ATNF News Issue No. 66, April 2009 ISSN 1323-6326 See Compact Array Broadband Backend (CABB) article on page 6.

Left to right: CABB Project Leader Dr Warwick Wilson, CSIRO Chief Executive Offi cer Megan Clark and ATNF Acting Director Dr Lewis Ball, with a CABB signal processing board in front of two antennas of the Australia Telescope Compact Array. Photo: Paul Mathews Photographics

Removing the “spaghetti” of ribbon cable that fed the old correlator, from left to right, Matt Shields (obscured), Brett Hiscock, Scott Munting, Mark Leach, and Peter Mirtschin. Photo: CSIRO

Cover page images CABB Project—team photo. Back row, left to right: Warwick Wilson (Project Leader), Paul Roberts, Grant Hampson, Peter Axtens, Yoon Chung. Middle row: Aaron Sanders, Dick Ferris (Project Engineer), Matt Shields, Mark Leach (Project Manager). Front row: Troy Elton, Andrew Brown, Raji Chekkala, Evan Davis. Other contributors (not in photo): Scott Saunders. (See article on page 6.) Photo: Tim Wheeler, April 2009 The Sunrise television crew prepare to broadcast live from the grounds of the CSIRO Parkes Observatory. Photo: Tim Ruckley, CSIRO Installation of a 300 – 900-MHz receiver on the Parkes 64-m radio telescope. (See article on page 28.) Photo: Maik Wolleben, CSIRO

2 ATNF News, Issue 66, April 2009 Contents

Editorial...... 3 From the Director ...... 4 Brian Boyle Takes up New Role as CSIRO SKA Director ...... 5 Compact Array Broadband Backend ...... 6 Exchange Expertise ...... 8 ATNF Distinguished Visitors ...... 9 ATNF Graduate Student Program ...... 9 Highlighting our History: Potts Hill Field Station, 1948 – 1962 ...... 10 Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfi nder (ASKAP) ...... 14 OCE Postdoctoral Fellowship Success ...... 17 Pulse@Parkes: A Month of Pulsar Observing with the ASKAP Test-bed Antenna ...... 18 Unraveling the Mysteries Surrounding the Life and Death of the Most Massive Stars ...... 20 S-PASS: the Polarised Southern Sky ...... 24 National Facility Operations ...... 27 Time Assignment Information ...... 31 ATNF Publications List ...... 32 ATNF Outreach ...... 34

Editorial

In this issue, Phil Edwards reports on In other news, George Hobbs and the CSIRO Division of Radiophysics. For the tremendous achievements that collaborators discuss pulsar observing 40 years he made a huge contribution to have taken place with the Compact with the ASKAP test-bed antenna a magnifi cent photographic archive that Array Broadband Backend (CABB) situated at Parkes, while a history records the events, facilities and people project. This is an upgrade that will of the research undertaken at Potts that make up the history of CSIRO keep the Australia Telescope Compact Hill Field Station is examined in Radiophysics and the ATNF since the Array at the forefront of radio a paper by Harry Wendt, Wayne earliest days. Examples of his superb astronomy, providing observers with Orchiston and Bruce Slee. photography can be seen around the much improved bandwidth allowing Marsfi eld site, ATNF Observatories and Finally, we provide an in-depth update for more sensitive observations. in many publications. An obituary and on ASKAP activities including a special examples of his work will be available We also feature a number of articles antenna report prepared by Ross in the next edition of ATNF News. which highlight the wide-ranging and Forsyth, together with information on insightful science being undertaken the SKA Forum held in Cape Town, If you would like to contribute to at ATNF facilities. Franz Bauer and as well as information on continuing later editions of the ATNF News, please collaborators report on SN1996cr, ASKAP industry engagement. contact the newsletter team. the strongest radio supernova ever As this issue was being prepared, discovered, while Ettore Carretti Tony Crawshaw and Joanne Houldsworth we were saddened to hear of the reports on the S-band Polarisation death of John Masterson on 9 April The ATNF Newsletter Production Team All Sky Survey (S-PASS), a project to 2009. John was an esteemed and ([email protected]) map the diffuse polarised synchrotron highly respected photographer with emission of the entire southern sky.

3 From the Director Lewis Ball ATNF Acting Director

This newsletter details a range of achievements by a great team Brian deserves specifi c acknowledge- of people engaged in radio astronomy activities. It is increasingly ment for his leading role in the development of the Decadal Plan for important to recognise that the makeup of that team extends Australian Astronomy in 2005, and well beyond the staff within the Australia Telescope National for the rapid fi rming of Australia’s commitment to playing a leading role Facility (ATNF) and the astronomers who use our telescopes. in the SKA. The resulting funding of A$51.7M from the Commonwealth The biggest news at this time for users ATNF was the fi rst observatory to Government to CSIRO to expand its of the ATNF telescopes is the start of use digital data transmission of radio plans for a new telescope in Western scientifi c operations of the Compact astronomical data on optical fi bres Australia to become the Australian Array Broadband Backend, or CABB, on and their use of this technology SKA Pathfi nder is one of the largest 22 April 2009. The system is described for CABB is state-of-the-art.” injections of funds into Australian in articles within this newsletter. I’d like Signifi cant funding was received from astronomy. This will continue to to acknowledge here the contributions the Major National Research Facilities have a profound impact on Australian of the team that have made this project grant from the 2001 round on the basis astronomy in future decades. Brian’s possible. Warwick Wilson has led that the technology underlying CABB new role, in which he is seconded into the CABB project from its inception was on the development path towards the Department of Industry, Innovation, and Warwick and the rest of the the realisation of the Square Kilimetre Science and Research for 40% of his ATNF’s back end engineering group Array (SKA). As the focus shifts from time, is further indication of Australia’s have worked tirelessly on this very building CABB to using and operating and CSIRO’s commitment to the challenging project for the last seven it, the staff of the back end group will strategic opportunities associated with years. The expertise of the group was shift their efforts further towards radio astronomy over the decades to acknowledged as being world class by the development of the beamformer, come. It is a privilege for me to fi ll the independent, international panel correlator and data transport systems the role of Acting Director of ATNF that conducted the ATNF Science for the Australian SKA Pathfi nder until CSIRO completes a competitive Review in 2007. In their overview, (ASKAP), while the software and appointment process for a new the Science Review panel stated: fi rmware gurus (Warwick Wilson and Director. This is expected to occur by “In the area of digital signal processing, Dick Ferris) continue to work on the end of 2009. In the role of ATNF the ATNF developed the fi rst digital providing different modes of operation Acting Director I continue to work very frequency conversion system for Very of CABB. Operations and astrophysics closely with Brian. I have responsibility Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) staff are now in the front line of for the ATNF Business Unit—essentially and their experiments in electronic- ensuring that astronomers can make the all the staff and equipment—and VLBI (e- VLBI) have achieved very best use of the new system, and I am for the delivery of the Operation of competitive bandwidths. The advanced sure that in years to come it will result the National Facility telescopes, the design and short development time of in science that we haven’t predicted. astrophysics research activities, and the new Compact Array Broadband the technical and engineering research In another signifi cant change, CSIRO Backend, which is enabled by utilising and development (other than ASKAP). recently created the new position of the latest Field Programmable Gate Brian is responsible for SKA-related CSIRO SKA Director and appointed Arrays (FPGAs), is comparable with activities including the delivery of Brian Boyle to that role. Having worked the best at other observatories. The ASKAP as a working telescope. closely with Brian as his Deputy since sampling speeds and resolution 2005 I’d like to take this opportunity to This newsletter encapsulates the of the digitisers now being tested personally thank him for his outstanding past, present and future through the for CABB are amongst the highest efforts as ATNF Director. historical article on the Potts Hill achieved at any observatory. The

4 ATNF News, Issue 66, April 2009 Brian Boyle Takes up New Role as CSIRO SKA Director Tony Crawshaw (ATNF)

Field Station; the excellent science of On 9 February 2009, Dr Brian Boyle stepped down as the Director the present outlined in the science of ATNF to take up a new role as CSIRO SKA Director. The role highlights and the start of CABB operations; and the potential and was created to strengthen Australia’s bid for the international excitement of the future through Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope mega-project. the training and inspiration of students, the development of ASKAP, In his new role Dr Boyle is now structure for the ASCC, targeting the and the promise of the SKA. All focused on strategic international demonstration of SKA-readiness to these elements are important for SKA policy issues, working closely the international community as a key the continued success of the ATNF, with the Department of Innovation, goal over the coming two-three years. including the sometimes diffi cult and Industry, Science and Research. Dr Boyle is also committed to confronting need for change. The As well as taking on a joint leadership broadening and enhancing the tremendous response from the role with senior Departmental engagement of the ASCC with the astronomy community around the offi cials in helping to develop and community. As part of this approach, world to the call for Expressions of implement Australia’s SKA strategy, Prof Bryan Gaensler has been appointed Interest in the major survey science he continues to be responsible for to the Chair of the ASCC Science and projects to be undertaken by ASKAP the delivery of the Australian SKA Technology Advisory Committee. has marked a dramatic turning point Pathfi nder Telescope, ASKAP, which for the ATNF. The fact that 354 Through the ASCC, Dr Boyle is also is being developed by CSIRO. astronomers from around the world currently working with offi cials from the got together to submit Expressions of The new role has already allowed Dr New Zealand Government to secure Interest for surveys that won’t start Boyle to assume the chairmanship New Zealand’s formal participation for another three years or more is a of the Australian SKA Co-ordinating in Australia’s SKA program. very positive indicator of the potential Committee (ASCC), the inter- Dr Lewis Ball (previous ATNF Deputy of ASKAP to deliver transformational governmental peak body for the Director) is acting as ATNF Director science. The efforts of the survey oversight of Australia’s SKA strategy until a successor is appointed. teams that are selected following and policy. In that capacity Dr Boyle the assessment of the more detailed has helped to revise the working group proposals currently being prepared will be essential for the success of the ASKAP telescope, and those efforts are greatly appreciated by CSIRO. will become very well known to other electronics devices, has its roots One of the most rewarding parts of our astronomy users in the coming in radio astronomy. Two keystones my role is seeing the results of the months. I’d like to acknowledge the were John O’Sullivan’s push to develop recruitment of new staff. Over the enthusiasm of all our new staff members FFT capable chips to use in searches past few months I have been reminded who are too numerous to mention for transient radio emission from again and again by new members of here but who all have important predicted collapsing black holes, and the ATNF that this is a great place to roles to play and are greatly valued. his work in recognising that redundant work and that there is a tremendous spacing interferometry could be used Finally, I’m sure many will be interested sense of excitement. Two of our to cancel phase errors introduced in in the fact that CSIRO’s invention of the new starters, Ettore Caretti and signal propagation. For more, see: techniques that underpin the wireless Jamie Stevens who have taken on the communications, now so common for www.csiro.au/science/wireless-LANs.html roles of Senior Systems Scientists connections between computers and at Parkes and Narrabri respectively,

5 Compact Array Broadband Backend Philip Edwards (ATNF)

The Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) emerged recently from a six-week shutdown during which installation of the Compact Array Broadband Backend (CABB) system hardware was completed. CABB has increased the maximum bandwidth of the ATCA by a factor of 16, from 128 MHz to 2 GHz, improving the continuum sensitivity of the ATCA by at least a factor of four as well as providing a greatly enhanced spectral line performance, particularly at the higher observing frequencies. The fruition of the CABB project will provide a great boost in the capabilities of the Compact Array and is a credit to the ATNF engineering group for the development and integration of the CABB system with the existing array infrastructure. The fi rst scheduled astronomical observations with CABB occured on 22 April 2009, a day after CSIRO’s new Chief Executive Offi cer, Megan Clark, visited the Observatory and inspected the freshly upgraded array.

The CABB project commenced in Engineer respectively), have led a team been fabricated and installed. Currently January 2002, and had at its core a that, for knowledge and experience the 12-mm, 7-mm, 3-mm and 3/6- new digital signal processing system in digital signal processing for radio cm bands are available. Modules to based on a novel Polyphase Digital astronomy, has few peers around the enable observing with the 20-cm or Filter Bank (DFB) structure developed world. The success of CABB bodes 13-cm band are expected in late May. at ATNF. Key milestones on the path well for the ATNF’s future involvement The great advance in the array’s to completion of CABB have included in the construction of the SKA. capabilities provided by CABB is, provision of the MOPS spectrometer Over the last year an interim CABB perhaps surprisingly, accompanied by a for the Mopra telescope in 2006, system has been progressively simplifi cation of the equipment on the and the Pulsar Digital Filterbanks installed on the ATCA. The interim antennas. The frequency conversion at Parkes. CABB has also provided system, which ultimately provided a of the radio-astronomical signals has a test-bed for ASKAP and future single 2-GHz bandwidth, with dual been simplifi ed and is at most a two- SKA technologies in its ability to polarisations, for fi ve of the six ATCA step process, rather than four; the provide wideband data sampling, antennas, was able to be operated in “fringe rotation” of the signals no transmission, and processing. parallel with the existing correlator longer happens in the antennas; and CABB replaces the Compact Array’s system, allowing a valuable series of the analog-to-digital conversion of original signal processing and digital comparisons and cross-checks to be the signal now uses 9-bit sampling correlator systems. Those systems, made. This capability vanished in the rather than 2-bit sampling, providing at the time of their design and fi rst week of the shutdown when the high dynamic range and tolerance construction in the 1980s, were “state- nine racks and (seemingly!) miles of to high levels of radio-frequency of-the-art” and gave the Compact ribbon cable of the old correlator interference, an inevitable feature of Array a keen competitive edge when were removed and the fi rst of the wider bandwidth observations in the it began operating in 1990. The three CABB racks installed in its centimetre wavelength radio-bands. An CABB project has benefi ted from place (See inside front cover). inherent property of the digital being led by Warwick Wilson who fi lterbank structure is its excellent In concert with the signal transmission was the designer and project leader isolation between channels, so that and processing hardware changes, for the original correlator. Warwick, strong interference at one frequency modules to interface the current suite together with Mark Leach and Dick does not leak into neighbouring of receivers to the new system have Ferris (Project Manager and Project

6 ATNF News, Issue 66, April 2009 frequency channels. The wider scheduled to take six weeks from the bandwidths and fi ner sampling result beginning of March, but benefi ted from in an increase in data fl ow to the gaining advance access to antenna central correlator by a factor of 80, CA06, which was made available from 2 to 160 gigabits per second per during the Long Baseline Array block antenna—a data rate of just under at the end of February. This enabled a one terabit per second for the array! head-start to be made on a number of antenna-related changes, and allowed CABB will initially operate in a the procedures also needed on other single observing mode, offering 2048 antennas to be fi ne-tuned ahead spectral channels across a 2-GHz of time. While the extended array bandwidth. Over the coming months downtime was primarily for CABB, a the fi rst of the “zoom modes”, offering number of other maintenance tasks increased spectral resolution over were also carried out: twelve antenna selected portions of the 2-GHz band, drive motors (each antenna has four will be implemented. To accommodate drive motors, two for elevation and two this progressive enhancement of for azimuth) were rewired and fi tted observing capability, the six-month April with connectors to allow quick and 2009 observing semester for the ATCA safe disconnection and reconnection has been split into two parts, with a during maintenance or changeovers; two 1-MHz spectral resolution offered for 20/13-cm receivers were warmed in the fi rst three months, to mid-July, and readiness to change receiver packages the fi rst zoom modes offered for the for those with new ortho-mode latter part of the winter semester. The transducers (improving the 13-cm astronomical community’s interest polarisation capabilities); and a variety in CABB is apparent from the of other preventative maintenance very high oversubscription rate A new CABB antenna rack being lifted tasks were also undertaken. for the fi rst three months. into an antenna for fi tting. The new CABB system has also ATNF Assistant Director: Operations, Photo: Brett Hiscock required signifi cant changes to the Dave McConnell noted “The ATNF array control and monitoring software, has always benefi ted from having activity, with a steady stream of which has taken place in parallel with astronomical and engineering visitors from ATNF Headquarters the hardware changes. In addition, staff co-located and in constant in Marsfi eld, and observatory staff, the ATCA data analysis package, communication about what is both working long hours to ensure the miriad, has required revision and useful and technically possible in radio installation and commissioning was extensions to enable (the signifi cantly astronomy: in the ATNF ‘the science kept to schedule. Recent studies of the larger) CABB data fi les to be drives the technology’ and ‘technology scientifi c impact of radio-telescopes processed. The ATCA Users Guide is drives the science’ have both been have shown the ATCA and Parkes jostle also being given a complete overhaul true statements, and CABB is the for second and third place, and CABB to bring it into the CABB era. latest product of such a relationship.” and its offspring DFBs at Parkes will It goes without saying that the The ATCA shutdown for the CABB ensure these telescopes continue to shutdown was a period of great installation and commissioning was enjoy pre-eminence well into the future.

7 Exchange Expertise Graeme Carrad (ATNF)

The Front End Group benefi tted (OAC) and is involved in the design through bushwalks and a canyoning tremendously during the period and construction of the various trip. His favourite pastime of snorkelling receivers for the 64-m diameter was catered for with an introduction October 2008 to January 2009 Sardinia Radio Telescope (SRT.) to the fi sh at Shelly Beach near Manly. Having only had exposure to when the Italian National Institute His amplifi er design uses “off the shelf” small fi sh near Sardinia, the size of for Astrophysics (INAF) allowed components and electromagnetic the blue groper that is resident in the simulation of the device performance one of its engineers to donate waters there seemed to give him cause is encouraging. In addition to his for caution and something to remember. his services to the ATNF. electronic design efforts, Alessandro put in many dedicated hours to The benefi ts of the exchange of Alessandro Navarrini proved his worth generate mechanical drawings of the expertise are unquestionable and in developing a design for a new amplifi er body and circuit board. The may lead to further exchanges C-band amplifi er that, if successful, amplifi er is currently being fabricated. and strong links between the two has the potential to relieve the dearth institutions in the years to come. of spare amplifi ers needed for the It wasn’t all work however and he Compact Array. Alessandro is based at was introduced to the Australian bush the Cagliari Astronomy Observatory

Alessandro takes time out from work to enjoy an Australian bushwalk and canyoning trip. Photos: Courtesy of Alessandro Navarrini.

8 ATNF News, Issue 66, April 2009 ATNF Distinguished ATNF Graduate Student Program Visitors Baerbel Koribalski (ATNF) Robert Braun (ATNF)

Over the past months we have enjoyed We welcome the following Congratulations to: working visits from Franz Bauer students into the ATNF • Marcella Massardi on the (Columbia University), Marta Burgay successful submission of (Cagliari), Martin Cohen (University of co-supervision program: her International School for California Berkeley) and Ingrid Stairs • Luke Hindson (University of Advanced Studies of Trieste (University of British Coumbia).Current Hertfordshire)—Wide-fi eld PhD thesis on The extragalactic visitors include Leo Blitz (University of molecular imaging of triggered sources at mm wavelengths and California Berkeley) and Phil Kronberg star formation with supervisors their role as CMB foregrounds; (Los Alomos National Laboratory/ Dr Mark Thompson (University • Adam Deller on the successful University of Toronto). Upcoming of Hertfordshire) and Dr submission of his University visitors we expect include Martin James Urquhart (ATNF); Cohen (University of California of Swinburne PhD thesis • Lina Levin (University of Berkeley), Rick Jenet (University of on Precision VLBI astrometry: Swinburne)—The High Time Texas Brownsville) and D J Saikia (Tata Instrumentation, algorithms and Resolution Universe with supervisors Institut of Fundamental Research). pulsar parallax determination; and Dr Matthew Bailes (University • Emil Lenc on the successful The Distinguished Visitors Program of Swinburne), Dr Simon submission of his University of remains a very productive means of Johnston (ATNF), Dr Michael Swinburne PhD thesis on Studies enabling collaborative research projects Kramer (Max-Planck-Institut für of Radio Galaxies and Starburst with local staff, adding substantially Radioastronomie, Bonn, Germany) Galaxies using Wide-fi eld, High to the vitality of the ATNF research and Dr Willem van Straten Spatial Resolution Radio Imaging. environment. Visits can be organised for (University of Swinburne); periods ranging from only a few weeks Dr Marcella Massardi is now a • Anita Titmarsh (University of up to one year. For more information postdoc at the INAF-Osservatorio Tasmania)—Investigating the earliest please see www.atnf.csiro.au/people/ Astronomico di Padova in Italy. Dr stages of massive star formation distinguished_visitors.html. Prospective Adam Deller has started a Jansky with supervisors Dr Simon visitors should contact the local staff Fellowship at the National Radio Ellingsen (University of Tasmania) member with the most similar interests. Astronomy Observatory Socorro, and Dr Kate Brooks (ATNF). USA, and Dr Emil Lenc is an OCE Postdoctoral Fellow at the ATNF. Clockwise from left: Luke Hindson, Lina The following students recently Levin, Katherine submitted their PhD Thesis: Newton-McGee, Joris • Nadia Lo (University of NSW)— Verbiest, and Adam Deller and Emil Lenc. A Multi-molecular Line Study of an Entire Giant Molecular Cloud; Not shown: Anita • Katherine Newton-McGee Titmarsh, Marcella Massardi and (University of Sydney)—Radio Nadia Lo. Polarimetry as a Probe of Interstellar Magnetism; Photos: Courtesy of students. • Joris Verbiest (University of Swinburne)—Long-Term Timing of Millisecond Pulsars and Gravitational Wave Detection. Joris is now at the University of West Virginia. Well done !

9 Highlighting our History: Potts Hill Field Station, 1948 – 1962

Harry Wendt, Wayne Orchiston (JCU Centre for Astronomy) and Bruce Slee (ATNF & JCU Centre for Astronomy)

This paper provides a summary1 “big science” projects emerged, a in or near Sydney.2 This was a of the research carried out at period when small-scale projects unique period when—along the Potts Hill fi eld station during dominated and radio engineers with Britain—Australia achieved the seminal period of Australian fi rst entered the domain of the world leadership in the new fi eld radio astronomy prior to astronomers. Most observations of radio astronomy. As Hanbury 1960. This was arguably the most were carried out at a network of Brown (1993) remarked, “… exciting and innovative era in the fi eld stations maintained by the golden ages in science are rare development of Australian radio CSIRO’s Division of Radiophysics and should be recorded.” astronomy. It was the era before

The Potts Hill fi eld station was located in the western suburbs of Sydney, 16 km from the centre of Sydney and on vacant land adjacent to a major water-distribution reservoir (see Figure 1). The site was selected in 1948 after it was necessary to fi nd a new home for a 97-MHz swept- lobe interferometer which was being developed by Ross Trehearne and Alec Little. The building in which they were working at Bankstown aerodrome was sold and so a new location had to be found. At the same time Ruby Payne-Scott took over the project from Trehearne. Permission was kindly given by the Sydney Water Board to use the vacant land surrounding the Potts Hill No. 1 reservoir, and the Potts Hill radio astronomy fi eld station came into being. Soon after Little and Payne-Scott had relocated to Potts Hill they were joined by W N (“Chris”) Christiansen who had recently transferred from AWA

Figure 1: An aerial photograph of Potts Hill fi eld station taken on 19 March 1954. The view is from the north looking south. The main part of the fi eld station is in the immediate foreground. The East-West solar grating array is on the southern bank of 1 For a detailed discussion the reservoir and the North-South array on the eastern bank. On the bottom left, see Wendt, 2009. three coal train carriages are visible. These were used to supply coal for the steam 2 For an overview of the Field Stations driven pumping station for the water supply reservoir. The main road visible on the left see Orchiston and Slee, 2005. is Rookwood Road. Photo: (CSIRO Radiophysics Photographic Archive: B3253-1)

10 ATNF News, Issue 66, April 2009 to Radiophysics and was also looking for a new site where he could conduct solar observations with a 4.9- × 5.5-m paraboloid that was originally installed as an experimental radar at Georges Heights during WWII (see Figure 2). Ten different types of radio telescope operated at Potts Hill during the 15-year life of the fi eld station. Amongst these were several examples of world-fi rst instruments. The Swept-Lobe Interferometer developed by Little and Payne-Scott (1951) used a method of continuously varying the phase of the local oscillator in the heterodyne receiver to sweep the aerial beam lobes at 25 times a second. This innovation removed the restriction of having to wait for Figure 2: The Mills Cross prototype (immediate foreground) at Potts Hill fi eld station the Earth’s rotation to move the 7 October 1953. The view is from the east looking west. Also visible in the far back ground is the 11-m Transit Telescope, the 4.9- x 5.5-m paraboloid and an ex-WWII source through the lobe pattern TPS-3 aerial. in order to produce interference fringes. Not only could the Swept- Photo: (CSIRO Radiophysics Photographic Archive: B31171-4) Lobe Interferometer determine the position of a short duration burst was Mills’ fi rst foray into cosmic at Rockbank in Victoria, as well as at accurate to two arc minutes at 97 MHz, research, and he and A B Thomas Potts Hill, and this allowed the teams to it could also measure the polarisation tried to determine an accurate radio use triangulation in order to determine of the source. This radio telescope position for Cygnus-A (which at the accurate positions of the localised was designed primarily to provide time had not been associated with an sources of solar radio emission at 600 accurate positional measurements of optical counterpart). Mills identifi ed MHz. The eclipse observations provided short-duration solar bursts and was a faint extra-galactic nebula near further evidence that the sources successfully used to track the motion the position of the source, but was of enhanced solar radiation often of these through the corona for the talked out of publishing this by Rudolf originated above sunspot groups. This fi rst time. In fact, several of the bursts Minkowski, as he considered the was Christiansen’s fi rst major solar they measured would later turn out positional error too large. When F research project (Christiansen et al, to be Type IVs, the only type of solar Graham Smith (1951) later provided 1949). The main instrument used at burst not discovered by an Australian a more accurate position, Baade and Potts Hill for these observations was group. The Swept-Lobe Interferometer Minkowski (1954) found the association the 4.9- × 5.5-m paraboloid that had could also be used as a traditional suggested by Mills to be correct. originally been at Georges Heights. This interferometer by by-passing the swept instrument was also used in 1951 by phase-changer. In this mode it was used Christiansen relocated to Potts Hill in Christiansen and Hindman to confi rm by Bernard Mills and A B Thomas in the time to observe the 1 November 1948 the existence of the 21-cm hydrogen evenings when the instrument was not partial solar eclipse. Observations were line (H-line), only 15 weeks after they required for solar observations. This carried out at Strahan in Tasmania and

11 were notifi ed of Ewen and Purcell’s discovery in the US. Christiansen and Hindman (1952) went on to carry out the fi rst H-line survey of the southern sky, and they produced the fi rst radio evidence for the existence of spiral arms in our Galaxy. To further exploit the discovery of the H-line it was decided to build a dedicated survey instrument at Potts Hill. Although initial consideration was given to purchasing a large single dish instrument, it was decided instead to build an in-house designed 11-m parabolic dish on a transit mounting. Construction was completed in 1953. Frank Kerr had been at Figure 3: The combined Sydney-Leiden 21-cm map showing the density distribution Harvard at the time of the H-line of neutral hydrogen in the Galactic Plane. The maximum densities in the z direction discovery, and he returned to Sydney are plotted on the Galactic Plane and the points of common density are joined by to lead the 21-cm program. Eventually contours. a 4-channel receiver was bought into Photo: (CSIRO Radiophysics Photographic Archive; B5445) operation, and surveys were conducted of the Magellanic Clouds and the southern sky. The Potts Hill southern conclusive evidence of limb-brightening the two-dimensional distribution of sky survey was combined with the at 1,410 MHz and further data on the emission across the solar disk in radio Dutch northern sky survey to produce association between sunspot groups astronomy, it was the fi rst time that the famous Sydney-Leiden H-line and solar radio emission. The solar Earth rotational synthesis was used. The map of our Galaxy (see Figure 3). work carried out at Potts Hill, together E-W grating array was later modifi ed with the research on solar bursts by Govind Swarup and R Parthasarathy After the initial H-line survey conducted at Dapto by Paul Wild to operate at 500 MHz, and ultimately Christiansen returned to solar and his team ensured that Australia the array was donated to India where research. Spurred on by the frustration would play a leading role in solar radio it became the Kalyan Radio Telescope. of using eclipses for high-resolution astronomy for the next three decades. solar observations, Christiansen Mills’ early experience with invented the Solar Grating Array Christiansen later added a new Solar interferometers at Potts Hill and which is analogous to an optical Grating Array on a North-South Badgery’s Creek inspired him to diffraction grating. The fi rst array baseline at Potts Hill, and by using data develop a new type of radio telescope consisted of 32 × 1.7-m solid metal from both arrays over an extended which became know as the Mills parabolic dishes mounted along an period he was able to produce a two- Cross. This design had the advantage east-west baseline on the banks of dimensional image of the Sun at 1,410 of combining the high resolution and the Potts Hill reservoir. The cost of MHz (Christiansen and Warburton, the relatively low construction cost of construction was kept to under £500! 1955). This involved the laborious hand an interferometer (when compared The array was used to produce daily calculation of Fourier transformations, to a large single parabolic dish), while high-resolution one-dimensional scans and it took nearly six months to still producing a pencil beam response of the solar disk at 1,410 MHz. This produce a single image! Although this with comparable sensitivity at metre innovative radio telescope provided was not the fi rst reconstruction of wavelengths. In 1952 there was some

12 ATNF News, Issue 66, April 2009 scepticism within Radiophysics that interferometer that would later be Christiansen, W. N., Yabsley, D. E. and Mills’ design would actually work and constructed at Fleurs fi eld station. In Mills, B. Y., 1949. Eclipse Observations so a prototype was built at Potts Hill addition, during the late 1950s, some of Solar Radiation at a Wave-Length (see Figure 2) to test the concept. This early operational trials of a maser of 50 cm. Nature, 164, 635-637. low-cost prototype (Mills and Little, receiver were carried out at Potts Hill. Hanbury-Brown, R., 1993. Reaching for 1953) had arms 36.6-m in length Many of the pioneers of Australian radio the Stars. Nature, 362, 798-799. and operated at 97 MHz. Not only astronomy spent time at Potts Hill, did the design prove viable, but the Little, A. G. and Payne-Scott, R., and by 1952 it had superseded Dover early observations produced the 1951. The Position and Movement Heights as the major fi eld station of the fi rst detection of continuum radio on the Solar Disk of sources Division of Radiophysics. Ultimately, lack emission from the Magellanic Clouds. of radiation at a frequency of of space and the encroachment of the 97 Mc/s. australian Journal of Although solar and H-line work suburbs of Sydney (with a consequential Scientifi c Research, 4, 489-507. dominated much of the research increase in radio interference) meant at Potts Hill, important continuum that research had to be shifted to Mills, B. Y. and Little, A. G., 1953. A observations of discrete sources were other fi eld stations. In late 1961 the High-Resolution Aerial System of also made. In 1950, Jack Piddington and last of the solar monitoring at Potts a New Type. Australian Journal Harry Minnett (1951) used the 4.9- × Hill was transferred to Fleurs, and of Physics, 6, 272-278. 5.5-m paraboloid to identify the discrete the following year the Potts Hill fi eld Oort, J. H., Kerr, F. J. and Westerhout, G., source Sagittarius-A, that is associated station was decommissioned, bringing 1958. The galactic system as a spiral with the centre of our Galaxy. They to an end 15 extremely productive nebula Monthly Notices of the Royal also discovered Cygnus X, and made years of research and developments in Astronomical Society, 118, 379-389. what is perhaps the fi rst identifi cation instrumentation. This signalled the end Orchiston, W. and Slee, B., 2005. The of an extended radio source that is of an era, and with the construction Radiophysics Field Stations and associated with an HII region. In 1956 of the 64-m Parkes radio telescope, the early development of Radio the 11-m Transit Telescope was used Australian radio astronomy began a Astronomy. In Orchiston, W. (Ed.) by Piddington and Trent for a 600 MHz new era of “big science” projects. The New Astronomy: Opening continuum survey of the southern sky References: the Electromagnetic Window and and their observations, together with Expanding our View of Planet those provided by the H-line survey Baade, W. and Minkowski, R., Earth. Dordrecht, Springer, 119-168. formed part of the dataset that was 1954. Identifi cation of the Radio used by the International Astronomical Sources in Cassiopeia, Cygnus Piddington, J. H. and Minnett, H. C., Union in 1960 to redefi ne the galactic A, and Puppis A. Astrophysical 1951. Observations of Galactic co-ordinate system. Hindman and Journal, 119, 206-214. radiation at frequencies of 1210 and Wade also carried out observations of Christiansen, W. N. and Hindman, J., 3000 Mc/s. australian Journal of the Eta Carinae Nebula (NGC 3372) 1952. A preliminary survey of 1420 Scientifi c Research, 4, 459-475. and Centaurus-A at 1,400 MHz. Mc/s. line emission from Galactic Smith, F. G., 1951. An Accurate Potts Hill also played a small part in hydrogen. Australian Journal of Determination of Positions of Four part in the investigation of Jovian bursts Scientifi c Research, 5, 437-455. Radio Stars. Nature, 168, 555. at 19.6 MHz, in a spaced receiver Christiansen, W. N. and Warburton, J. Wendt, H. W., 2009. The Contribution experiment that was conducted by A., 1955. The Distribution of Radio of the Division of Radiophysics Potts Alex Shain and Frank Gardner and also Brightness over the Solar Disk at Hill and Murraybank Field Stations to involved the Fleurs fi eld station. Potts a Wavelength of 21 cm. III. The International Radio Astronomy. PhD Hill was also used as a test site for Quiet Sun—Two-Dimensional Thesis, Centre for Astronomy, trials of the aerial developed for the Observations. Australian Journal James Cook University. Chris Cross solar crossed-grating of Physics, 8, 474-486.

13 Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfi nder (ASKAP) Diana Londish, Carole Jackson, Dave DeBoer, Juan-Carlos Guzman, Phil Crosby and Ross Forsyth (ATNF)

ASKAP Science ASKAP Antennas The dish is 12 m in diameter and is Survey Projects an unshaped paraboloid. The f/D is The antenna contractor, CECT 54 in 0.5; this describes the focal ratio and Last November a call for Expressions Shijiazhuang, China, have successfully sets the distance from the hub to of Interest (EoIs) to submit proposals concluded the design phase of the the apex (focus) as 6 m. The CSIRO for an initial set of ASKAP Survey contract during which all EM, structural, developed phased array feed receiver, Science Projects was released mechanical and manufacturing design a package weighing about 200 kg, to the international astronomy tasks were completed on time and to needs to be supported within a set community. EoIs are the fi rst of a the satisfaction of the CSIRO antenna of strict operating tolerances to three stage process to defi ne large team. Manufacture of the fi rst antenna meet the demands of high dynamic Survey Science Projects that will commenced in March 2009, and is range astronomy. This stability is utilise approximately 75% of ASKAP’s expected to be ready for factory provided via the quadrupod feed observing time during the fi rst fi ve acceptance testing in August 2009. This support structure which includes a years of its science operations. is a very ambitious schedule, but the set of secondary supporting struts. milestones achieved by CETC 54 to By the 15 December 2008 deadline date have given the antenna team The pedestal and mounts are a total of 38 submissions from 10 every confi dence that the remainder conventional steel fabrications and different countries (608 investigators) of the antenna delivery will also be the total structure weighs around had been received. Following on time and to specifi cation. It is 30 tonnes. The antenna structure is evaluation of the proposals, 29 were anticipated that the fi rst antenna will designed to be sealed against the dust selected as viable Survey Science arrive on site in Western Australia and sand of the very tough operating Projects and the teams have now at the end of October 2009. environment. All the axis drive motors, been invited to submit a full Survey gearboxes and gears will be located on Science Project proposal. These are the inside of the assembly, with effective due on 15 June 2009 and they will be Antenna Report sealing of all bearings, access covers reviewed by a one-off Survey Science ASKAP antennas will have a Project Assignment Committee. conventional Alt-Az antenna mount with an additional third polarisation axis ASKAP Draft User (“sky mount”). The polarisation axis Policy, Science bearing is located at the base of the refl ector hub; thus the entire refl ector, Operations and Archive quadrupod and phased array receiver In October 2008 a Draft User Policy assembly can rotate as a unit. This for ASKAP was drawn up after ensures that both the phased array consultation with the general astronomy receiver and the antenna sidelobes community as well as specifi c input maintain a constant parallactic angle from the Australia Telescope Steering on the sky during observations. Committee. Full details can be The antenna is designed to achieve a found on the web page www.atnf. 30- arcsec pointing accuracy, with csiro.au/projects/askap/policy.html a 2-arcsec or better alignment A document outlining the functional between the optical axis and requirements of the ASKAP Science polarisation axis. The antenna will Archive Facility is also in preparation, operate within specifi cation in winds -1 and talks to determine ASKAP Science up to 45 km h and will survive at ASKAP antenna CAD design. -1 Operations have commenced. stow in winds up to 160 km h . Image: Ross Forsyth

14 ATNF News, Issue 66, April 2009 Phased Array Feeds processing of simulated ASKAP data and Digital Systems is proceeding. Time allocated on CSIRO computing clusters is being Progress on the design and used for testing the scaling of ASKAP understanding of the phased array software to large numbers of cores, feed continues to be made using and for large scale end-to-end tests. sophisticated numerical modelling of In March 2009 a call for expressions the integrated system performance, of interest to collaborate with CSIRO including the feed elements, integrated on a Single Digital Backend (SDB) was low-noise amplifi er and receiver, and released. If adopted the SBD would the performance within the optical replace much of the custom digital system. The phased array feed has been hardware in the beamformers and off the 12-m Parkes Test-bed Facility correlator with a high performance (PTF) for a while to be retrofi tted for computer running code written better thermal regulation, as well as in a high level language. The thesis newly designed amplifi ers. A series of being tested is that for SKA we can comprehensive tests at the Marsfi eld in this way avoid building custom site are on-going, after which the array SAPKAP pedestal in the Marsfi eld hardware on a massive scale. workshop. will be redeployed at the PTF. In the meantime, the 12-m antenna is in use Photo: Tony Crawshaw, CSIRO by astronomers with another feed Murchison Radio- that had been used in earlier testing. astronomy and even the doors of the pedestal and The digital system has progressed very Observatory (MRO) elevation enclosure. The refl ector is well. The digitiser has been fabricated Progress on establishing the Murchison also of conventional mechanical design, and is under test, and the full fi rmware Radio-astronomy Observatory in being made up of 36 stretch-formed has been fl eshed out for the digitiser Western Australia continues with aluminium panels mounted on a steel and beamformer, and a prototype the major land-tenure agreements truss back-up structure. The refl ector environment is being developed. The to use the MRO site close to being surface accuracy will be at least 1 mm digital system installed on the PTF fi nalised. Work is now underway rms, and therefore support radio has now demonstrated a full noise to produce tender documents astronomy observations up to 10 GHz. covariance matrix on all channels. for the design of support and Due to the challenge of integrating infrastructure facilities at the MRO a whole new system at the remote ASKAP Computing and in Geraldton. A heritage survey ASKAP observatory ATNF of the relevant areas of the MRO was In the fi rst quarter of 2009 the commissioned Wild Sets, a fi lm set performed in mid January 2009. Computing project group fi nalised the company, to build a model dubbed ASKAP monitor and control software Upgrades to site communications “SAPKAP” (so named because it’s architecture. Internet Communication have been carried out, and include made of wood). SAPKAP is the ASKAP Engine (ICE) middleware was chosen installation of a general purpose offi ce antenna integration model; it is a full- as the communication bus for the PC and a security camera. Pastoral-use scale model of the ASKAP pedestal, top-level architecture and EPICS was radio systems which may have caused mount and hub to enable the project selected as the software framework for interference to on-site astronomy teams to learn how to set up a working the monitoring and control system experiments have been removed or ASKAP antenna before heading out to replaced. Radio frequency interference remote Western Australia to kit out The Central Processor has also monitoring is ongoing, and initial antenna one (and onwards to 36!). been a major focus, and end-to-end

15 results confi rm the superb radio- Western Australia. Senator Kim Carr, quietness of the site as well as the Federal Minister for Innovation, Industry, equipment currently deployed there. Science and Research, also addressed the Forum via a pre-recorded message. In March 2009 a group of aboriginal artists paid a visit to the MRO as part The two CEOs from the Mid-West of International Year of Astronomy Development Commission and outreach activities. Scientists from City of Geraldton-Greenough also ICRAR and the local art community attended the Forum, together with exchanged stories of the sky and three indigenous representatives, the the resultant artwork will be aim being to demonstrate Mid-West featured at an upcoming art fair. regional and community support to help secure the SKA project for Australia. SKA Forum, Cape Town The 2009 International SKA Forum ASKAP Industry was held in Cape Town, South Engagement Africa, in February. The Forum ASKAP’s industry engagement Phil Crosby at the Australia Telescope brought together astronomers and activities continue to strengthen Compact Array representatives from governments thanks to the ongoing support of the Photo: CSIRO and funding agencies from around the Australian SKA Industry Consortium world. Specialist meetings were also (ASKAIC) which offers practical help and its associated side meetings were held to discuss the design, construction in planning for industry involvement. and science goals of the telescope. relevant to industry engagement at both Briefi ngs on the infrastructure plans the pathfi nder and full SKA level—in The forum was opened by South Africa’s for the Murchison Radio-astronomy particular the PrepSKA WP5 working Minister of Science and Technology, Observatory (MRO) were given by group which is focussed on international Mr Mosibudi Mangena. In his address ASKAP team members (Ant Schinckel, industry participation and procurement. he announced a new collaborative Graham Allen, Carole Jackson and Phil The Industry Opportunities Register science program between South Crosby) in Sydney and Perth in early is regularly updated and is available Africa’s MeerKAT telescope and the February, with more than 80 and 170 via the ASKAP industry web pages. As Australian SKA Pathfi nder that will attendees respectively. These briefi ngs the project moves through various enhance the scientifi c impact of both are opportunities for discussions procurement stages, Requests for pathfi nders and contribute to advancing between industry representatives, Tenders (RFTs) are announced on the international SKA program overall. CSIRO, associated research institutions, the ASKAP website together with and Government personnel. Continuing Presentations on behalf of Team any supporting information, as well this theme, Ministers Kim Carr, (DIISR) Australia were given by the Hon Troy as being listed on the AusTender and Parliamentary Secretary to Treasury; Buswell, Western Australia’s Minister website. The on-line SKA Directory Commerce, Science and Innovation, for Science and Technology, Prof Brian is still growing with over 400 Barry House (WA Government) Boyle, CSIRO’s SKA Director, and businesses now registered, indicating jointly hosted an ASKAP/SKA industry Dr David DeBoer, ASKAP Theme strong local interest and capability. Leader. These talks highlighted the gathering at Perth’s Convention Centre successful development and testing on 25 March 2009. This was also At the strategic level, industry of Phased Array Feed (PAF) receiver well attended by Western Australia’s engagement has continued apace, with: technology by CSIRO engineers, astronomy and business communities. • The Boeing Company under the and the ongoing work to establish Several ASKAIC members attended the CSIRO-Boeing Joint Technical Australia’s SKA candidate site in SKA Forum in Cape Town: The forum agreement has advised on

16 ATNF News, Issue 66, April 2009 OCE Postdoctoral Fellowship Success Robert Braun (ATNF)

best practice, including a Demonstrating its research between half and one FTE of support “lessons learned” session with strength, ATNF was recently to each of the major areas where Boeing’s Geraldton facility ASKAP surveys will be undertaken. The management. An “arm’s length” notifi ed that its two latest successful fellows from the current OCE team (from Boeing’s Korean proposals submitted to round will have the opportunity to be plant) conducted stage one of a involved with two of the most exciting the CSIRO Offi ce of the free, independent systems review and fundamental of topics that will be of ASKAP, with stage two likely Chief Executive (OCE) revolutionised by wide-fi eld ASKAP to occur in October this year; Postdoctoral Fellowship surveys, namely cosmic magnetism and the evolution of neutral gas. In each of • Raytheon Australia has Program had been accepted. generously offered places these fi elds we can confi dently predict on their certifi ed systems Since commencement of the Program in a 100-fold improvement in capability engineering course; 2006 – 2007, ATNF has been awarded over that which exists today. This jump in capability represents an • Negotiations with Cisco have six OCE Postdoctoral Fellowships enormous discovery potential, of a resulted in Charles Smith from just six submissions, an incredible magnitude only seldom encountered being seconded to ASKAP as 100% success rate. Twice a year, in any branch of science. Our OCE a specialist systems engineer CSIRO Divisions and Flagships are Fellows will be in a prime position working with Shaun Amy; invited to submit proposals for OCE postdoctoral fellow positions, with the to ride this wave of discovery. We • Horizon and Lycopodium are OCE Science Team providing a grant expect to be able to extend our two WA companies assisting of $90,000 p.a. for three years for support of ASKAP surveys with several the ASKAP team with possible each postdoctoral fellowship. Once additional appointments in other options to provide sustainable a proposal has been accepted, the research areas over the coming year.” energy source(s) at the MRO. most qualifi ed candidate is then Proposals are assessed against a number recruited. The program is one of a of criteria, including science potential CSIRO provides number of CSIRO initiatives that aims and its importance to Australia. industry specialist to encourage, promote and support for SPDO science through development of Proposal successes and Fellows scientists and communication of science. • Pulsars—Patrick Weltervrede Business Strategist for CSIRO’s Robert Braun, Astrophysics Research (PhD, University of Amsterdam) Australia Telescope National Program Leader for the ATNF explained, Facility, Phil Crosby, is joining the • Evolution of Galaxies—Angel “The OCE postdoctoral program SKA Program Development Offi ce Lopez-Sanchez (PhD, Instituto de provides an excellent opportunity (SPDO) in Manchester University, Astrofísica de Canarias, Tenerife) for early career researchers to build UK. Phil will be the Manager - • Reaching Deep into the Radio careers in the most exciting research Industry Participation Strategy as an Sky—Emil Lenc (PhD, Swinburne directions, while providing a substantial embedded specialist for at least two University of Technology) boost to the scientifi c productivity of years. SPDO’s role was formalised our group by doubling the number of • Star formation through cosmic in 2007 to focus international efforts fellows that we can support. Both the time—James Urquhart (PhD, in the project and, in particular, to opportunities and the needs are now University of Kent) develop the science case, engineering particularly acute with the ASKAP call • Exploring the magnetic universe system design, site proposal process, for large Survey Science Projects that with the Australian SKA Pathfi nder deployment plan, and a global has just been released: wwwatnf.atnf. (Yet to be recruited) industry engagement approach. csiro.au/projects/askap/users.html. Our • Mapping the HI Universe Astrophysics group aims to provide (Yet to be recruited)

17 Pulse@Parkes: A Month of Pulsar Observing with the ASKAP Test-bed Antenna G Hobbs, R Hollow, M Kesteven, M Keith, D Champion and J Reynolds (ATNF)

More than 200 high school students have now carried out pulsar observations using the Parkes 64-m telescope as part of the PULSE@Parkes project. The students, and their teachers, have gained a basic understanding of “the life of a scientist”, they have controlled an icon of Australian science and have a better feeling for the importance of their science teaching at school.

The project is on-going and we cannot come to Sydney to carry out session from anywhere in Australia have already fi lled all the available an observing run. We are therefore (and perhaps overseas). Second, we observing slots for the current planning to develop the project in wish to provide some educational observing semester. However, we three ways. First, we intend to develop data sets allowing students around have had a huge interest in the project the remote observing capabilities to Australia to use real observations from schools around Australia that allow us to run a PULSE@Parkes from a radio telescope. Third, the

Figure 1: Vela timing residuals from observations with the ASKAP 12-m test-bed antenna The data sets will be made available on the PULSE@Parkes websites with a range of on-line projects that will let the students interact with the data. We hope that our small project will allow us to develop remote observing capabilities, obtain useful scientifi c data and provide a new aspect of the PULSE@Parkes project. We also are considering further educational/scientifi c projects that could be undertaken with the 12-m antenna, such as getting students to observe the HI line and would be interested in any other suggestions.

18 ATNF News, Issue 66, April 2009 Figure 2: The 12-m ASKAP test-bed antenna at Parkes Photo: George Hobbs

PULSE@Parkes project is a prototype We are developing control software timing noise (an irregular noise- for outreach projects using the that allows the standard telescope like slow-down). It was monitored Australian Square Kilometre Array control software to drive the 12-m almost continuously for more than Pathfi nder (ASKAP) telescope. antenna. When complete this will 20 years using the 14-m diameter allow us to enter a list of the pulsars Mt Pleasant Observatory antenna in To aid in these developments we have that we wish to observe. If one Tasmania. Unfortunately the program begun carrying out regular observations pulsar has not yet risen then the was stopped for a few years and so, of a few, bright pulsars using the 12-m software will automatically move until the observations with the 12-m diameter ASKAP test-bed antenna to the next pulsar and the schedule antenna described here, this pulsar has situated at Parkes. Currently, this will be repeated until the antenna only been erratically monitored. Vela’s antenna has a 20-cm feed providing is required for ASKAP testing. brightness allows us to determine 20 MHz of bandwidth. This will pulse arrival times every 30 seconds soon be replaced with the focal We have decided to concentrate mainly (see Figure 1). If a glitch occurs we will plane array system being designed on observing the Vela pulsar. This be able to use this time resolution to for the full ASKAP system. The pulsar is bright (and can be detected study the decay of the glitch and get pulsar observations are currently within only a few seconds of observing) precise measurements of the pulsar recorded using a refurbished ATNF and shows interesting “slow-down” spin up. In turn this will allow us to digital fi lterbank system (PDFB2) behaviour. It glitches (a sudden probe the interior of the neutron star. and stored on disk at Epping. increase in rotation rate) and exhibits

19 Unraveling the Mysteries Surrounding the Life and Death of the Most Massive Stars Franz Bauer (Columbia University), Christopher Stockdale (Marquette University), Norbert Bartel (York University) and Vikram Dwarkadas (University of Chicago)

Massive stars shed signifi cant ever discovered. It is located in the was due at least in part to Circinus’ amounts of their hydrogen Circinus Galaxy, just 3.7 Mpc away from low Galactic latitude (b=4°), but also us (Koribalski et al. 2004) and thus because of its unusual evolution. envelopes prior to exploding provides exceptional observational SN1996cr was initially identifi ed as a possibilities to investigate the as supernovae (SNe). The variable ultraluminous X-ray source aftermath of the explosion of a star exact nature of this evolution (Sambruna et al. 2001; Bauer et al in detail. Figure 1 shows the Circinus 2001), and only confi rmed as a strongly- is not well understood and Galaxy with the SN located 25” south interacting SN (a so-called Type IIn) of the nucleus. Figure 2 shows a can best be probed with radio several years thereafter with the preliminary image of SN1996cr made European VLT (Bauer 2007; Bauer et al. and X-ray observations, which with the Australian Long-Baseline-Array 2008). Fortunately, the Circinus Galaxy detect emission associated (LBA) at 22 GHz in 2007. However, hosts a powerful Compton-thick AGN despite its proximity SN1996cr with interaction of the SN blast and prodigious star formation, and exploded unnoticed and unidentifi ed SN1996cr thus benefi ted from a wealth wave and the circumstellar for many years. The fact that this of radio, optical, and X-ray archival medium (CSM) established SN remained unknown for so long by the progenitor star.

The emission arises from the shocked interaction region between the forward and reverse shocks; radio from the forward shock, X-rays from both. The strength of this emission scales with both to the initial blast wave velocity and the density of the CSM. Moreover, because the blast wave velocity is typically ~100 – 1000 times faster than the progenitor’s stellar wind velocity, the shock can overtake substantial portions of the CSM on human timescales, acting as a “time machine” to probe the last ~104 yrs of the progenitor’s mass- loss history. However, with current instrumentation only a small fraction of known SNe manifest interactions strong enough to produce detectable radio and X-ray emission; there have been less than 20 well studied core-collapse SNe, regardless of type, over the last 30 years. This scarcity makes the discovery of SN1996cr all the more exciting. Figure 1: Observations of SN1996cr and its host galaxy at X-ray (left column), SN1996cr is one of the closest SNe optical (middle columns), and radio wavelengths (right column) shortly before or to have gone off in the past three around the time of the SN explosion (upper panel) and several years after the decades and the strongest radio SN explosion (lower row).

20 ATNF News, Issue 66, April 2009 data taken for other purposes. This of constant mass and velocity, which In Figure 3a, SN1996cr shows evidence dataset has been used to constrain the results in an R-2 density profi le (e.g., for such a gradual “turn-on” like other explosion date to a one year window Chevalier 1982, Chevalier & Fransson radio SNe below 3 GHz, but also using Anglo-Australian narrow-band 1994). The intrinsic radio emission is requires a luminosity jump of >1000 imaging and reconstruct respectable often complicated by initial free-free roughly two years after the explosion to radio and X-ray light curves, which are absorption and/or synchrotron self- adequately explain its strong, achromatic shown in Figure 3a (see next page). absorption due to ionised circumstellar rise at 4 – 8 GHz around days 800 – material close to the progenitor, while 1000. A similarly unusual evolution is When detected, the radio and X-ray the soft X-rays could be absorbed seen in the X-ray light curve, although light curves of core-collapse SNe by dense material anywhere along its initial rise is not as well sampled. As typically exhibit a ~t -1.0±0.5 decline the line of sight. As the blast wave the radio and X-ray emission both trace in both bands (Weiler et al. 1986, expands outward, this radio absorption the surrounding CSM structure created Immler & Kuntz 2005, Soderberg decreases and leads to a frequency- by the progenitor, these temporal 2007). This standard evolution is dependent “turn-on” that extends features demonstrate that the CSM thought to stem from the blast wave over ~1 dex in the time domain. density was quite sparse within interacting with a progenitor wind <1.5 x 1017 cm, but must have jumped several orders of magnitude beyond this radius to perhaps 105 g/cm3. The only viable physical scenarios for such behavior are ones in which the progenitor either ejected a shell of material at some late evolutionary stage [e.g. a Luminous Blue Variable (LBV) explosion ~4000 yr prior to SN; Gal- Yam et al. 2007; Pastorello et al. 2007] or changed from a slow to fast wind state such that it formed a wind-blown bubble (e.g., from a red supergiant to a Wolf-Rayet star ~50 – 100 years prior to SN; Weaver et al. 1977; Dwarkadas 2005, 2007; Chugai & Chevalier 2006). Regardless of the cause, this makes SN1996cr one of a select few SNe that can be physically linked to a massive Wolf-Rayet or LBV progenitor. From an observational standpoint, SN1996cr can be considered a prototype for late-rising, strongly- interacting SNe, and should provide important clues (and caveats) for interpreting the more distant members of this emerging SN class (e.g. 1996aq, Figure 2: Preliminary Long Baseline Array image of SN1996cr at 22 GHz SN2001em, 2004dk, SN2006jc; (Bartel et al. 2009, in preparation). The SN is resolved with a diameter of Stockdale et al. 2007, 2009; Pastorello 10 mas, which equates to ~5 x 1017 cm at the distance of the Circinus Galaxy.

21 et al. 2007). Such SNe are relatively In the past year, the radio and X-ray Bauer, F. E., et al. 2001, AJ, 122, 182 rare. Their interaction with the ambient emission of SN1996cr have both Bauer, F. E. et al. 2008, ApJ, 688, 1210 medium, which is presumably formed shown noticeable declines versus by mass-loss from the progenitor star, their extrapolated light curves, Chevalier, R. A. 1982, ApJ, 259, 302 provides unique insight into the late- suggesting that the blast wave has now Chevalier, R. A. & Fransson, C. time mass-loss, and therefore the late overtaken the shell. If true, we expect 1994, ApJ, 420, 258 evolutionary stages of massive stars, SN1996cr to decline precipitously Chugai, N. N. & Chevalier, R. a period which has been diffi cult to in all bands. Tracking this eventual A. 2006, ApJ, 641, 1051 study by other means. There is still fall-off is crucial to understanding much debate, for instance, over the our still-emerging physical picture Dwarkadas, V. V. 2005, ApJ, 630, 892 number, duration, and sequence of for SN1996cr and to setting strong Dwarkadas, V. V. 2007, ApJ, 667, 226 various phases of stellar evolution (e.g. limits on the initial SN shock velocity Lamers et al. 1991; Maeder & Meynet and circumstellar structure (density Heger, A., et al. ApJ, 591, 288 2000). While our understanding of and morphology), which only loosely Gal-Yam, A., et al. 2007, ApJ, 656, 372 massive stars has progressed enough to constrain hydrodynamical models at offer testable (albeit model-dependent) present (e.g. Dwarkadas 2007). Immler, S., & Kuntz, K. D. predictions about the mass-loss history 2005, ApJL, 632, 99 Because of the small number of radio- of SN progenitors (e.g. Langer et al. detected SNe in general, and the even Koribalski, B. S., et al. 2004, AJ, 128, 16 1994, Heger et al. 2003), the ultimate smaller number of cases where we Lamers, H. J. G. L. M. et al. test of such models comes from probing observe late-rising emission, it remains 1991, ApJ, 368, 538 the CSM structure in objects like unclear how common such SNe truly SN1996cr. With enough observational Langer, N., et al. 1994, A&A, 290, 819 are. In the near-term, the increased and theoretical effort, specifi c models sensitivity of both the Compact Array Maeder, A. & Meynet, G. 2000, tailored to these exceptional SNe Broadband Backend on the Australia ARA&A, 38, 143 should reveal the details of the mass- Telescope Compact Array and the loss processes in their progenitors (see Manchester, R. N., et al. 2002, upgraded Expanded Very Large Array Figure 3b), which are in turn related PASA, 19, 207 will substantially improve our ability to the properties of the progenitors to search for more examples, while Park, S. et al. 2006, ApJ, 646, 1001 themselves. The strong density changes large survey instruments coming online Pastorello, A., et al. 2007, inferred from these peculiar SNe over in the next several years such as the Nature, 447, 829 such short evolutionary timescales Australian Square Kilometre Array prior to explosion, for instance, are Smartt, S. et al. 2008, MNRAS, Pathfi nder, the LOw Frequency ARray, not predicted by stellar evolution submitted (arXiv: 0809.0403) Apertif, and eventually the Square models, and thus allow us to explore Kilometre Array, stand to routinely Soderberg, A. M. 2007, AIPC, 937, the lives of massive stars during the last detect these unusual SNe and provide 492 (arXiv:0706.3047) waning years of their existence. When more robust estimates on their relative combined with the handful of detected Stockdale, C. J., et al. 2007, ApJ, 671, 689 numbers, cadences, and luminosities. SN progenitors and upper limits (e.g. Stockdale, C. J., et al. 2009, CBET, 1714, 1 Smartt et al. 2008), models of CSM- References Weaver, R., et al. 1977, ApJ, 218, 377 interacting SNe should ultimately Bartel, N. et al. 2009, in preparation strengthen theories of late-time stellar Weiler, K. W., et al. 1986, ApJ, 301, 790 Bauer, F. 2007, CBET, 879, 1 evolution and extend SN-progenitor mapping into the higher mass regime.

22 ATNF News, Issue 66, April 2009 Figure 3: (a) Radio and X-ray light curves with best-fi t empirical models (dashed lines) for SN1996cr (adapted from Bauer et al. 2008, with data through March 2009). SN1996cr’s light curves distinguish it from other CSM- interacting SNe, which show a gradual decrease in the radio and X-ray as the SNe expand outward. SN1996cr instead shows gradually increasing radio and X-ray emission, to an extent that has not been seen in any other SNe except the famous SN1987A. This atypical emission pattern can be explained by the SN blast-wave impacting with a dense shell ~2 yrs after explosion, a picture similar to SN1987A’s expansion into its circumstellar ring, albeit at least three times more compact and currently 1000 times more luminous (Manchester et al. 2002; Park et al. 2006). The dotted line in the X-ray panel shows an initial attempt to model the SN-CSM interaction, using the 1-D CSM density distribution shown in (b). The details of this CSM density distribution still need to be refi ned to fi t the early X-ray light curve better, but since X-ray emissivity is proportional to density squared, further changes will be small compared to the many orders of magnitude shown. Because of it’s thermal origin, the X-ray emission is more straight-forward to model than the non-thermal radio, which depends on a variety of poorly-constrained parameters. We show the CSM density distribution from SN1987A (Dwarkadas 2007) for comparison. In SN1987A, the collision of the ejecta with the dense equatorial ring is still being eagerly anticipated by astronomers the world over, as a prelude to a fascinating cosmic fi reworks display. A recent downturn in the light curves suggests that SN1996cr may already have overtaken its high-density shell and now be interacting with lower density material again. If true, then SN1996cr should provide important clues about what to expect during the shock- ring interaction in SN1987A.

23 S-PASS: the Polarised Southern Sky Ettore Carretti (ATNF)

S-PASS is currently mapping the physics at densities not accessible to depolarised up to |b|~30º. This prevents diffuse polarised emission of the any particle accelerator (e.g. Kinney the study of the disc, the disc-halo et al. 2006, Boyle et al. 2006). transition and the use of most of the entire southern sky aimed at high latitudes for CMB foreground The expected signal is weak (the analysis. Moreover, the survey is single investigating the CMB Galactic present upper limit is about 100 nK) frequency and does not allow Rotation foreground and the Galactic and can be easily contaminated by the Measure (RM) measurements so foreground emission of the Galaxy. This magnetic fi eld. The project has limiting magnetic fi eld investigations. issue is so important that it is reckoned required a special set-up of the as one of the major limiting factors To fi ll this gap of data S-PASS is now Parkes telescope and is now to probe the infl ation by CMB. The observing the entire southern sky synchrotron emission leads the at 2.3 GHz with high S/N also in the about 60% complete. Preliminary foreground budget at low frequency halo and several frequency channels to maps already show interesting and its intensity is even larger than the enable RM measures. The frequency new features and structures present upper limit of the CMB signal is high enough to keep under control also at high Galactic latitudes (Page et FR effects down to disc latitudes, as at all Galactic latitudes. al. 2007). An effi cient cleaning is thus shown by the precursor project Parkes We report on the S-band Polarisation mandatory and asks for an accurate Galactic Meridian Survey (PGMS, All Sky Survey (S-PASS), a project to mapping of the Galactic component. Carretti et al. 2008), while the high sensitivity enables both high effi cient map the diffuse polarised synchrotron Also the structure of the Galactic foreground cleanings and sensitive RM emission of the entire southern sky at magnetic fi eld is still a big puzzle. The measurements (the expected sensitivity 2.3 GHz (Carretti et al. 2007). Carried observations show that the ordered in the halo is about 2 rad/m2 in out with the Parkes Telescope, the component of the disc is arranged combination with 1.4 GHz data). survey is aimed at investigating two along the spiral arms, but several details cutting-edge science areas of present of the model are still under debate A survey with the characteristics of astrophysics research: the detection of like the number and location of fi eld S-PASS has posed several challenges the B-Mode of the Cosmic Microwave reversals (e.g. Han et al. 2006, Brown to make it feasible with a large Background (CMB), for which the et al. 2007, Sun et al. 2008). The fi eld telescope like Parkes. For instance, synchrotron emission is one of the in the halo is even less understood, for the scientifi c goals it is essential most contaminant terms, and the essentially for lack of data in this low to detect the signal also in the lowest Galactic magnetic fi eld whose large emitting region. Models have been emission regions, where values of a scale structure is still a puzzle. proposed (e.g. Han 2002) but large few mK are expected. This makes The B-mode of the CMB is the local structures like the big radio the ground emission contamination signature of the gravitational wave loops could introduce anomalies a serious issue, especially because background (GWB) emitted by the jeopardising the interpretation. of the need to preserve the signal up to the largest angular scales for Infl ation. Still undetected, its level is A fi rst all sky polarisation survey absolute calibration purposes. Another measured in terms of Tensor-to-Scalar has been recently completed at 1.4 example is the angular resolution, perturbation power ratio T/S and is GHz (Figure 1 and Wolleben et al. which with its 9 arcmin is a factor proportional to the GWB intensity 2006, Testori et al. 2008), but it is not four better than that of the 1.4 GHz (Kamionkowski & Kosowsky 1998). Its suffi cient for such studies. Faraday survey. This gives far more details, detection would be evidence of both Rotation effects are still relevant at this but, at the same time, requires four Infl ation and gravitational waves and frequency up to high Galactic latitudes times more scans and observing time enable us to probe the high-energy and the thick disc appears strongly

24 ATNF News, Issue 66, April 2009 to fully sample the sky if conducted with a standard observing mode. To cope with these challenges a special observing strategy has been designed based on long and fast azimuth scans, whose realisation has required to push several of the telescope systems to their limits (and maybe beyond!). The azimuth scans have been chosen to minimise ground emission pick-up variations, while with their long length (about 110º) cover the entire width of Figure 1: All-sky map of the polarised intensity emission at 1.4 GHz. The the area to map in one step preserving image is obtained using both the DRAO (North) and Villa Elisa survey the information on all the angular data (South) and is plotted in Galactic coordinates centred at the scales. This type of scan has required Galactic Centre using the HEALPix package (Gorski et al. 2005). to defi ne a special observing mode based on an uninterrupted sequence of back and forth scans with both no loss of tracking at the turnoff and precise timing to enable a regular gridding of the sky. Finally, the high number of scans has required a high speed to conduct the survey in a reasonable time. This has been pushed up to an unprecedented value of 15º/min, which is a signifi cant fraction of the slewing speed (24º/min). Nevertheless, the pointing accuracy is the same as in normal tracking mode, a remarkable result for a massive 64-m telescope. The observations started in October 2007, are currently 60% complete, and are planned to fi nish by end 2009. Figure 2 shows a preliminary Figure 2: Preliminary Stokes Q map of the survey S-PASS with pixel size map of Stokes Q and represents the of 15 arcmin. No destriping technique is applied here so that some fi rst full view of the southern sky at artefacts are still present. In spite of this plenty of details and several this frequency and resolution. It does features are visible (see text). The application of a destriping technique not include destriping and absolute is in progress and fi rst results have proven very effective. The map is in calibration, which are in progress, Galactic coordinates centred at the Galactic centre. but already shows plenty of details and structures unseen at lower frequencies. The emission is smooth

25 not only at high latitudes but also in very good match with the structures Universe II, eds. A. Esquivel et al., the disc down to |b| = 5º–10º even visible in the WMAP 23 GHz data. Rev. Mex. Astron. Astrof. (SC), in the inner Galaxy, which enables arXiv:0806.0572 [astro-ph] In summary, S-PASS is proceeding fi rst investigations of the disc and its well, on schedule, and performing as Gaustad J. E., McCullough P. R., transition to the halo. The smooth expected. The preliminary results Rosing W., Van Buren D., emission is also evidence of moderate are already very encouraging and 2001, PASP, 113, 1326 Faraday Rotation effects already in the promises interesting outcomes in both disc, ensuring that CMB foreground Górski K. M., et al., 2005, ApJ, 622, 759 fi elds aimed at by the project. The analysis can be safely conducted at disc emission looks unveiled at last, Han J. L., 2002, in Astrophysical Polarized high latitudes with our data. On the and promises new insights in the Backgrounds, AIP Conf. Ser., 609, 96 plane, at both sides of the Galactic study of this part of the Galaxy, while Han J. L., Manchester R. N., Lyne Centre, there are two large areas the S/N at high latitude is already A. G., Qiao G. J., van Straten fully depolarised corresponding to much better than that provided by W., 2006, ApJ, 642, 868 two large local H emission regions α WMAP and promises both a big visible in the SHASSA map (Gaustad Kamionkowski M., Kosowsky improvement in the foreground cleaning et al. 2001). At this resolution their A., 1998, PRD, 57, 685 effi ciency and a better understanding view is dramatic: the signal is almost of the large scale Galactic fi eld. Kinney W.H., Kolb E.W., absent and fully depolarised, but it Melchiorri A., Riotto A., 2006, reappears at their edges as a narrow References Phys. Rev. D, 74, 023502 ring of strongly modulated emission, Boyle L. A., Steinhardt P. J., Turok N., Page L., et al., 2007, ApJS, 170, 335 evidence that the FR is lower and 2006, Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 111301 cannot fully depolarise but can still Sun X. H., Reich W.,Waelkens A., Brown J. C., Haverkorn M., Gaensler strongly modulate the signal. After that Enßlin T.A., 2008, A&A, 477, 573 B. M., Taylor A. R., Bizunok N. S., narrow transition the signal is smooth, McClure-Griffi ths N. M., Dickey J. meaning that the FR effects are much Testori J. C., Reich P., Reich M., Green A. J., 2007, ApJ, 663, 258 less signifi cant. Another region with W., 2008, A&A, 484, 733 depolarisation structures and with a Carretti E., Staveley-Smith L., Haverkorn Wolleben M., Landecker T. L., Reich W., counterpart in Hα emission is that M., Bernardi G., Cortiglioni S., Wielebinski R., 2006, A&A, 448, 411 at l~5º and b~25º. It is also visible a Gaensler B., Kesteven M., Poppi mottled region within l = [230º, 280º] S., 2007, S-Band Polarisation All and |b| < 15º as well as objects like Vela Sky Survey, Parkes project P560. SNR, Centaurus A, Large Magellanic Carretti E., Haverkorn M., McConnell Cloud, and Fornax A. Finally, the D., Bernardi G., Cortiglioni S., halo is featured by very-large scale McClure-Griffi ths N. M., Poppi structures up to the size of the S., 2008, in Magnetic Fields in the map. These are even more evident in the fi rst maps we have obtained applying the destriping and absolute calibration procedures (which effectively remove the residual stripes) with a

26 ATNF News, Issue 66, April 2009 National Facility Operations David McConnell, Jessica Chapman, Phil Edwards and Balt Indermuehle (ATNF)

Getting ready for CABB the change in primary beam across with the replacement of Mopra’s the very large fractional bandwidths. main observing computer Bigrock. The Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) is currently undergoing Compact Array users will notice its most signifi cant upgrade ever some changes to observer interface Future Operations software. Some applications such as with the installation of the Compact Planning for the future ATNF CAOBS and CACOR will look familiar, Array Broadband Backend (CABB). In operations began in 2007 in response but with some changes. Other recent months, the preparation for, to the anticipated changes needed for applications, such as CACAL and and installation of CABB has occupied the addition of the Australian SKA CAMON, will disappear and their many ATNF staff in the operations and Pathfi nder (ASKAP). By 2012 the functions will be provided in other engineering groups. For a report on ATNF will be operating four world- ways. Observing schedules, formerly the CABB progress, see the item in this class observatories; our current created with the long-standing SCHED issue by Phil Edwards (see page 6). facilities, the ATCA, the Parkes and program, will be produced by a Mopra radio telescopes, and ASKAP. Here we mention a number of new web-based application that can activities and changes that have support the future use of “zoom” The ATNF Future Operations Plans accompanied the main development and modes in the new correlator. are discussed in the document Future installation. Computers and software ATNF Operations (version 2) available The ATCA users guides are now have been upgraded to cope with both at www.atnf.csiro.au/observers/planning/ being rewritten to take into the larger datasets expected from Future_ATNF_Operations_v2.pdf. CABB, and the large change in fractional account the changes relating to the Over the past six months planning bandwidth that will be available. The CABB upgrades, and to update the has continued at a more detailed main data reduction computer at the structure and presentation of the level, and some changes have been observatory has been replaced; the user documentation. The new ATCA implemented. A central aim of the new computer is still called Kaputar Users Guide will bring together planning is to reduce operating costs by and has impressive specifi cations with information previously spread adopting common approaches across two quad-core processors equivalent across rather too many documents the observatories wherever possible. As to eight 3.16- GHz CPUs, and 16 GB and will be easier to access and an example, the visitors’ lodges at of memory. Its 20 terabytes of storage search for relevant information. Narrabri, Parkes and Marsfi eld are now will hold data for immediate access Despite the effort going into CABB administered using the same booking by observers. The data will also be work, ATNF telescopes have continued system rather than three different transferred over high-speed links to to operate reliably over the past systems. Changes are underway the Australia Telescope Online Archive six months. Estimates of telescope towards a unifi ed management of (ATOA) at the ATNF headquarters time lost due to system failures of all observatory software; software in Marsfi eld. Another 20 terabytes various kinds (Parkes: 2.1%; ATCA: source fi les and management scripts of disk storage has been acquired for 2.4%; Mopra: 3.3%) are typical for are being progressively transferred to Marsfi eld to provide more user work ATNF facilities and fall well below subversion, a version control system space and for the ATOA. For CABB our target of 5%. The slightly higher that offers ready access to all members data reduction, the miriad imaging fi gure for Mopra resulted from a of the distributed software team. software is being enhanced to cope continuing and puzzling problem within with larger datasets, new data fl agging the telescopes power systems, and a The Future Operations plans also requirements, some changes to the particular computer-related episode aim to lower operating costs by data formats, and to help astronomers that interrupted observing for some modernising, and in some cases account for spectral index effects and hours. This last issue has been alleviated

27 automating, some of the systems • A 6-cm receiver (to include the the Global Magneto-ionic Medium on the Parkes telescope. These 6.7 GHz methanol frequency) Survey (GMIMS) project, which aims changes will make routine operations produced from an existing to measure sky polarisation over both easier (for example, by giving more package (the K/KU receiver) with hemispheres from 300 to 1800 MHz. remote access to the focus cabin a new Low Noise Amplifi er; and reducing the need to climb the Mopra remote • An improved H-OH feed with ladder) and increase the opportunity modifi cations to make this receiver observing for remote control and monitoring useful for pulsar timing projects. The ATNF has gained valuable of the whole observing system. experience with operating a telescope These plans will be discussed The fl eet of receivers at Parkes at a remote site by operating the Mopra with the user community in May is now being reviewed with the radio telescope from the Narrabri 2009 and will be made available intention of rationalising the set of Observatory. Since initial tests in for comments from the full user receivers, without compromising mid-2006, most Mopra observations community via the ATNF web site. the spectral coverage offered. We have been taken from Narrabri. are considering decommissioning The ability to support user-supplied To provide a robust observing some of the older packages that instrumentation on Parkes will be environment, Mopra observations are becoming hard to operate and retained. The photograph below shows are taken from Narrabri using maintain, and are investigating the the installation of a 300 – 900-MHz Virtual Network Computing (VNC) feasibility of the following upgrades: receiver on the telescope late last connections. If a brief network year. This receiver was used on • A coaxial 3/13-cm receiver disconnection occurs the observations Parkes by Maik Wolleben and Tom produced from modifi cations are not interrupted and it is only Landecker of the Canadian Dominion to the existing 3-cm necessary to reconnect the local Radio Astrophysical Observatory receiver (Mars) package; client. For a longer disconnection, the in their fi rst observing session for Mopra telescope fi nishes the observing run and then parks itself automatically. Protecting the telescope systems is paramount when remote observing. Some of the system safety was already provided by MAPS, the primary monitoring system (see Figure 1, the Control Loop), equivalent to the PMON system used for the Compact Array. A level of software logic (called mopra_protect) was added to implement a number of intelligent safety measures. These include fully automated generator and hardware stow control that Installation of a 300 – 900-MHz receiver on the Parkes 64-m prevent the telescope from being radio telescope. The wideband feed is based on the Eleven driven during lightning and storms. Feed, designed by Per-Simon Kildal of Chalmers University, Sweden. Mopra observers are encouraged to arrive at Narrabri with enough Photo: Maik Wolleben, CSIRO (See also front cover page) time before their observations start

28 ATNF News, Issue 66, April 2009 Figure 1: Mopra Telescope Operating System

to gain some experience, whilst a While some improvement is still success and scientifi c achievements duty astronomer is available at the required in the interface specifi cation, of the Observatory. In July 2008 Observatory for support during the in particular to improve the handovers John took up a new role as a Senior observations. It is clearly more diffi cult between observers, TOAD has Systems Scientist, with responsibilities to support remote observing where greatly facilitated the use of Mopra for both ASKAP and the Parkes the observers are based at other remote observing from other locations in Australia or overseas. To locations. Following the fi rst tests improve the support for observers, a in early 2008, this is now offered to new monitoring tool, The Telescope users who have had some previous Operator Alerting Display (TOAD) Mopra observing experience. has been developed using human factors guidelines developed for aircraft Changes to systems monitoring displays. This Operations staff approach has taken into consideration Since the last edition of ATNF News that, in some ways, observers can be there have been several changes to compared to pilots operating complex Operations staff. Probably the most aircraft systems. While both observers signifi cant of these to our users was and pilots have some understanding John Reynolds’ move from Parkes to of the systems, they don’t need to Marsfi eld in December 2008. John understand all of their intricacies was the Offi cer-in-Charge for the and interdependencies. This human Parkes Observatory for 10 years and factors approach has proven to be very John Reynolds his outstanding leadership during this popular with the Mopra observers. time contributed hugely to the overall Photo: John Sarkissian

29 Observatory. Since then, he has gradually increased his work for ASKAP whilst also transferring some of his skills and knowledge to other Parkes staff, in particular to Ettore Carretti our new Senior Systems Scientist at Parkes. John’s outstanding achievements as Offi cer-in-Charge were recognised with a symposium held at the Observatory on 27 November 2008. About 70 people, including ATNF staff, astronomers and members of the local community, gathered to hear talks from invited speakers who Ettori Carretti Jamie Stevens discussed his contributions to different aspects of the telescope’s scientifi c Photo: John Sarkissian Photo: Margaret McFee output. The topics reviewed included HI spectroscopy, pulsar studies, and very long baseline interferometry, highlighting observing programs. Ettore took up his take a year’s leave to spend time with the breadth of John’s knowledge. The appointment at the Parkes Observatory his family. David will stand down from presentations were followed by in February 2009. Although the Operations Leadership at this celebratory drinks and a memorable based at the Observatories, both time but expects to return to work dinner in The Dish Café, with several Jamie and Ettore will also spend for the ATNF around July 2010. fi ne examples of after-dinner oratory. time working in Marsfi eld. We are currently recruiting Early this year we were delighted to In March 2009 we said goodbye to for three senior positions in welcome Jamie Stevens and Ettore Brett Dawson at a farewell lunch held Operations. These are for: Carretti who have started appointments at Parkes. Brett had been the Head of as Senior Systems Scientists. Jamie • Assistant Director of Operations Engineering Operations since January studied neutral hydrogen in nearby to lead the delivery of its radio 2008 and the Parkes Site Manager since galaxies for a PhD from the University astronomy facilities to astronomers July 2008. He has left the ATNF to of Melbourne and then worked at from around the world; take up a position with the National the University of Tasmania. He began Parks and Wildlife Services. For an • Head of Engineering Operations his appointment at the Narrabri interim period, until replacement to lead the team of approximately Observatory in January and has positions are fi lled, Malcolm Smith is 35 engineering and technical rapidly become closely involved with the acting Site Manager for the Parkes staff who provide engineering the preparations for CABB. Ettore Observatory, while Brett Hiscock maintenance, operations and obtained a PhD in Bologna, Italy and is the acting Head of Engineering upgrades for all the ATNF radio has held several research positions in Operations. Both Brett and Mal are astronomy observatories; and Bologna, most recently at the Institute also continuing with their ongoing roles. for Radioastronomy of the National • Parkes Site Manager/Engineer Institute for Astrophysics. He has been Another major change will occur in to ensure the smooth day a frequent visitor to Australia and has July 2009, when David McConnell the to day operations of the considerable experience with the Parkes Theme Leader for Operations, will Parkes Observatory site. 64-m radio telescope through his own

30 ATNF News, Issue 66, April 2009 Time Assignment Information Philip Edwards and Jessica Chapman (ATNF)

This semester The next announcement of opportunity For 2009 JULS, the array confi gurations will be made in mid-May 2009 6D, 1.5A, 750D, EW352, H214, H168 and The Time Assignment Committee for the 2009 October Semester H75 will be offered. Confi gurations will met at Marsfi eld in mid-February to (2009OCTS). This will be a six- only be scheduled if there is suffi cient review proposals for the 2009 April month semester and applications will proposal demand for them. It is usually Semester (2009APRS). Proposal be invited for all ATNF facilities. the case that all offered confi gurations numbers are always higher for the are scheduled, but the shorter 2009APR winter semester, and the ATNF received Information for the and 2009JUL semesters place greater 192 proposals. Of these 45 were for ATCA 2009JULS constraints on array scheduling, and Mopra and 44 for Parkes. There were, not all confi gurations offered for as usual, a small number of proposals Further observing modes for CABB 2009APRS were able to be scheduled. for Tidbinbilla (2), but a new record will become progressively available. For In the 6- and 3-cm bands the existing number, 20, for the Long Baseline Array 2009 July Semester (2009JULS) front-ends allow a 2-GHz bandwidth (LBA). For Parkes, Mopra, Tidbinbilla we expect that three observing to be used, with 4.5 to 6.5 GHz and and the LBA, the 2009APRS is now modes will be available as follows: 8.0 to 10.0 GHz being the nominal underway for a six-month period from 1. A 2.048 GHz bandwidth ranges. Simultaneous 6/3-cm observing 1 April 2009 until 30 September 2009. with 2048 x 1-MHz channels will continue to be possible. In the As described earlier in this Newsletter, (available from April 2009); 20- and 13-cm bands the usable the Compact Array has just completed 2. A 2.048 GHz bandwidth 32 bandwidth is limited by the front- a six-week shutdown for the full x 64-MHz channels (available ends to ~500 MHz, though radio installation of Compact Array from mid-July 2009); frequency interference will reduce Broadband Backend (CABB) hardware, 3. Option 1 with an additional the usable bandwidth, particularly at and the 2009APRS is the fi rst to offer zoom capability that provides for 20 cm. Simultaneous observations the full 2-GHz CABB bandwidth in one to four spectra, each with at 20/13 cm will not be possible. both frequency bands and on all six a bandwidth of 1 MHz split into Proposers are reminded that the antennas. For this semester, CABB is 2048 channels (available from primary fl ux density calibrator for available with a single observing mode around 1 September 2009). observations at 7 and 3 mm is Uranus, that has a bandwidth of 2.048 GHz Once these modes are available, which for 2009JULS will be at a and 2048 channels, corresponding to a two of the three observing modes right ascension (RA) of 23h45m and spectral resolution of 1 MHz. Due to can be selected simultaneously, declination of -2d30m. Observatory the staged implementation of CABB corresponding to two independent staff will calibrate a number of bright modes, the 2009APRS for the ATCA radio frequencies. This allows for a wide AGN, spread over the full range of will run from 22 April to 15 July 2009. range of possible confi gurations. For RA, against Uranus at the standard Eighty-one proposals were received example, it would be possible to continuum observing frequencies for this period. As a result of the observe simultaneously in the 3-cm throughout the semester for use as higher-than-usual oversubscription, 44 and 6-cm bands, using option one for secondary fl ux density calibrators if of these were allocated at least some the 3-cm band and option three for Uranus is not visible, or is resolved of their requested time. Proposals the 6-cm band (or vice-versa). Another out. Proposers requiring their not completely scheduled in the option would be to select the same own observations of Uranus (at 2009APRS that require further central frequency for both bands special frequencies, for example), observing time should be resubmitted with a total of eight zoom modes should make this clear in the for consideration in later semesters. within the same 2-GHz bandwidth. justifi cation of their proposal.

31 ATNF Publications List Publication lists for papers which include ATNF data or ATNF authors are available on the Web at www.atnf.csiro.au/research/publications. This list includes refereed publications compiled since the last newsletter. Please email any updates or corrections to [email protected]. Papers which include ATNF staff are indicated by an asterisk. *BERESFORD, R. “ASKAP photonic requirements”. In: 2008 IEEE International Topical Meeting on Microwave Photonics, Gold Coast, Qld, 30 Sept.-3 Oct., 2008, 62-65 (2008). *CROOM, S.M., RICHARDS, G.T., SHANKS, T., BOYLE, B.J. et al. “The 2dF-SDSS LRG and QSO Survey: the spectroscopic QSO catalogue”. MNRAS, 392, 19-44 (2009) *CURRAN, S.J., WHITING, M.T. et al. “A survey for redshifted molecular and atomic absorption lines. II. Associated H I, OH and millimetre lines in the z >~ 3 Parkes quarter-Jansky fl at-spectrum sample”. MNRAS, 391, 765-784 (2008). *DE BUIZER, J.M., REDMAN, R.O., LONGMORE, S.N., CASWELL, J.L. & FELDMAN, P.A. “SiO outfl ow signatures toward massive young stellar objects with linearly distributed methanol masers”. A&A, 493, 127-143 (2009) *DELLER, A.T., VERBIEST, J.P., TINGAY, S.J. & BAILES, M. “Extremely high precision VLBI astrometry of PSR J0437-4715 and implications for theories of gravity”. ApJ, 685, L67-L70 (2008). *DICKEL, J., GRUENDL, R.A., McINTYRE, V., AMY, S. & MILNE, D. “Survey of the Magellanic Clouds at 4.8 and 8.64 GHz”. In: IAU 256: The Magellanic System: Stars, Gas, and Galaxies, Keele, Eng., 28 July-1 Aug. 2008, 4, 14-19 (2009) *DICKEY, J.M., STRASSER, S., GAENSLER, B.M., HAVERKORN, M., KAVARS, D., McCLURE-GRIFFITHS, N.M., STIL, J. & TAYLOR, A.R. “The outer disk of the Milky Way seen in l21 cm absorption”. ApJ, 693, 1250-1260 (2009) GARCIA-APPADOO, D.A. et al. “Correlations among the properties of galaxies found in a blind H i survey, which also have SDSS optical data “. MNRAS, 394, 340-356 (2009) *GELBORD, J.M., MARSHALL, H.L., SCHAWRTZ, D.A., LOVELL, J.E., MURPHY, D.W., WORRALL, D.M., BIRKINSHAW, M., PERLMAN, E.S., GODFREY, L., GEORGANOPOULOS, M. & JAUNCEY, D.L. “A Chandra survey of quasar jets: latest results”. In: Extragalactic Jets: Theory and Observation from Radio to Gamma Ray, Girdwood, Alaska, 21-24 May 2007, ASP Conf. Ser., 386, 203-209 (2008). GHISELLINI, G. et al. “Ultra-high energy cosmic rays, spiral galaxies and magnetars”. MNRAS Lett., 390, L88-L92 (2008). *GREEN, J.A., CASWELL, J.C., FULLER, G.A., AVISON, A., BREEN, S.L., BROOKS, K. et al., McCLURE-GRIFFITHS, N.M., PESTALOZZI, M., PHILLIPS, C., QUINN, L., THOMPSON, M.A., VORONKOV, M.A. et al. “Star-formation masers in the Magellanic Clouds: a multibeam survey with new detections and maser abundance estimates”. In: IAU 256: The Magellanic System: Stars, Gas, and Galaxies, Keele, Eng., 28 July-1 Aug. 2008, 4, 227- 232 (2009) *GREEN, J. A., CASWELL, J. L., FULLER, G. A., AVISON, A., BREEN, S. L., BROOKS, K., BURTON, M. G., CHRYSOSTOMOU, A., COX, J., DIAMOND, P. J., ELLINGSEN, S. P., GRAY, M. D., HOARE, M. G., MASHEDER, M. R. W., McCLURE-GRIFFITHS, N.M., PESTALOZZI, M., PHILLIPS, C., QUINN, L., THOMPSON, M. A., VORONKOV, M.A. et al. “The 6-GHz multibeam maser survey. I. Techniques”. MNRAS, 392, 783-794 (2008). HANCOCK, P.J. “High frequency GPS sources in the AT20G survey”. Astron. Nachr., 330, 180 (2009) *HARDCASTLE, M.J., CHEUNG, C.C., FEAIN, I.J. & STAWARZ, L. “High-energy particle acceleration and production of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays in the giant lobes of Centaurus A”. MNRAS, 393, 1041-1053 (2009) *HAY, S.G. & O’SULLIVAN, J.D. “Analysis of common-mode effects in a dual-polarized planar connected-array antenna”. Radio Sci., 43, RS6S04 (2008). *HOLLOW, R., HOBBS, G., CHAMPION, D.J., AMY, S., KHOO, J., CHAPMAN, J., MULCAHY, M., ALEM, L., KRUMM-HELLER, A., McKINNON, D., DANAIA, L., JENET, F. & CARR, M. “PULSE@Parkes: pulsar observing for high school students”. In: Preparing for the 2009 International Year of Astronomy: a Hands-On Symposium, St. Louis, Mo., 1-5 June 2008, ASP Conf. Ser., 400, 190-196 (2008). *IRWIN, J.A. et al., KORIBALSKI, B.S. et al. “LCDM satellites and H I companions: the Arecibo ALFA survey of NGC 2903”. ApJ, 692, 1447-1463 (2009). *JONES, D.I., PROTHEROE, R.J. & CROCKER, R.M. “Search for synchrotron emission from secondary leptons in dense cold starless cores”. PASA, 25, 161-166 (2008). *JONES, P.A., SARKISSIAN, J.M., BURTON, M.G., VORONKOV, M.A. & FILIPOVIC, M.D. “Radio observations from Australia of Comet 9P/Tempel 1 for Deep Impact”. In: Deep Impact as a World Observatory Event: Synergies in Space, Time, and Wavelength : Proc. of the ESO/VUB Conference, Brussels, Belgium, 7-10 August 2006, ESO Astrophysics Symp., 83-86 2009 KARACHENTSEV, I. et al. “Optical identifi cations of 230 HIPASS radio sources”. Astron. Lett., 34, 832-838 (2008). *KEITH, M.J., KRAMER, M., LYNE, A.G., EATOUGH, R.P., STAIRS, I.H., POSSENTI, A., CAMILO, F. & MANCHESTER, R.N. “PSR J1753-2240: a mildly recycled pulsar in an eccentric binary system”. MNRAS, 393, 623-627 (2009) *LENC, E. & TINGAY, S.J. “The sub-parsec scale radio properties of southern starburst galaxies. II. Supernova remnants, the supernova rate, and the ionised medium in the NGC 4945 starburst” AJ, 137, 537-553 (2009). LOMMEN, D. et al. “Large grains in discs around young stars: ATCA observations of WW Chamaeleontis, RU Lupi and CS Chamaeleontis”. A&A, 495, 869-879 (2009) *MACCARONE, T.J., FENDER, R.P., KNIGGE, C. & TZIOUMIS, A.K. “Constraints on black hole accretion in V Puppis”. MNRAS, 393, 1070-1072 (2009) MAO, M.Y., JOHNSTON-HOLLITT, M., STEVENS, J.B. & WOTHERSPOON, S.J. “Head-tail galaxies: beacons of high-density regions in clusters”. MNRAS, 392, 1070-1079 (2009)

32 ATNF News, Issue 66, April 2009 *MASSARDI, M. et al. “Blind and non-blind source detection in WMAP 5-yr maps”. MNRAS, 392, 733-742 (2009) MASTERS, K.L. “Mapping mass in the local universe”. In: Frontiers of Astrophysics: a Celebration of NRAO’s 50th Anniversary, Charlottesville, Va., 18-21 June 2007, ASP Conf. Ser., 395, 137-146 (2008). MATTHEWS, D., STAVELEY-SMITH, L., DYSON, P. & MULLER, E. “Cool gas in the Magellanic Stream”. ApJ, 691, L115-L118 (2009) *McCALLUM, J.M., ELLINGSEN, S.P., LOVELL, J.E.J., PHILLIPS, C.J. & REYNOLDS, J.E. “Probing the microarcsecond structure of the Circinus megamasers through diffractive interstellar scintillation”. MNRAS, 392, 1339-1362 (2009) McDONNELL, K.E., WARDLE, M. & VAUGHAN, A.E. “A search for OH 6 GHz maser emission towards supernova remnants”. MNRAS, 390, 49-58 (2008). MEYER, M.J., ZWAAN, M.A., WEBSTER, R.L., SCHNEIDER, S.E. & STAVELEY-SMITH, L. “Tully-Fisher relations from an HI-selected sample”. MNRAS, 391, 1712-1728 (2008). *MICHALOWSKI, M.J., HJORTH, J., MALESANI, D., MICHALOWSKI, T., CERON, J.M.C., REINFRANK, R.F. et al. “The properties of the host galaxy and the immediate environment of GRB 980425/SN 1998bw from the multiwavelength spectral energy distribution”. ApJ, 693, 347-354 (2009) *MORGANTI, R., EMONTS, B., HOLT, J., TADHUNTER, C., OOSTERLOO, T. & STRUVE, C. “Gas and stars in compact (young) radio sources”. Astron. Nachr., 330, 233-236 (2009) *O’SULLIVAN, J.D., GRANET, C., GOUGH, R.G., HAY, S.G., HAYMAN, D.B., KESTEVEN, M.J., KOT, J.S., GRANCEA, A. & SHAW, R. “Phased array feed development for the Australian SKA Pathfi nder”. In: Proc. XXIX General Assembly of the International Union of Radio Science (URSI 2008), Chicago, Ill., 7-16 August, 2008, (2008) *PANIN, S.B., SMITH, P.D., VINOGRADOVA, E.D., TUCHKIN, Y.A. & VINOGRADOV, S.S. “Regularization of the Dirichlet problem for Laplace’s equation: surfaces of revolution”. Electromag., 29, 53-76 (2009) PAYNE, J.L. et al. “Optical spectra of radio planetary nebulae in the Large Magellanic Cloud”. Serb. AJ, 177, 53-59 (2008). *PELLIZZONI, A. et al., HOBBS, G. et al., JOHNSTON, S. et al., MANCHESTER, R.N. et al., WELTEVREDE, P. et al. “High-resolution timing observations of spin-powered pulsars with the AGILE gamma-ray telescope”. ApJ, 691, 1618-1633 (2009) PETRUK, O. et al. “Aspect angle for interstellar magnetic fi eld in SN 1006”. MNRAS, 393, 1034-1040 (2009) *PINER, B.G., PANT, N., EDWARDS, P.G. & WIIK, K. “Signifi cant limb-brightening in the inner parsec of Markarian 501”. ApJ, 690, L31-L34 (2009) *PURCELL, C.R., LONGMORE, S.N. et al. “Physical and chemical conditions in methanol maser selected hot cores and UCH ii regions”. MNRAS, 394, 323-339 (2009) *PURSIMO, T., OJHA, R., JAUNCEY, D.L., LOVELL, J.E., DUTKA, M., BIGNALL, H., MACQUART, J.-P., RICKETT, B. & KEDZIORA-CHUDCZER, L. “The MicroArcsecond Scintillation-Induced Variability (MASIV) Survey: detection of angular broadening at high redshift?”. In: Extragalactic Jets: Theory and Observation from Radio to Gamma Ray, Girdwood, Alaska, 21-24 May 2007, ASP Conf. Ser., 386, 517-521 (2008). *RICH, J.W., DE BLOK, W.J.G., CORNWELL, T.J., BRINKS, E., WALTER, F., BAGETAKOS, I. & KENNICUTT, R.C. “Multi-scale CLEAN: a comparison of its performance against classical CLEAN on galaxies using THINGS”. AJ, 136, 2897-2920 (2008). *SAFOURIS, V., SUBRAHMANYAN, R., BICKNELL, G.V. & SARIPALLI, L. “MRC B0319-454: probing the large-scale structure with a giant radio galaxy”. MNRAS, 393, 2-20 (2009). *SCHNITZELER, D.H., KATGERT, P. & DE BRUYN, A.G. “WSRT Faraday tomography of the Galactic ISM at l ~ 0.86 m. I. The GEMINI data set at (I, b)=(1810, 200)”. A&A, 494, 611-622 (2009) *SCHWARTZ, D.A., SIEMIGINOWSKA, A., WORRALL, D.M., BIRKINSHAW, M., JAUNCEY, D.L. et al. “A deep Chandra observation of the PKS 1055+201 jets, lobes, and hotspots”. In: Extragalactic Jets: Theory and Observation from Radio to Gamma Ray, Girdwood, Alaska, 21-24 May 2007, ASP Conf. Ser., 386, 63-69 (2008). *SERYLAK, M., STAPPERS, B.W., WELTEVREDE, P. et al. “Simultaneous multifrequency single-pulse properties of AXP XTE J1810Ð197 “. MNRAS, 394, 295-308 (2009) *SMITH, D.A., GUILLEMOT, L., CAMILO, F., COGNARD, I., DUMORA, D., ESPINOZA, C., FREIRE, P.C., GOTTHELF, E.V., HARDING, A.K., HOBBS, G.B., JOHNSTON, S., KASPI, V.M., KRAMER, M., LIVINGSTONE, M.A., LYNE, A.G., MANCHESTER, R.N. et al. “Pulsar timing for the Fermi Gamma- Ray Space Telescope”. A&A, 492, 923-931 (2008). STRUVE, C., MORGANTI, R. & OOSTERLOO, T.A. “Centaurus A: morphology and kinematics of the H I disk”. In: Formation and Evolution of Galaxy Disks, Rome, Italy, 1-5 October 2007, ASP Conf. 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History & Heritage, 11, 173-184 (2008). *WENDT, H., ORCHISTON, W. & SLEE, O.B. “W.N. Christiansen and the initial Australian investigation of the 21 cm hydrogen line”. J. Astron. History & Heritage, 11, 185-193 (2008).

33 ATNF Outreach Rob Hollow (ATNF)

ATNF Teacher and NSW. This included workshop program. Another exciting development Workshops and sessions at Sydney Observatory, as is the use of the 12-m antenna of well as for the Scientists in Schools the Parkes Testbed Facility for pulsar PULSE@Parkes program. More workshops are planned observations and its possible inclusion in In this the International Year of in several states during the year. PULSE@Parkes as discussed by George Hobbs elsewhere in this newsletter. Astronomy (IYA), there has been an Whilst in Perth for the Primary Science ever increasing awareness of, and Conference in early April, Rob also interest in, all things astronomical by assisted Scitech with some of their 2008/2009 ATNF the teaching profession. Teachers have public viewing nights as part of the Summer Vacation been keen for ideas on how to teach global 100 Hours of Astronomy program. the subject matter effectively, as well Program ATNF is also assisting with the writing as looking for ways to keep up-to-date ATNF welcomed nine students from of the federally funded Australian with new and exciting discoveries. across Australia in December 2008 Science Teachers Association for the 2008/2009 Summer Vacation As part of its outreach activity, ATNF Resource Book, Astronomy, Science Program. Each student spent ten has provided some of the answers Without Limits, for National Science weeks based at Marsfi eld working on by hosting over twenty teachers Week that will be distributed to a specifi c research project under the from across NSW for a one-day all schools in Australia in May. Astrophysics for Physics Teachers supervision of ATNF staff. Eight of workshop held at ATNF Headquarters The PULSE@Parkes program has now the students worked on astrophysics/ at Marsfi eld in March 2009. been running for over a year with computing projects and one on students from 17 Australian schools engineering with the Receiver Group. Dr Jimi Green from the ATNF and and students from Texas controlling In addition to working on their Dr Stuart Ryder from the Anglo the Parkes radio telescope to observe individual projects the students had a Australian Observatory (AAO)/ pulsars. A second activity module for series of sessions and workshops on Australian Gemini Offi ce gave students is currently under development different aspects of radio astronomy talks covering the stages of stellar along with plans for observing that culminated in a fi ve-day observing evolution from star formation to sessions in NSW, WA and Victoria. violent ends in supernovae. Once trip to the Australia Telescope again the workshop included a Live An external education evaluation of Compact Array at Narrabri. the program undertaken by Associate from Gemini videoconference session Working in groups of three, each Professor David McKinnon and Dr with Gemini Outreach Scientist, Dr team had a twelve-hour slot using the Lena Danaia from Charles Sturt Scott Fisher in the control room telescope for an observing project of University has been completed and of Gemini North in Hilo, Hawaii. their choice. They were capably guided is very positive about the value of in their endeavours by Dr Ángel Rafael ATNF Education Offi cer Rob the program concluding that, “The López-Sánchez and other ATNF staff. Hollow led teachers through some ATNF is also to be congratulated for practical ideas and activities for making available signifi cant resources The program culminated with the annual classroom use and introduced the for the development of the current joint ATNF/ASAO student symposium teachers to a range of software materials, the personnel and the in February. This was well attended and and visualisations tools available. telescope time. These are signifi cant gave students a chance to discuss their ATNF outreach has also been investments by the ATNF in an individual research projects to their busy promoting IYA to teachers attempt to improve physics education peers and ATNF and AAO staff. Some of the students have continued to work around Australia, with Rob speaking at the senior high school level.” to over 300 physics teachers in with their supervisors beyond the life The evaluation will help guide the Melbourne in February and at of the program and are keen to become educational components of the other events in Western Australia co-supervised PhD students at the ATNF.

34 ATNF News, Issue 66, April 2009 Participants at the 2009 Astrophysics for Physics Teachers Workshop Photo: Rob Hollow

2008 ATNF Summer Vacation Program Scholars: Back row, left to right: Chanakya Jaiswal, Nathaniel Butterworth, Dane Kleiner, Colin Tuft. Front row, left to right: Sarah Traine, Jay Blanchard, Tui Britton, Justin Bray, Christopher Jordan. Photo: Rob Hollow

35 For further information:

CSIRO Australia Telescope National Facility Email enquiries: [email protected], Email newsletter: [email protected] Web central: www.atnf.csiro.au Web newsletter: www.atnf.csiro.au/news/ newsletter, Web outreach: outreach.atnf.csiro.au

The Parkes test-bed antenna. Used for a month of pulsar observing with data sets to be made available to students as part of the PULSE@Parkes outreach program. Photo: David McLenaghan, CSIRO