanding that enables sample comparable in quality to those gathered by 2.3 GHz and a resolution of nine arcminutes. The goal collaboration on projects requiring combined data from the Supernova Legacy Survey and the Sloan Digital of S-PASS is to understand the foreground polarised OzDES is a collaboration of over 20 Australian eROSITA and from Australian wide-fi eld facilities such Sky Survey. As part of the collaboration, The SkyDice emission from the Milky Way, and to then model scientists, the vast majority of whom are CAASTRO as ASKAP, MWA, SKAMP, Parkes, ATCA, SkyMapper, (SkyMapper Direct Illumination Calibration Experiment) and remove it for studies of the polarisation from the members, using the AAT to gather thousands of AAT and TAIPAN. The agreement is overseeing science system – a dedicated photometric calibration device cosmic microwave background. The S-PASS team has spectroscopic redshifts to complement the photometric projects that require the use of both eROSITA_DE and was installed in the SkyMapper enclosure. The ANU- reported the discovery of polarised emission from the Dark Energy Survey. Host-galaxy redshifts for Type Ia CAASTRO data, involve at least one member from HEP collaboration aims to provide the photometric ‘Fermi bubbles’ emanating from the centre of the Milky supernovae will facilitate construction of the largest SN each of eROSITA_DE and CAASTRO, do not confl ict datasets that minimise the systematic error components Way, and the detection of a synchrotron radio bridge in Ia Hubble Diagram to date, while repeat spectroscopy with existing eROSITA_DE or CAASTRO projects, on SN Ia distances, and thereby provide a substantial the galaxy cluster Abell 3667. of high-redshift active galactic nuclei will attempt to allow participation by undergraduate and postgraduate improvement on the measurements of the Dark use AGN reverberation mapping for standard candle students, and adhere to the existing policies for Energy equation of state parameter. The SkyMapper TAIPAN cosmology beyond redshift 2. the individual facilities involved (e.g. proprietary Supernova Search is also working as part of the OZ- Institutions: AAO, Australian National University, CSIRO Cosmic neutral hydrogen absorption-line periods, data access, survey teams, observing time, DES Collaboration to combine the nearby SN dataset CASS, Macquarie University, Monash University, publications). This arrangement will provide exciting with the High-Z SN Dataset from the DES Survey. The Swinburne University of Technology, University of signals new opportunities for multi-wavelength astronomy Search made its fi rst discoveries in 2013, and should Melbourne, University of New South Wales, University Institutions: The University of Sydney, European projects across the southern sky. continue to discover more than 50 objects per year. of Queensland, The University of Sydney, University of Southern Observatory (ESO) Western Australia, University of Western Sydney SkyMapper ASKAP Early Science CAASTRO members are carrying out a project to TAIPAN is a new facility for the UK Schmidt Telescope search for a statistical HI absorption-line signals in the Institutions: Australian National University, CAASTRO, Institutions: CSIRO, The University of Sydney, at Siding Spring observatory. It encompasses a novel reprocessed HIPASS data. HIPASS is a blind HI survey Monash University, AAO University of Western Australia, Curtin University, optical fi bre positioner using the new ‘starbugs’ of the whole southern sky, carried out with the Parkes SkyMapper is a 1.35-metre telescope with a 5.7 deg2 University of Minnesota, Monash University and others technology, a purpose-built spectrograph, and radio telescope from 1997–2002. Recent reprocessing imager, located near Coonabarabran NSW, which The Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfi nder refurbishment of the UKST itself. Funding for the of the data with modern algorithms has resulted in is owned and operated by the Research School of (ASKAP) currently has six operating antennas, all facility is now secure, and construction of the improved noise properties and bandpass calibration, Astronomy and Astrophysics at ANU. CAASTRO equipped with prototype phased-array feeds (the positioner and spectrograph has begun, together with making it possible to search for weaker absorption- has received $1.16m in ARC LIEF funding to secure so-called Boolardy Engineering Test Array, BETA). It the telescope refurbishment. The TAIPAN facility will lines than was previously possible. By stacking spectra membership of the SkyMapper consortium for all is currently being upgraded to an early science array, support two major new surveys. (1) The TAIPAN towards bright radio continuum sources, where the Australian astronomers from 2014–2019. This ASKAP-12, which consists of 12 antennas with the survey of half a million galaxies aims to make a 1% sight-lines pass near to known optical galaxies in the HIPASS volume, we hope to be able to detect contributes to the operations costs needed for production phase-array feeds, and which is itself a precision measurement of the Hubble constant, H0, SkyMapper to undertake a 5-year survey of the entire stepping-stone toward the fi nal 36-antenna system. and measure the bulk motion of galaxies to better faint intervening absorption-line signals in the local southern sky, provides Australian astronomers with ASKAP-12 is a powerful survey instrument in its own understand large-scale structure, Dark Matter and universe (z < 0.04). The results of this project provide 20% of non-survey observing time on SkyMapper, and right, with survey speed comparable to that of the gravitation. Together with the WALLABY survey important information in the preparation for ASKAP- allows the development of robust and effi cient software VLA. CSIRO has accordingly announced an ASKAP using ASKAP, it will link the star-formation and FLASH (the ‘First Large Absorption Survey in HI’), pipelines, analysis tools and data access facilities. Early Science program using ASKAP-12. The focus for gas-fuelling properties of galaxies to better understand which will conduct a blind survey for HI absorption at This collaboration is providing CAASTRO researchers early science is continuum, HI and polarisation studies, galaxy formation and evolution. (2) The Funnelweb redshifts 0.5 < z < 1.0 in order to study the evolution and the wider Australian astronomy community not and there is substantial CAASTRO involvement survey plans to measure two million stars within of neutral hydrogen with cosmic time. only with science-quality SkyMapper data but also in all these programs. CAASTRO has made new our Milky Way Galaxy, uniquely characterising them with a consistent photometric system over the whole postdoctoral appointments to enable ASKAP Early and complementing the fainter GALAH Galactic sky by combining SkyMapper data with that from Science, and funded three CAASTRO secondments in Archaeology survey, as well as providing a robust PanSTARRS-1. 2014 to participate in the commissioning of the Early input sample for the next-generation planet-fi nding Science program. satellite observatory, TESS. The TAIPAN surveys will begin in early 2016, with preliminary observations during commissioning activities in late 2015. While 128 CAASTRO 129 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

GaLactic and Extragalactic All-sky MWA Large Synoptic Survey Telescope The 2MASS Tully-Fisher (2MTF) collaboration Collaborations – Outreach (GLEAM) survey Institutions: The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope Institutions: Australia Telescope National Facility MWA game design with Quantum Victoria Institutions: Arizona State University, Australian (comprising more than 30 member organisations) and (CSIRO), ICRAR/University of Western Australia, The CAASTRO Education and Outreach team has National University, Australia Telescope National CAASTRO Monash University, National Astronomical partnered with the software developers at Melbourne’s Facility (CSIRO), ICRAR/Curtin University, Harvard CAASTRO and The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope Observatories (Chinese Academy of Sciences), science learning centre ‘Quantum Victoria’, led by University, ICRAR/University of Western Australia, (LSST) have entered into a Memorandum of Agreement Swinburne University, Texas A&M University, CAASTRO Advisory Board member Soula Bennett, to Massachusetts Institute of Technology, National Radio on how CAASTRO can contribute to the operational University of Cape Town, University of Portsmouth create a game based on the Murchison Widefi eld Array Astronomy Observatory, Raman Research Institute, support of LSST, which is planned to begin full This collaboration is working on measuring accurate (MWA). CAASTRO provides scientifi c input into the Swinburne University, University of Melbourne, The scientifi c operations in the 2020 timeframe. In 2014 distances to 3,000 spiral galaxies to investigate the game design and will be responsible for educational University of Sydney, University of Tasmania, Victoria an LSST road show was conducted around Australia effect of dark matter on the dynamics of the local resources that enable science teachers to prepare their University of Wellington, University of Washington, involving collaboration between CAASTRO, AAO, ANU, Universe, and the validity of cold dark matter theory students, predominantly Year 9 and above, for their University of Wisconsin. Swinburne and ICRAR. on large scales. New 21-cm observations have been visit to Quantum Victoria and assess their experience The GaLactic and Extragalactic All-sky MWA (GLEAM) made with the GBT and Parkes radio telescopes, and afterwards. survey aims to image the entire sky south of declination DECam Deep Field are being combined with photometry from the 2MASS +30 degrees at frequencies from 80 to 230 MHz. This Institutions: Swinburne University of Technology, AAO, infrared survey and data from other telescopes. Astronomy Weekend and ‘Astronomer in survey will deliver the deepest-ever low-frequency view University of Melbourne, Space Telescope Science Residence’ at Uluru of the southern radio sky. Its aims include: the detection Institute, NOAO, CTIO Epoch of Reionisation with the MWA In collaboration with Voyages Indigenous Tourism of giant radio galaxies and colliding clusters; the birth The DECam Epoch of Reionisation Project looks at the Institutions: University of Melbourne, Australian Australia, CAASTRO has ‘Astronomers in Residence’ of radio galaxies; the structure of the Galactic magnetic large-scale structure in the epoch of reionisation. It National University, University of Sydney, Curtin at Uluru for most of the year and in 2014 we held fi eld; the discovery of Galactic supernova remnants; and capitalises on the red sensitivity and large fi eld of view University, MIT, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for the inaugural Uluru Astronomy Weekend as part of the measurement of cosmic-ray energy density. MWA of CTIO’s DECam to detect the brightest and rarest Astrophysics, University of Washington, Arizona State National Science week. CAASTRO team members gave observations over two years (starting in August 2013) galaxies at z  6–7. Our results hint at the signature University, Raman Research Institute presentations about the Universe and offered insights have been allocated, with fi rst results now starting to be of large-scale structure. Data will also constrain the CAASTRO staff are key members of the EoR into current avenues of astrophysical research. published. galaxy contribution to reionisation from the full galaxy collaboration within the MWA Project. This team is Animation library from Swinburne Astronomy WiggleZ luminosity function. The observations will be executed producing a data-reduction pipeline and a power- with a cadence and depth to detect ‘super-luminous’ spectrum pipeline. Techniques are being tested with Productions Institutions: Swinburne University of Technology, supernovae at z >  6–7. This is a recently observed small datasets from the Murchison Widefi eld Array. In 2014, CAASTRO continued its relationship with University of Toronto (Canada), AAO, The University class 10–100× more luminous than typical. This class These will ultimately be tested on the complete data Swinburne Astronomy Productions to develop a large of Sydney, University of Copenhagen (Denmark), includes pair-instability supernovae, a rare, third type set of more than 1000 hrs. It is expected that the media library of high quality 2D and 3D animation University of Queensland, California Institute of of supernova explosion for which only three events are MWA will either detect or set limits on the detection of material for use in CAASTRO presentations and Technology (United States), University of Waterloo known. The observations will greatly extend the current the HI signals from the Epoch of Reionisation. outreach activities. All three CAASTRO themes will (Canada), University of Chicago (United States), reach of supernova research, examining rates and be well represented and able to draw on this valuable Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics (Taiwan), properties in the Epoch of Reionisation. The High Time Resolution Universe Survey resource for explaining fundamental physical concepts CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science, Observatories for Pulsars and Fast Transients and specifi c topics of CAASTRO research. of the Carnegie Institute of Washington (United The 6dFGS Peculiar Velocity Field Institutions: Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari, States), Monash University, Swinburne University of Institutions: AAO, University of Melbourne, Swinburne CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science, University of Production of a planetarium show Technology, University of British Columbia (Canada) University of Technology, University of Western Manchester, West Virginia University, Max Planck With the view that CAASTRO all-sky data is most The collaboration has used the WiggleZ survey data Australia, University College London (United Kingdom), Institute for Radioastronomy, NASA Jet Propulsion naturally presented on a domed screen, CAASTRO has taken with the Anglo-Australian Telescope to make Monash University, University of Durham (United Laboratory, Curtin University, Swinburne University of entered into a longer-term collaboration with Museum new measurements of how the clumpy Universe on Kingdom), University of Western Kentucky (United Technology Victoria for the production of a planetarium show. small scales transitions to a homogeneous Universe States), Spitzer Science Center (California Institute of Aiming at a premiere in 2016, CAASTRO and the CAASTRO staff were involved in the High Time on large scales, which is a test of the cosmological Technology, United States) team at Melbourne Planetarium are working towards Resolution Universe survey collaboration in 2014. This model. It has also used the detection of the baryon showcasing CAASTRO research results and real datasets This collaboration has measured the distances to survey searches the sky using the Parkes Multibeam acoustic peak in the WiggleZ survey data as a standard for shows in several Australian and overseas locations. 10,000 galaxies belonging to the 6dF Galaxy Survey Receiver and looks for phenomena with a time cosmological ruler to make new measurements of in order to measure the bulk fl ow of the local Universe resolution of just 64 microseconds. 2014 has been a the distance-redshift relation in the distant Universe and investigate the effect of gravity on the motions very successful year with the announcement of the and produce new evidence in favour of cosmological- of galaxies. It has derived an accurate value for the discovery of fast radio bursts from what appear to be constant dark energy. density of ordinary matter in the local Universe. cosmological distances. 130 CAASTRO 131 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

KPI DASHBOARD January – December 2014 0% 100% 180% FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Papers in refereed journals [36 with CAASTRO lead] (84/60)

PublicaƟons in top-Ɵer journals* [34 with CAASTRO lead] (79/54) CAASTRO FINANCIAL REPORT 2014 2011 INCOME 2012 INCOME 2013 INCOME 2014 INCOME ACTUAL 2015 INCOME ESTIMATED Invited talks/papers at major internaƟonal meeƟngs (49/30) ARC Income $3,000,000 $2,800,000 $3,100,000 ARC Income $3,100,000 ARC Income $3,100,000 ArƟcles about achievements (82/10) 820% ARC Indexation $47,431 $153,527 $295,786 ARC Indexation $398,406 ARC Indexation $447,487 Media releases about achievements (13/10) Node $912,272 $1,039,569 $842,002 Node $1,206,663 Node Contributions $1,074,317 Contributions Contributions Professional training courses for staī and P/Gs (37/8) 463% 2013 Grants $750,000 ARC LIEF Grant $417,000 Staī aƩending all professional training courses (49/35) SIEF John Stocker $457,437 Postdoctoral New P/Gs (10/12) Fellowship

New post-docs recruited (11/5) 220% Australian Maths $195,000 & Science Partnerships New Honours students (11/9) Program Grant (DoE) P/G compleƟons (7/8) Other $747,294 $13,685 $28,206 Other* $296,930 Other $7,500 ECRs working on core Centre research (45/20) 225% Grants wonˠ $400,000 -$400,000 (and correction Students mentored (50/50) to 2011) Mentoring programs (3/2) Total Income $5,106,997 $4,006,781 $4,615,994 Total Income $6,071,436 Total Estimated $4,629,304 Income InternaƟonal visitors and visiƟng fellows (35/25) Carry Forward $- $2,930,552 $2,967,985 Carry Forward $3,037,571 Carry Forward $3,651,823 NaƟonal and internaƟonal workshops held by CAASTRO (3/3) Total Funds $5,106,997 $6,937,333 $7,583,979 Total Funds $9,109,007 Total Estimated $8,281,127 Visits to overseas labs and faciliƟes (132/100) Available Available Funds Available *Other income includes Dept of Industry grant, CAASTRO workshop income and Secondments (CSIRO, AAO) Government, industry and business community brieĮngs (73/4) 1825% ˠ Includes NSW SLF Grant Part II, DIISR Travel Grants and LIEF Grant won by UWA Public awareness programs (6/6) 2011 2012 2013 2014 ACTUAL 2015 ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE EXPENDITURE EXPENDITURE EXPENDITURE EXPENDITURE NewleƩers (3/3) Salaries $1,467,096 $2,807,859 $2,875,061 Salaries $3,320,256 Salaries $3,926,234 Website hits ('000s) (66.4/35) 190% Travel, $363,516 $503,587 $778,788 Travel, $810,779 Travel, $644,000 Accommodation Accommodation Accommodation Public talks given by Centre staī (79/40) 198% and Conference and Conference and Conference Other research income, ARC ('000s) (6811/200) 3406% Marketing & $124,914 $139,732 $20,336 Marketing & $92,675 Marketing & $175,000 Outreach Outreach Outreach Other research income, Public Sector ('000s) (561/200) 218% Operations & $103,342 $81,706 $56,535 Operations & $124,237 Operations & $99,706 Maintenance Maintenance Maintenance Number of new organisaƟons involved with CAASTRO (4/4) Equipment $102,993 $145,790 -$59,721 Equipment $29,891 Equipment $35,000 (19/8) 238% TheoreƟcal papers wriƩen on analysis of CAASTRO-based surveys PhD Support $5,709 $101,763 $126,522 PhD Suppport $201,402 PhD Suppport $126,000 Research outputs focused on new algorithms and techniques (13/10) Research $8,874 $188,911 $5,766 Research $3,507 Research materials/ $- materials/ materials/ Experiments CPU core-hours for research actviƟes (millions) (10.1/11.7) Experiments Experiments Corrections -$6,879 HPC unique users/projects amongst members (22/10) 220% 2013 Grants $750,000 ARC LIEF Grant $417,000 P/Gs co-supervised between nodes or internaƟonally within CAASTRO (13/12) ** SIEF John Stocker $457,437 Interdisciplinary research supported by the Centre (4/4) Postdoctoral Fellowship ** Percent of research outputs featuring co-authorship between nodes (48/40) Australian Maths $195,000 CPU core-hours compeƟƟvely awarded (millions) (3.4/2.5) & Science Partnerships CompeƟƟve research faciliƟes used (telescopes/HPC) (32/10) 320% Program Grant (DoE) ** Minutes of scienƟĮc animaƟon/short video material (15.5/15) Total $2,176,445 $3,969,348 $4,546,408 Total Expenditure $5,457,184 Total Estimated $5,005,940 Expenditure Expenditure Major documentaries/producƟons (1/1) Balance $2,930,552 $2,967,985 $3,037,571 Balance $3,651,823 Estimated balance $3,275,187 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 120% 140% 160% 180% ** LIEF, SIEF & AMSPP Grants have been reported as fully expensed in 2014, although LIEF Grant to be spent over 5 years, SIEF Grant to be spent over 36 months and AMSPP Grant to be spent over 2 years. * Nature; Science; Annual Review of Astronomy & Astrophysics; The Astronomy & Astrophysics Review; Physical Review (including Letters) The Astrophysical Journal (including Supplemental Series and Letters); The Astronomical Journal; Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (including Letters); Astronomy & Astrophysics (including Letters and Short Communications etc.); Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics 132 CAASTRO 133 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

2014 Income 2014 Expenditure

GRANTS WON BY CAASTRO MEMBERS IN 2014

ARC Discovery Project ARC LIEF Project Title: Mapping quasars: micro-imaging experiments Project Title: Mapping the Universe with the Panoramic DP150101727 Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System LE150100024 $357,000 over 3 years (2015, 2016, 2017) $760,000 Chief Investigator: Rachel Webster Chief Investigator: Jeremy Mould Other CAASTRO investigator: Karl Glazebrook ARC Discovery Project Project Title: Galactic archaeology — fossil evidence of how ARC LIEF our Galaxy’s disk formed Project Title: The Cherenkov Telescope Array LE150100070 DP150104667 $270,000 $443,900 over 3 years (2015, 2016, 2017) Chief Investigator: Gavin Rowell Chief Investigator: Jonathan Bland-Hawthorn CAASTRO Investigator: Anne Green Salaries ARC Income ARC Discovery Project ARC LIEF Travel, Accommodation and Project Title: Hector – a revolutionary spectrograph for ARC Indexation Conference Project Title: Ultra-wide band receiver and back-end for understanding how galaxies evolve Node Contributions Parkes Marketing & Outreach LE150100144 Other Operations & Maintenance DP150102988 $430,000 $384,700 Chief Investigator: Jonathan Bland-Hawthorn Equipment Chief Investigator: Linqing Wen Other CAASTRO investigators: Scott Croom, Matthew PhD Support CAASTRO investigator: Michael Kramer Colless, Julia Bryant, and Warrick Couch ARC LIEF ARC Discovery Project Project Title: The Australian European Southern Observatory Project Title: Reionisation and Diffuse Cosmic Gas Positioner (AESOP) DP150102987 In-Kind LE150100055 $350,000 over 3 years (2015, 2016, 2017) $560,000 University of Sydney $1,043,578 Chief Investigator: Darren Croton Chief Investigator: Simon Driver University of Western Australia $169,865 CAASTRO investigators: Chris Power, Martin Meyer, and CAASTRO investigator: Emma Ryan-Weber University of Melbourne $304,602 Warrick Couch

Swinburne University of Technology $524,226 ARC Discovery Project ARC Laureate Fellowship Australian National University $755,215 Project Title: Exploiting SkyMapper for Galactic FL140100278 Curtin University of Technology $271,474 Astrophysics $2,500,000 over 5 years (2014 to 2018) Jonathan Bland-Hawthorn CSIRO $3,370,146 DP150103294 Anglo-Australian Observatory $1,014,604 $384,700 over 3 years (2015, 2016, 2017) The Department of Primary Industry – Conference Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy $146,695 Chief Investigator: Gary Da Costa Sponsorship Program CAASTRO investigator: Brian Schmidt Project: ADASS 2015 California Institute of Technology $134,673 $4,000 sponsorship of ADASS 2015 The University of Oxford $51,170 ARC LIEF Australian Maths and Science Partnership Program Durham University $202,108 Project Title: An Ultra-wideband Radio Receiver for the (AMSPP), Department of Education Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics $76,137 Parkes 64-metre Radio Telescope Project: CAASTRO in the Classroom The University of Arizona $160,000 LE150100155 $195,000 The University of Toronto $41,300 $370,000 The University of Sydney Post-doctoral Fellowship Laboratoire de Physique Nucléaire et de Hautes Energies $160,088 Chief Investigator: Matthew Bailes Project Title: The origin of dwarf elliptical galaxies: little National Computational Infrastructure $1,000,000 Other CAASTRO Investigators: Bryan Gaensler, Stuart giants or regular irregulars? Raman Research Institute $200,000 Wyithe, Ramesh Bhat, Willem van Straten, and Michael $363,092 over 3 years Investigator: Nicholas Scott University of Queensland $92,413 Kramer Voyages Indigenous Tourism $45,000 Total In-Kind Contributions $9,763,294 134 CAASTRO 135 CAASTRO PEOPLE ANNUAL REPORT 2014

16 17 18

1 2 3 19 20 21

4 5 6 22 23 24 CAASTRO Executive 1. Elaine Sadler (Director) 16. Rachel Webster 2. Lister Staveley-Smith (Deputy Director) Partner 3. Kate Gunn Investigators (Chief Operating Offi cer) 17. Lindsay Botten 4. Matthew Bailes 18. Brian Boyle 7 8 9 (Dynamic theme 19. Warrick Couch 25 26 27 leader) 20. Roger Davies 5. Stuart Wyithe (Evolving theme 21. Xiaohui Fan leader) 22. Carlos Frenk 6. Steven Tingay 23. Andrew Hopkins (Education and 24. Simon Johnston Outreach leader) 25. Michael Kramer 7. Tamara Davis (Dark theme leader) 26. Shri Kulkarni 10 11 12 27. Ray Norris 28 29 30 Chief Investigators 28. Reynald Pain 8. Chris Blake 29. Ue-Li Pen 9. Frank Briggs 30. Mara Salvato 10. Matthew Colless 31. Ravi Subrahmanyan 11. Scott Croom 12. Bryan Gaensler Associate 13. Jeremy Mould Investigators 14. Tara Murphy 32. Ramesh Bhat 13 14 15 15. Brian Schmidt 33. Joss Bland-Hawthorn 31 32 33 136 CAASTRO 137 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

34 35 36 52 53 54

37 38 39 55 56 57

40 41 42 58 59 60

34. Jamie Bolton 35. Chris Lidman 36. Jean-Pierre Macquart

43 44 45 37. Martin Meyer 52. Chris Flynn 61 62 63 38. Stephen Ord 53. Lisa Fogarty 39. David Parkinson 54. Anna Kapinska 40. Chris Power 55. Eyal Kazin 41. Ashley Ruiter 56. Evan Keane 42. Emma Ryan-Weber 57. Jun Koda 43. Richard Scalzo 58. David Lagattuta 44. Ivo Seitenzahl 59. Emil Lenc 46 47 48 45. Robert Sharp 60. Edward Macauley 64 65 66 46. Stuart Sim 61. Felipe Marin 47. Randall Wayth 62. Ben McKinley 48. Christian Wolf 63. Vanessa Moss 64. André Offringa CAASTRO 65. Se-Heon Oh Research Staff 66. Attila Popping 49. Ixandra Achitouv 67. Pietro Procopio 50. Julia Bryant 68. Vikram Ravi 49 50 51 51. Michael Childress 69. Jongwah Rhee 67 68 69 138 CAASTRO 139 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

70 71 72 88 89 90

73 74 75 91 92 93 70. Nicholas Scott 71. Marcin Sokolowski 72. Christopher Springbob 73. Dan Taranu 74. Edoardo Tescari 75. Steven Tremblay 76. Laura Wolz 77. Fang Yuan 76 77 78 94 95 96 CAASTRO Professional Staff 78. Kim Dorrell (Executive Offi cer, U. Melbourne) 88. Candy Wu (Administration 79. Angela Dunleavy Offi cer, ANU) (Administrative Coordinator, Curtin U) 80. Wiebke Ebeling CAASTRO Affi liates 79 80 81 (Education & 97 98 99 89. James Allen Outreach Coordinator) 90. James Allison 81. Debra Gooley (Finance Offi cer) 91. Keith Bannister 82. Sue Lester 92. Ewan Barr (Administration 93. Holger Baumgardt Offi cer, Swinburne) 94. Martin Bell 83. Clare Peter (Administrative 95. Davide Burlon Offi cer, UWA) 96. Mike Dalley 82 83 84 84. Helen Sim 97. Jacinta den Besten 100 101 102 (Public Relations 98. Duncan Campbell- Offi cer) Wilson 85. Denise Sturgess 99. Weiguang Cui (Administration Offi cer, ANU) 100. Stephen Curran 86. Michelle Sullivan 101. Jason Dossett (Executive Assistant 102. Michael Drinkwater to Director) 103. Alan Duffy 87. Kylie Williams (Events & 104. Jamie Farnes 85 86 87 Communications) 105. Sean Farrell 103 104 105 140 CAASTRO 141 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

106 107 108 124 125 126

109 110 111 127 128 129

112 113 114 130 131 132

124. Cathryn Trott 106. Ilana Feain 125. Willem van Straten 115 116 117 107. Karl Glazebrook 133 134 135 108. Anne Green CAASTRO Students 109. Paul Hancock 126. Caitlin Adams 110. Tao Hong 127. Eromanga Adermann 111. Andrew Jameson 128. Shivani Bhandari 112. Hansik Kim 129. Jessica Bloom 113. Iraklis 130. Loren Bruns Jr. Konstantopoulos 131. Manisha Pranati Caleb 114. Katherine Mack 132. Joe Callingham 118 119 120 115. Greg Madsen 133. Alexandru Codoreanu 136 137 138 116. Daniel Mitchell 134. Catherine De Burgh- 117. Richard Newton Day 118. Shane O'Sullivan 135. Angela Garcia 119. Danail Obreschkow 136. Marcin Glowacki 120. Bart Pindor 137. Samuel Hinton 121. Signe Riemer- 138. Fabian Jankowski Sørensen 139. Andrew Johnson 122. Antonia Rowlinson 140. Antonios Katsianis 121 122 123 123. Edward Taylor 141. Anthea King 139 140 141 142 CAASTRO 143 ANNUAL REPORT 2014

142 143 144 160 161 162

145 146 147 163 164 165

148 149 150 166 167 168

142. Sarah Leslie 151 152 153 143. Jack Line 160. Nastaran Rezaee 169 170 171 144. Cleo Loi 161. Samuel Richards 145. Rebecca McElroy 162. Jennifer Riding 146. Scott Meyer 163. Seonaid Rodgers 147. Vincent Morello 164. Adam Schaefer 148. Mehran 165. Paul Scott-Taylor Mossammaparast 166. Dana Tabbara 149. Steven Murray 167. Adam Thomas 150. Aina Musaeva 168. Sarah Thomson 154 155 156 151. Conor O'Neill 172 173 169. Syed Ashraf Uddin 152. Samuel Oronsaye 170. Vivek Venkatraman 153. Sinem Ozbilgen Krishnan 154. Emily Petroff 171. Bonnie Zhang 155. Rahul Sai Poruri 156. Mayuri Not pictured Sathyanarayana Rao 172. David Valcin 157. Sharon Rapoport 173. Tina Sallis 158. Sarah Reeves (Finance Manager, 157 158 159 159. Tristan Reynolds Curtin U.) 144

ACRONYM DESCRIPTION DEFINITION ACRONYM DESCRIPTION DEFINITION 2MTF Project 2MASS Tully-Fisher MOSFIRE Project Multi-Object Spectrometer for Infra-Red Exploration 6dFGS Project 6-degree Field Galaxy Survey MOST Facility Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope AAL Organisation Astronomy Australia Ltd MWA Facility Murchison Widefi eld Array AAT Facility Australian Astronomical Telescope NCI Facility National Computational Infrastructure ATCA Facility Australia Telescope Compact Array NRAO Facility National Radio Astronomy Observatory, USA ADASS Conference Astronomical Data Analysis Software and Systems OzDES Project Australian Dark Energy Survey AGN Object Active Galactic Nuclei PESSTO Project Public ESO Spectroscopic Survey of Transient Objects ALMA Facility Atacama Large Millimeter Array PHISCC Conference Committee SKA Pathfi nders HI Survey Coordination Committee ANGUS Project AustraliaN GADGET-3 early Universe Simulations RFI Term Radio Frequency Interference ASKAP Facility Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfi nder SAMI Project Sydney–AAO Multi-object Integral-fi eld spectrograph ASVO Facility All Sky Virtual Observatory SKA Facility Square Kilometre Array ASTRON Organisation Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy SKAMP Facility Square Kilometre Array Molonglo Prototype ATLAS Project Australia Telescope Large Area Survey SNe Ia Object Supernovae Ia ATNF Facility Australia Telescope National Facility S-PASS Project S-band Polarisation All Sky Survey BAO Term Baryonic Acoustic Oscillation SRG Facility Spektrum-Rötgen-Gamma, Russian satellite BIGHORNS Project Broadband Instrument for the Global HydrOgen Reionisation Signal SSA Term Space Situational Awareness CAASTRO Research Centre ARC Centre of Excellence for All-sky Astrophysics SSimPL Project Survey Simulations PipeLine CANDELS Project Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey TAIPAN Project Transforming Astronomical Imaging surveys through Polychromatic CASS Research Centre CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science Analysis of Nebulae CitC Outreach CAASTRO in the Classroom TESS Facility Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite CTIO Facility Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, Chile UKST Facility UK Schmidt Telescope DINGO Project Deep Investigation of Neural Gas Origins ULX Object Ultra Luminous X-ray sources DRAGONS Project Distant Radio Galaxies Optically Non-detected in the SDSS VAST Project Variable and Slow Transients EMU Project Evolutionary Map of the Universe VLA Facility Very Large Array EoR Object Epoch of Reionisation VLA LITTLE THINGS Project Local Irregulars That Trace Luminosity Extremes; The HI Nearby eROSITA Project extended ROentgen Survey with an Imaging Telescope Array Galaxy Survey ESO Facility European Southern Observatory VLA THINGS Project The HI Nearby Galaxy Survey FLASH Project First Large Absorption Survey in HI WALLABY Project Widefi eld ASKAP L-Band Legacy All-sky Blind SurveY FRB Object Fast Radio Bursts WiFeS Facility Wide-Field Spectrograph, ANU GAMA Project Galaxy and Mass Assembly survey WiggleZ Project A large-scale galaxy redshift survey GEG Project GaLactic and ExtraGalactic MWA group WISE Facility Widefi eld Infrared Survey Explorer GLEAM Project Galactic and Extragalactic MWA survey WNSHS Project Westerbork Northern Sky HI Survey GMRT Facility Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope, India WSRT Facility Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope GMT Facility Giant Magellan Telescope XMM-Newton Facility X-ray Multi Mirror Mission – Newton GRB Object Gamma-Ray Burst HECTOR Project Follow-on IFU after SAMI HETDEX Project Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment HIPASS Project HI Parkes All-Sky Survey HTRU Project High Time Resolution Universe ICRAR Research Centre International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research IFU Instrument Integral Field Unit (spectrograph) LOFAR Facility Low Frequency Array telescope LSST Facility Large Synoptic Survey Telescope LWA Facility Long Wavelength Array, USA D

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