CONTACT ISSUE O4 JUNE 2020

INSIGHTS INTO THE MAX PLANCK SKA DISH PROTOTYPE SKA PARTNERS CONTRIBUTE TO PANDEMIC RESPONSE ASKAP UNVEILS UNIVERSE’S MISSING MATTER CONTENTS

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A screenshot of the 32nd meeting of the SKA Board of Directors, taking place virtually on Zoom. 22 30 The notes from the Chair of the Board are available here.

FOREWORD FEATURED IMAGE Dear Friends and Colleagues,

03 Prof. Philip Diamond, SKA Director-General 20 ”The Origin of Darkness and the Moon” Welcome to this, the fourth edition of Within the project, work has continued at Contact. The magazine provides some pace. The external review of the Operations IN BRIEF LETS TALK ABOUT fascinating stories of happenings across the Plan was a great success, as was the Cost SKA partnership. It is especially uplifting Review conducted by the engineering firm 04 Switzerland’s EPFL joins SKAO 22 Cosmic magnetism to read these and to see the international Arup. They, along with the System Critical collaboration that SKA embodies be so Design Review completed in March, have

04 South Africa ratifies the SKA Observatory Convention active in these difficult times. As I wrote given great confidence to me, the senior team 05 SKA Science team gearing up for Data Challenge #2 HQ CORNER the introduction for the previous issue of at SKAO and our international stakeholders Contact, COVID-19 was severely affecting that the SKA is proceeding to construction. 06 LOFAR seeks citizen scientists to hunt for black holes 24 2 minutes with… David Briggs, some countries, and as we all know, it Our staff are now heavily focused on finalising 06 Astronomy outreach goes virtual to Lord-Lieutenant of Cheshire has now spread across the globe. I’m not the SKA1 Construction Proposal and what support home-staying families 24 Moving to a new reality sure that any of us could have predicted we call the Observatory Establishment and the impact this would have on our daily Delivery Plan (which combines Operations, 07 Particle detector for SKA-Low calibrated in Germany 25 Meet the Team: Legal lives, and the sadness it would bring to so the Development Programme and the 08 Celebrating National Science Day in India many. I do hope that we are beginning to so-called business-enabling functions, 08 A new trailer for NCRA PATHFINDERS see positive signs from all that the world’s such as HR, Finance, Procurement, people and governments have done. Communications etc); these key documents 09 SKA-Low prototype antenna sparks commercial spinoff 26 MeerKAT data reveals unexpected features in will be submitted to the SKA Organisation 09 Portuguese SKA white book released distant galaxy In the SKA, as for many activities around Board later in the year for sign-off and will the world, we have had to learn a different then be passed to the Council of the SKA 27 MeerKAT solves mystery of X-shaped galaxies 10 SKA frequency and timing testing way of working. The use of Zoom and Observatory, when it has been established. at the University of Manchester 28 FAST turns to operations from construction video-conferencing from home, which has 29 Astronomers discover new class of cosmic explosions been such a boon to us all, would likely not On that last point, it was extremely gratifying have been possible just a few years ago. to see, literally as I write this, the press FOCUS ON 30 ASKAP helps to unveil Universe’s missing matter I’m sure we all remember the earlier days release issued which announces that the 11 Around the world, the SKA partners of unreliable video-conferencing and low Republic of South Africa has ratified the SKA contribute to pandemic response TEAM SKA internet bandwidths. It is somewhat ironic Observatory Convention. South Africa is the that the digital communications revolution third country to ratify, and the first of our The DARA Projects: Training a new 13 32 Nathaneal Morgan – Mechanical Engineer, SARAO which underlies the technology of the SKA, three host countries. I am hopeful that we’ll generation of African scientists is the same that has made it possible for see the ratification process completing in a good fraction of the world’s business other partner countries in the near future. NEWS & JOBS INSIGHT to continue during the pandemic. 34 News Roundup I hope you and your families remain safe. 16 Insights into the Max Planck SKA dish prototype 35 SKA Jobs / Partner Publications 18 Lessons learned from building a Prof. Philip Diamond, SKA Director-General telescope in the Outback 19 EU-funded project supports the SKA

2 CONTACT | JUNE 2020 3 IN BRIEF SWITZERLAND’S EPFL JOINS SKAO BY SKAO

In April, the SKA Organisation welcomed its 14th member, Many Swiss research institutions and industry partners are the Swiss science and technology university École contributing to various aspects of the SKA, and annual Swiss Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), following SKA Days are now in their fifth year, showcasing the breadth a unanimous decision by the SKA Board of Directors. of opportunities for others to become involved. The Federal Council also recently triggered the first political debate in EPFL is now the lead institution coordinating involvement parliament regarding Switzerland’s possible participation in the SKA on behalf of the Swiss academic community*. as a member state of the SKA Observatory in the future.

Switzerland has a history of world-class research and “Switzerland is the proud Seat of CERN and a dedicated development in science and astronomy, and at a member of the European Southern Observatory and national level has held observer status within the SKA of the European Space Agency,” said Xavier Reymond, Organisation since 2016. Swiss-based scientists are Deputy Director General for International Research active in eight of the SKA’s Science Working Groups. Organisations at the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation, who is in charge of the relationship between Switzerland and SKAO. “Therefore, A sneak peek at an early version of the challenge’s we all look forward to assessing the opportunity to data cube, showing galaxies up to a redshift of 0.5 – complement these intergovernmental endeavours with that’s a distance of around 4 billion light years. the upcoming SKA Observatory, which shares the same Credit: Dr Philippa Hartley dedication to better understanding the Universe.”

*The Swiss Academic Community includes Universities of Geneva, Zurich, Bern, ETHZ, CSCS, SKA SCIENCE TEAM GEARING FHNW, HES-SO, and Verkehrshaus Lucern UP FOR DATA CHALLENGE #2 Read more on the EPFL website. BY SKAO The main EPFL campus in Lausanne sits on the shores of Lake Geneva. Credit: Mediacom EPFL; CC BY-SA 4.0. Preparations are accelerating for This time instead of downloading The Shanghai SKA Regional SKA’s Science Data Challenge 2, the data to their own computers, Centre Prototype and ENGAGE- which will be launched later this year. participants will access and process SKA Portugal cluster are lined up The aim of the Data Challenges is to these data using major computing to store and process the data, prepare the scientific community for facilities, just as SKA users will and others may join them. the reality of working with SKA data. eventually have to do via the SOUTH AFRICA RATIFIES SKA Regional Centres (SRC). This As well as helping the SKA Science and Run by the SKAO Science team, the allows future users to familiarise Operations teams to test the model THE SKA OBSERVATORY new challenge will be an HI galaxy themselves with the kind of computing of transferring data back and forth simulation in which teams are asked environments the SKA will provide. to dispersed computing clusters, the to locate galaxies and discern their challenge will also start a dialogue CONVENTION properties using mock SKA data. “Using computing clusters allows between users and the facilities They’ll do so by running their own us to test that SRC model, and also involved to identify any training or BY SKAO software analysis tools on a 3D means we can create a much bigger additional tools that would be useful. “data cube” – a series of stacked data set for the challenge, around one South Africa ratified the Convention Establishing the SKA Observatory at the end of May after the South African radio images, each reflecting a terabyte in this case, which otherwise The SKA HI Science Working Parliament approved the text and Dr Naledi Pandor, Minister of the Department of International Relations and different frequency. Unlike a 2D could take weeks to download,” Group will soon begin testing and Cooperation, signed the Instrument of Ratification. image, the data cube will allow says SKA Project Scientist Dr Anna debugging a subset of the data researchers to determine things like Bonaldi, who is co-leading the work. as part of the preparations. South Africa was among the seven countries that signed the we expect Australia, China, Portugal and the how fast the galaxy rotates, and Convention in Rome on 12 March 2019, alongside Australia, UK to ratify in the coming months, with how much mass it must contain. China, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and the United other countries joining the Observatory Kingdom. The Convention will enter into force once five in due course. Once the SKA countries, including the three hosts Australia, South Africa Observatory is up and running, and the UK, ratify the text. construction of the largest science facility on the planet “This is a significant moment not only because South Africa will begin in earnest.” Read is the first of our hosts to ratify the Convention, but with more on the SKA website. USING COMPUTING CLUSTERS ALLOWS multiple countries having done so, we are now closer to the SKA Observatory formally existing,” said SKA Director- US TO TEST THAT SRC MODEL, AND General Prof. Philip Diamond. Right: then South ALSO MEANS WE CAN CREATE A MUCH “Even with the terrible toll of coronavirus around the world, African Science Minister countries have shown remarkable commitment to the SKA Mmamoloko Kubayi- BIGGER DATA SET FOR THE CHALLENGE. and continue to push forward. It is testimony to the strength Ngubane signing the SKA Dr Anna Bonaldi, SKA Project Scientist of our global collaboration and the impact the project will Convention in Rome in have,” added Prof. Diamond. “Momentum is strong, and March 2019.

4 CONTACT | JUNE 2020 5 IN BRIEF LOFAR SEEKS ASTRONOMY PARTICLE DETECTOR CITIZEN OUTREACH FOR SKA-LOW SCIENTISTS GOES TO HUNT FOR CALIBRATED IN GERMANY BLACK HOLES VIRTUAL TO SUPPORT BY JUSTIN BRAY (THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER) BY ASTRON A new particle detector designed to enable SKA-Low to study cosmic rays, the highest energy particles in nature, has undergone testing in Germany. Scientists are asking for the public’s help to locate the black HOME- holes at the centre of hundreds of thousands of galaxies Developed by a team at the University of Manchester in An array of a further eight detectors, funded by a grant from discovered by the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) radio STAYING the UK, particle detectors like this one are to be deployed the Australian Research Council, will be deployed by staff telescope. The citizen science project, LOFAR Radio Galaxy in the core of SKA-Low at the Murchison Radio-astronomy at Curtin University, using a backend developed by CSIRO Zoo, gives anyone with a computer the chance to get involved, Observatory in Western Australia. They will allow the SKA Astronomy & Space Science. and so far more than 4,000 volunteers have taken part. FAMILIES High Energy Cosmic Particles Focus Group to study the spectrum and composition of cosmic rays. Radio images show a sky that is very different from that seen by BY SKAO optical telescopes. In the radio sky, stars and galaxies are not Cosmic rays travel through space almost at the speed of light, but when they hit the Earth’s atmosphere, they directly visible. Instead, an abundance of complex structures As soon as the confinement hit, the international disintegrate into a cascade of high-energy particles. By linked to the supermassive black holes at the centres of galaxies astronomy outreach community scrambled to get recording the radio emission from this cascade with SKA- are detected. For instance, most dust and gas surrounding involved to help support parents-turned-teachers Low, and the particles themselves with an array of these a supermassive black hole gets and people staying at home. consumed by the black hole, but some detectors, it is possible to determine the properties of the material will escape, forming large The International Astronomical Union’s Office original cosmic ray. plumes of extremely hot gas. These of Astronomy Outreach (IAU OAO) has been The detector contains a panel of scintillator material – that’s large gas structures are observed by coordinating a global response by educators and a substance which, when struck by a high-energy particle, radio telescopes. outreach experts to compile and make material creates a pulse of light. This pulse, only a few nanoseconds available online, producing an impressive list of free long, is then detected by cutting-edge silicon chips LOFAR, operated by the Netherlands resources available here by age, role and language. Institute for Radio designed to respond to even a single photon of light. Astronomy (ASTRON) The SKAO Comms team has played its part, The recent tests were performed at Karlsruhe Institute of and celebrating its refreshing much of our online content since the Technology (KIT) in Germany, which has the facilities and 10-year anniversary lockdown started. We updated our Amazing Facts expertise to more precisely measure the performance of the this month, has so about the SKA, added a list of SKA-relevant citizen- final design. KIT also provided the scintillator material, used far discovered four science projects people can get involved in; we in an earlier cosmic-ray experiment called KASCADE. million radio sources added fun new activities developed by our partners in its ongoing sky using Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality, and we survey. A few hundred also added a list of activities for children that explain thousand of these some of the engineering behind the SKA. Last but are such complicated not least, coinciding with World Art Day and following structures that it is the example of museums around the world, we made difficult to determine our indigenous astronomy art exhibition Shared Sky which galaxies they’re available online for all. You can now enjoy all of the coming from – in other words, which artworks in the collection in our virtual gallery from black hole belongs to which galaxy? the comfort of your home. While a lot of radio data analysis can be automated using algorithms, so far no algorithm can identify shapes better than the human eye. The international LOFAR team consists of more than 200 astronomers from 18 countries, but that’s still not enough given the volume of images. That’s where the citizen scientists come in! By looking at images where optical and radio observations have been overlaid, they can help to work out which radio sources and galaxies go together.

“This will help researchers understand how radio sources are formed, how black holes evolve, and how vast quantities of material can be ejected into deep space with such unprecedented amounts of energy”, says Dr Tim Shimwell of ASTRON and Leiden University. Left: From top: radio, optical and an overlay of the Images: Tim Huege two images. Combining the data in this way enables Radio Galaxy Zoo: LOFAR is part of the Zooniverse project, the the human eye to link radio sources with their host world’s largest and most popular platform for people-powered galaxies. Credit: Aleksandar Shulevski, Erik Osinga & research. The LOFAR surveys team.

6 CONTACT | JUNE 2020 7 IN BRIEF CELEBRATING SKA-LOW NATIONAL SCIENCE DAY PROTOTYPE IN INDIA ANTENNA SPARKS

BY NCRA COMMERCIAL SPINOFF

Like every year for the past 18 years, the National Centre for Radio BY DARIA GUIDETTI (INAF) Astrophysics (NCRA) took part in India’s National Science Day celebrations in late February, organising one of the largest Science Day events in the country Astrophysics is not as far from our daily lives as one might think. Unknowingly, we all use tools at the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) near Pune. inspired by instruments initially developed for astrophysical applications.

A recent example within the SKA realm is the “Christmas feedback from the European market and won a tender in Working models and projects produced by tree” SKALA4.1 antenna developed for the SKA-Low France for the electrical network supplier. hundreds of students from various districts telescope, now installed at the Murchison Radio-astronomy of the state were on display, alongside Observatory in the Australian outback and which has just The technical and electrical design of the antenna has exhibits and demos from several research inspired a commercial spin-off. The antenna was developed been strongly influenced by the experience gained by organisations, as well as a full array of by the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) SIRIO Antenne in the SKA. Even though they have very exhibits and live demos on GMRT and in collaboration with CNR-IEIIT and the Italian industrial different purposes, the antennas have several common astronomy. partner Sirio Antenne, building on previous designs by an elements, including the materials used – aluminium alloys international consortium involving UK and Dutch partners and plastics. Sirio Antenne are also working to develop a The annual event provides an excellent (see details in the “Did You Know” section on p19). similar antenna for 5G (698MHz – 6GHz), which is now under opportunity to visit the GMRT Observatory, mechanical study. which is only open to the public on that Taking inspiration from this antenna and thanks to the new occasion. Every year, the event attracts a technical skills they’ve gained in their two-year cooperation “Combining the academic world with the industrial one, the footfall of over 20,000 visitors. with INAF and CNR-IEIIT, engineers from SIRIO Antenne SKA turned out to be extremely interesting and exciting have developed a new commercial antenna working at both professionally and from a human experience,” says Stefania Grazioli, Director of Sirio Antenne. “The cooperation Images: NCRA 4G-LTE frequencies (698-2700 MHz). This new antenna brings together a broad-band sensor with high gain, good enriched both sides leading to goals otherwise difficult to impedance matching and a compact size. It obtained good achieve.”

Image: Sirio Antenne Srl PORTUGUESE SKA WHITE BOOK RELEASED BY SKAO

A NEW The white book summarising Portugal’s interests in the SKA from science to computing, industry and societal TRAILER impact has now been published. The book stems from contributions presented at the The meeting was very successful in providing a detailed Portuguese SKA Days held on the 6th and 7th February 2018 overview of the SKA status, vision and goals and describes FOR NCRA and attended by Manuel Caldeira Cabral, then Minister of most of the Portuguese expected contributions to science, the Economy; Paulo Ferrão, then President of the Fundação technology and the related industry aspirations. The American Physical Society (APS) para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT- Science and Technology commissioned a short video documentary Foundation); as well as Daan du Toit, Deputy Director- The book is available here. about our Indian partners NCRA, featuring General of the South African Department of Science and their facilities and research. Take a look: Technology; Alistair McPherson, then SKA Deputy Director General; Robert Braun, SKA Science Director; and advisors DID YOU KNOW? to the Ministry of Science and Technology and Higher Education Cabinet and other organisations. Two more “white books” have recently been published, including the Chinese SKA Science Book, a thorough This initiative was held to promote the SKA among the summary of which is available here, and the updated Portuguese scientific and business communities with support SKA-JP Science Book for 2020, which since 2015 has from the FCT and the contribution of Portuguese policy seen a doubling of the number of authors involved and makers and researchers. more than 130 new pages added, demonstrating the interest of the Japanese scientific community in the SKA!

8 CONTACT | JUNE 2020 9 IN BRIEF FOCUS ON SKA FREQUENCY AND TIMING AROUND THE WORLD, SKA TESTING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PARTNERS CONTRIBUTE MANCHESTER TO PANDEMIC RESPONSE BY PROF. KEITH GRAINGE AND DR ALTHEA WILKINSON (THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER) BY MATHIEU ISIDRO (SKAO) The Radio Astronomy Advanced Instrumentation Research (RAAIR) Laboratory at the University of Manchester is a university-industry collaboration run by the university’s Department of Physics and Astronomy and Department of Before we really had time to prepare, the pandemic was here. As governments around the world scrambled Electronic and Electrical Engineering. to respond, societies had to quickly adapt to a new normal and the enormous challenges that would need to As part of a Time & Frequency Systems project funded by The Tsinghua system is being tested over distances between be overcome to address the crisis became apparent. In response, while continuing to deliver on its primary the RAAIR Laboratory, engineers from Tsinghua University 20 and 80 km and the results indicate a high level of mission, the global SKA community has been making full use of its diverse set of skills to help in a variety in China have been visiting the SKA Synchronisation and accuracy, confirming that the system is working at the levels of ways. Here’s a non-exhaustive overview of how our partners have contributed around the world. Timing (SAT) team at the University of Manchester, to required for SKA-Low. Similar work is also being undertaken develop and test potential new frequency and timing by Australian teams working on the SKA-Mid telescope. In South Africa, the Department of Consortium, which involves more than analysing the results requires the transfer systems for the SKA-Low telescope in Australia. Trade, Industry & Competition (DTIC) 20 companies including Airbus, Ford specialist hardware of a dedicated Professor Michael Garrett, Director of the RAAIR Laboratory called on companies and experts, and McLaren to produce ventilators supercomputer,” says Alison Professor Bo Wang and his research student Yufeng Chen are and the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics said: “Accurate particularly engineers and scientists, on a large scale, by developing Kennedy, Director of STFC Hartree working with the SAT team to test their system, developed time distribution is critical to the operation of radio at Tsinghua University, which provides a novel, on the fly, telescopes like the SKA, permitting signals detected by pairs to come forward with innovative a ventilator training manual and Centre. “The simulations then aid active phase correction to mitigate the effects produced as of antennas to be coherently combined, enabling the array solutions to design, develop, produce training staff so they can instruct in the understanding of diseases optical fibre expands and contracts with temperature. The to act as an interferometer. This is at the very heart of the and procure respiratory ventilators. others by the time the ventilators and the discovery of potential team, including RAAIR Engineers Ji Zonghai and You Lu, SKA design, since it makes the required sensitivity of the They tasked the South African Radio come off the production line. treatments or therapeutics.” is also integrating the White Rabbit open source hardware telescope feasible by allowing signals from multiple antennas Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) to system so that both frequency and timing information can be to be combined, giving the telescope its power to resolve oversee the design and production of It’s not just ventilators, but also other transferred over a single fibre. small features on the sky. This collaboration shows how much such ventilators in the country “based innovative tools that are needed in YOU CAN HELP TOO! can be achieved when universities team up with industry on the experience SARAO gained in the face of the COVID-19 crisis. In The system is being tested as a potential prototype for partners – I’m absolutely thrilled by the first results.” the development of complex systems Spain, the Institute of Astrophysics of The Folding@home project the SKA pathfinder e-MERLIN telescope network (which is Andalusia’s Cosmic Dust Laboratory operated by the University of Manchester on behalf of the for the MeerKAT radio telescope.” is playing an essential role in – usually busy studying how cosmic UK’s Science and Technology Facilities Council), which only understanding the mechanisms Indeed, with a shortage of key dust particles diffract light in planetary has a single fibre available, but will also act as a test-bed for RAAIR team members; Ji Zonghai, Lydia Kong, Yufeng of disease, and most importantly application to the SKA. Chen and You Lu. Credit: The University of Manchester machines like ventilators in many and comet environments – has COVID-19, by bringing together countries, the skills of project joined a consortium funded by the a community of ‘citizen scientists’ managers, technicians and engineers Ministry of Science & Innovation who are volunteering to run have proved essential – skills like to develop a portable prototype simulations of protein dynamics those of SARAO’s young mechanical that can detect the presence of on their personal computers. engineer Nathaneal Morgan who’s COVID-19 on surfaces using optical While you keep going with involved in the ventilator project technology and artificial intelligence. your everyday activities, your (read our profile on page 32). computer will be working to Like engineering skills, help find cures for diseases Shortly before this article went to supercomputing facilities have like cancer, ALS, Parkinson’s, print, the DTIC Minister Ebrahim been in high demand. STFC have Huntington’s, Influenza and many Patel announced that three been providing high-performance others. Find our more here. prototypes were being finalised and computing capability to the Folding@ production would start this June, Home project through their Hartree ramping up to 20,000 by August. Centre to power simulations of protein In Australia, astronomers have also behaviour and help identify drugs that been lending their coding and data could be used to treat COVID-19. skills. Researchers at Swinburne University including Prof. Matthew “While there is lots of compute power Bailes, a member of the SKA’s Pulsar available to run the simulations, Science Working Group, developed a Symptom Tracker app in collaboration with the university’s Astronomy Data DID YOU KNOW? and Computing Services team. The Testing and calibration of these app allows users to log their health new ventilators to make sure they One of the Hartree Centre’s and – using supercomputers usually work as intended is also key. In main goals is to develop dedicated to astrophysics – identify the UK, “super trainers” from our energy efficient computing emerging clusters of symptoms where partners the Science & Technology technologies, as well as data COVID-19 could be spreading. [...] Facilities Council (STFC) have been intensive computing for the SKA. supporting the VentilatorChallengeUK

10 CONTACT | JUNE 2020 11 FOCUS ON

The response to the pandemic fun activities to do at home to keep hasn’t just been technological, but children occupied and entertained THE DARA PROJECTS: also informational. With so many which SKAO have contributed to, unknowns about this novel virus while in Italy our partners the National and misinformation circulating Institute of Astrophysics (INAF) TRAINING A NEW widely via social media, the need have been developing educational PPE has been in short supply for accurate and reliable science videos including lectures & virtual globally, and so institutes and communication has been essential. tours to be made available on a laboratories equipped with 3D GENERATION OF AFRICAN national online platform under the printing machines have also In India, our colleagues at the National Ministry of Education & Research. been chipping in, providing Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) SCIENTISTS In the UK, STFC has been running much-needed equipment are part of CovidGyan, a multi- a campaign on social media called for frontline workers. institutional, multi-lingual science #STFCScienceatHome, engaging BY LINZI STIRRUP (THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER) communication initiative led by their with over 4,000 people during their umbrella institute the Tata Institute Telescope week featuring SKA. Two projects linked to the SKA and funded by the UK and South Africa are helping to train young Africans in radio astronomy of Fundamental Research, which sits and data science, with the aim of ensuring that they are able to take advantage of the enormous opportunities that radio under the government’s Department The current crisis is far from over, astronomy will bring. of Atomic Energy, to provide a reliable and the hunt for treatment and a source of factual information while vaccine goes on, but as the world The DARA (Development in Africa with Radio Astronomy) organisations such as SARAO (South African Radio filtering out misinformation. The site slowly learns to live with COVID-19, project was set up in 2015 by Prof. Melvin Hoare of the Astronomy Observatory) and the DSI (the Government’s includes infographics (see an example it’s been heartening to see the SKA University of Leeds, to train a first generation of radio Department of Science & Innovation) are heavily below), podcasts, webinars as well as community step up and contribute astronomers in the eight SKA African partner countries: involved and have a keen interest in the projects. articles to explain what we know and to the global effort. Far from clichés Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, debunk myths in accessible ways. of astronomy being stuck inside Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia. Most of these DARA and DARA Big Data work closely with each an ivory tower, these efforts by countries had very few or no astronomers until recently. other and facilitate a strong pan-African network The astronomy community, well-versed organisations, scientists, engineers between the students, and it is hoped that this in public outreach, has also stepped up and educators are a prime example “I originally started this with a small Royal Society will continue throughout their careers. to help with education, with up to half of how astronomy, with its highly funded project in Ghana where the South African SKA Throughout the eight African partner countries, DARA of the world’s population in lockdown skilled and creative workforce, can team were carrying out the first telecommunications has provided basic radio astronomy training to more at the height of the international give back and contribute to society in dish conversion into a radio telescope,” comments Prof. than 250 young graduates in the form of four two- response and many school children immediate, tangible ways… in addition Hoare. “Once the Newton Fund came along then the week training courses delivered by experts from the having to be home-schooled. The to inspiring millions by unraveling opportunity to scale up into the major international UK and South Africa over the course of a year. DARA IAU’s Office of Astronomy Outreach mysteries about the Universe. project to help prepare for the SKA was there and (OAO) has been coordinating an it has taken over my life in a very positive way.” Big Data has run hackathons and intensive workshops international effort to gather free for almost 200 students. Both projects also provide digital astronomy resources and Two years later the DARA Big Data project was set up funds which fully cover students to study at Masters and by Prof. Anna Scaife of The University of Manchester PhD level at universities in the UK and in South Africa; to train students in data science and machine learning, DARA has 32 students who have either completed or both of which will be vital to translate the massive who are still studying, while DARA Big Data has 18. quantities of data produced by projects like the SKA. All of the trainees have also been exposed to vital industrial “I was inspired by the talent and ambition of the opportunities via partners such as the UK’s Goonhilly Earth students that I met while tutoring on various Station, once the largest satellite station in the world and training programmes in different African now a major commercial space communications site, or from countries,” says Prof. Scaife. “The inspirational figures working at high levels in data science students could already see the or scientific policy. Among them, former Director of SKA wider benefits of the skills they South Africa Dr Bernie Fanaroff, and leading international were acquiring through radio advisor on scientific diplomacy Dr Marga Gual Soler. [...] astronomy and I wanted to build a programme which reflected that.” DARA IN THE TIME OF COVID-19 Both projects are run jointly by the UK and During the pandemic both projects remain frequently South Africa and are in touch with students and are making sure they funded by the Newton are supported. Future students may begin their Fund, which taps into courses remotely, depending on how things develop. the UK’s overseas aid DARA Big Data is also currently developing an budget for scientific online hackathon to be held later in the year in one collaborations with or more of the SKA African partner countries. developing countries representing £6.3m of UK funding since 2015, and matching resources from South DARA and DARA Big Data students and staff at Goonhilly Africa where key Earth Station in Cornwall, December 2019. Credit: Tom Young

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ANALYSING THE IMPACT MEET THE STUDENTS OF THE SKA ON SCIENCE DR WILLICE OBONYO FROM KENYA, DALISO BANDA FROM ZAMBIA, POLICY IN AFRICA UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD THE FIRST DARA PHD GRADUATE THE FIRST DARA PHD STUDENT TO JEKONIYA CHITEREKA, PHD STUDENT “The decision to undertake the RETURN HOME AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS. DARA basic training in Kenya in “After completing DARA basic 2015 was one of the best of my training, I was awarded a DARA life. I met friends with an interest studentship to pursue a DPhil 50 students from all eight SKA African partner countries have in astronomy and trainers who are focused on radio astronomy studied in the UK through the DARA and DARA Big Data always ready to support aspiring instrumentation. This was a natural postgraduate programme African astronomers. Subsequently, I choice for me as it enabled me to became the first DARA-funded PhD student to graduate. combine two disciplines that I am very passionate The students are very active in their fields and are already I developed close ties with DARA and DARA Big Data about: engineering and the study of the Universe. high achievers before they even start their postgraduate students from SKA African partner countries, which My work has involved designing a feed horn and courses. There is fierce competition to be accepted onto the facilitated my current internship in scientific computing transducer that are compatible with the SKA dish optics advanced programmes; each call for students receives up to at the University of Manchester. From October I will take and the corresponding radio frequency electronics 10 times more applications than there are places available. Jekoniya hails from Zimbabwe and is a PhD student at up a SARAO Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of architecture. I am currently putting the finishing touches DARA students are spread out between eight participating the University of Leeds in the UK. His thesis is on science, Pretoria to work on MeerKAT galactic plane survey data.” to my thesis in Zambia and will shortly return to the UK universities and regular events are organised to get them technology and innovation policy in Africa, using the SKA University of Zambia to carry out teaching and research all together as often as possible. The most recent of these as a case study, and he visited SKA HQ earlier this year to in microwave engineering and instrumentation.” in February 2020 was the Fanaroff Lecture, named after meet the Strategy team. SIMON NDIRITU FROM KENYA, THE Dr Bernie Fanaroff – who was in attendance – delivered by UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER “One of the things I’m looking at is the benefit of all Dr Marga Gual Soler. DARA and DARA Big Data students THE FIRST DARA BIG DATA this investment in astronomy, economically, socially and DR NAOMI ASABRE FRIMPONG attended the lecture and the following private dinner, giving GRADUATE politically. I’m also looking at the impact in terms of “I studied electrical and FROM GHANA, THE UNIVERSITY them direct access to some key figures in the scientific governance. OF MANCHESTER electronic engineering in community as well as a chance to socialise with each other. DARA’S ASTRO-CHEMIST Kenya. It was while working as Visiting SKA HQ has enlightened me in a lot of spheres. “My love for chemistry began In December 2019, 20 students attended the first Advanced a freelance electronics engineer I’ve had a real insight into the dynamics involved in at a young age, which led me Student Event for both DARA and DARA Big Data in the that I realised the demand for data managing such a big science project, the potential to major in chemistry during UK’s south-western region of Cornwall, at Goonhilly Earth benefits that can be accrued from this endeavour, and how scientists was growing exponentially. my studies in Ghana. I became Station. The event, which will become a regular occurrence, the players involved interact. We used to call it blue skies I did a DARA Big Data-funded MSc focused on the fascinated with astronomy when encourages a collegiate network to form and gives students research but to me there are now immediate benefits that use of machine learning to reconstruct missing data; Ghana got involved in the overall SKA the chance to present their research to each other. I can pinpoint, for example we discussed WiFi and its link I developed a novel algorithm for imputing missing Programme and I signed up for the DARA training in with radio astronomy. We also talked about how we foster polarisation data based on Gaussian Processes. I am Ghana immediately. After that I undertook a DARA-funded The two DARA projects have been recognised in both the engagement between science and society, so the public currently pursuing my PhD at the Max Planck Institute PhD in Astro-chemistry using ALMA data. I am happy I UK and Africa for their great success and visible progress. A appreciates this kind of investment. in Munich, Germany, researching numerical modelling have been able to combine my love for chemistry with this ministerial statement representing South Africa and the SKA to study the structural and statistical properties of The impression I got from the DARA and DARA Big Data African partner countries said that DARA “is making valuable fascinating area of research. I plan to continue with my programmes is that they are laying a strong foundation cosmic magnetic fields. There are many opportunities in contributions to strengthen radio astronomy in partner research in Ghana and to be involved in science outreach and building a critical mass of skills towards the 4th Africa just waiting for people with expertise in machine countries”, adding: “DARA courses are important for capacity to encourage young women in pursuing science.” Industrial Revolution in Africa with artificial intelligence learning and deep learning to unlock and exploit them.” building in high performance computing and data science, (AI) solutions which may have a direct impact on science, key technologies to support and develop radio astronomy.” technology and innovation policy and how national governments link that to their development plans. Hence EMMANUEL NGONGA FROM Takalani Nemaungani, Acting Chief Director of Astronomy DEBORAH AKUOKO FROM GHANA, astronomy is viewed as playing an enabler role. ZAMBIA, UNIVERSITY OF YORK at the Department of Science & Innovation, said it is “a THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER NOW BUSY WORKING IN AN AGRICULTURAL DATA testimony that astronomy can contribute to the broader The main takeaway for me is that implementation of a big INDUSTRY SCIENTIST societal needs of the continent”. science project is not a walk in the park; it’s a complex “I completed an MSc “I saw the endless possibilities thing on its own and the number of stakeholders involved that data science offers to 21st “I am grateful that our partnership with the UK, through the also affects the dynamics. The governance of science in Information and Century challenges. My DARA Newton Fund and the DARA initiative, is equipping a new itself, and trying to have a common ground, that’s not Communications Technology Big Data MSc involved researching generation of entrepreneurs, scientists and professionals,” he an easy task. It takes a lot in terms of diplomacy, a lot in Ghana and started working ways to improve the pace of said. of negotiation skills and managing expectations. For as a systems administrator. I then governments to get involved in such projects it requires undertook my DARA Big Data MPhil soybean breeding in Zambia using Read more about both projects on their websites: https:// a lot of influencing and making a case for science among in Cancer Science. My project looked at the application satellite imagery, allowing me to predict the maximum www.dara-project.org and https://www.darabigdata.com. competing interests.” of big data for improving and personalising breast potential yield and maturity period of each soybean cancer treatment; I learned clinical image processing variety. Currently I work as a part-time Computational and was exposed to world-class professors and experts. Physics tutor at the University of Zambia and am looking Currently I am working as a dev-ops engineer in London for AI PhD studentships. Africa’s population is rising with one of the UK’s big four companies which I find exponentially while its climate is changing and it faces IT IS A TESTIMONY THAT ASTRONOMY CAN CONTRIBUTE very exciting. My dream job is to help solve global significant technological disruption; this will present the TO THE BROADER SOCIETAL NEEDS OF THE CONTINENT. problems especially in health, starting with my home continent with complex challenges that only those with country of Ghana. I want to solve these problems skills in machine learning and data science will be well Takalani Nemaungani, Acting Chief Director of Astronomy at the Department of Science & Innovation using data and scientific research approaches.” placed to take on.”

14 CONTACT | JUNE 2020 Images: Tom Young, Simon Ndiritu and Deborah Akuoko 15 INSIGHT

INSIGHTS INTO THE SKA-MAX PLANCK

DISH DEMONSTRATOR Parts of the SKA-MPG dish demonstrator before the final Big plans mounting on site in the Karoo area. The image shows the BY PROF. MICHAEL KRAMER AND DR HANS-RAINER KLÖCKNER (MAX PLANCK INSTITUTE FOR parabolic dish of 15 m diameter in the centre to be mounted RADIO ASTRONOMY) Apart from being a technological test facility in which every on the pedestal on the left. Credit: SARAO component of the SKA dish system can be evaluated, the SKA-MPG dish demonstrator also offers a unique Following the accession of the prestigious German Max Planck Society (MPG) to the SKA Organisation last year, its president opportunity for science. MPG’s vision for the dish is that it Prof. Martin Stratmann visited the South African SKA site in January 2020, stopping by the MeerKAT telescope and the MPG- The MPG has used a similar strategic approach in the past to could be used as a single station or as part of a Very Long funded SKA dish demonstrator to see the Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie investments in the SKA for himself. Here’s invest in prototypes such as the APEX telescope – a modified Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) network in conjunction with how we got to this point, and what lies ahead for the SKA-MPG dish. prototype of the ALMA antennas located on the same other radio telescopes on the African continent. Although site in Chile – a joint venture by the MPIfR, the European with its 15m diameter it cannot compete with the sensitivity What does it take to turn the SKA from an idea into reality? Following the successful outcome of the Detailed Design Southern Observatory, and the Onsala Space Observatory. of other Southern Hemisphere telescopes, such as MeerKAT Early years of detailed design work in the project not only Review for the SKA dish in China in November 2016, the and Australia’s Parkes, it offers a rare combination of a large consisted of paper design; in the SKA Dish consortium, two dishes were manufactured. The first one, SKA-P, was Progress and setbacks field of view – and so fast sky coverage – with excellent they involved the actual manufacturing inaugurated in February 2018 at the CETC factory plant polarisation properties and fast response times. In other of prototype dishes from teams in Shijiazhuang, China, while SKA-MPG was shipped The installation of the SKA-MPG dish demonstrator words, it offers a broad range of scientific applications. in Canada, China and South out to the South African SKA site in the Karoo to be started in mid-2018 on a dedicated foundation provided Africa. In 2014, building on assembled and commissioned in real site conditions. by SARAO close to the MeerKAT telescope core. In preparation for such scientific observations, the MPIfR this work and following has designed and constructed two cryogenic receivers the recommendations Location, location, location The action wasn’t just limited to site, though, as pre- with integrated digitisation based on the successful of a committee qualifying tests of the various subsystems also kicked off design of their new S-band system for MeerKAT. One of independent That decision was made in close partnership with among SKA partners around the world. These tests are of the receivers operates at S-Band (1.75 GHz – 3.5 experts, the SKA the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory conducted to ensure parts meet SKA specifications, but GHz), while the other operates at Ku-Band (12.0 GHz Dish design (SARAO) and with the long-term scientific interests also respect the stringent radio frequency interference – 18.0 GHz). Additionally, MPIfR have developed a consortium of the MPG in mind. Installing the dish on the radio- (RFI) requirements in place at the South African SKA site, dedicated system to enable remote observations. selected the quiet Karoo site would allow the operation of this which are designed to protect MeerKAT from interference. final design for demonstrator under realistic SKA conditions, providing A science programme making the most of the dish’s the SKA dish, valuable lessons for the team to learn from. Unfortunately, the thorough RFI testing of the dish’s drive capabilities has been developed, which includes studying jointly developed system upon arrival in South Africa threw a spanner in the the nature of variable sources like active galactic nuclei under the lead works, revealing a need for a significant redesign. Such (AGNs) or fast radio bursts (FRBs), monitoring strong pulsars of the German setbacks are not unusual in projects as complex as the for rotational or magnetospheric events, investigating the company MTM and SKA – in fact it is what makes them so fascinating from inner workings of FERMI-detected bursts as part of a small CETC54 from China. an engineering point of view! With no solution available VLBI telescope array, and improving our understanding “off the shelf”, the engineering team of MTM and the of the foreground to the cosmic microwave background. To give the Dish MPIfR got back to work to overcome this formidable Precise measurements of this foreground which contaminates consortium fresh challenge themselves. After all, when you’re building the cosmic microwave background is a major challenge for momentum, in 2015 the world’s most sensitive radio frequency telescope the field in general, which can be tackled by using S-Band the Max Planck Society you need the quietest RFI drive system. The redesign receivers like the one developed by MPIfR to conduct full increased their activity by funding was due to be completed in April 2020, but COVID-19 Southern-sky surveys. A large fraction of the observing time a cooperation of the Max-Planck- restrictions have caused some inevitable delays; the on the dish would be dedicated to such surveys, but a call Institut für Radioastronomie (MPIfR) and MTM to build a impact on the schedule is currently being assessed. for observations open to the South African and German second dish, the so-called SKA-MPG dish demonstrator community is also in the works, as well as an opportunity to in addition to a first prototype funded by CETC54. Nevertheless, the assembly of the structure was successfully set up a teaching programme for schools and universities. completed in parallel at the end of 2019, giving us the Above: Group photograph in front of the SKA-MPG dish first tantalising view of an SKA dish on site in the Karoo. The telescope could also be used for the future R&D demonstrator with the president of the Max Planck Society, MTM has been working with the SKA Dish consortium to programme of the SKA Observatory. Every component Martin Stratmann during his visit in South Africa (from left conduct various design verification tests, some of which necessary to the SKA dish system, from the structure to the to right: Justin Jonas, Dave Horn, Daan Du Toit, Willem have already been completed successfully, while others Final Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) qualification tests of receiving system, data transport, data analytics and quality Esterhuyse, Rob Adam, Sebastian Hoepfner, Bill Hansson, are awaiting the RFI-based upgrade of the drive system. Martin Stratmann, Michael Kramer, Gundolf Wieching, Lisette the redesigned drive system at the MPIfR test facility in Bonn, measures, can be developed and tested on the SKA-MPG Andreae, Sias Malan). Credit: SARAO conducted by MPIfR and MTM. Credit: C.Leinz/MPIfR demonstrator. This is what makes prototypes such valuable.

16 CONTACT | JUNE 2020 17 INSIGHT

LESSONS LEARNED FROM DID YOU KNOW? The full station uses 256 SKALA4.1-AL prototype antennas realised by INAF with the Italian industrial partner Sirio Antenne, BUILDING A TELESCOPE IN a design that has successfully passed the SKA System Critical Design Review (CDR). The dual-polarised log-periodic antenna concept which ensures a broad bandwidth have been investigated and progressed as part of the design effort of the Dutch-led Low-Frequency Aperture Array Consortium (LFAA) and in particular of the Antenna & LNA working group THE OUTBACK led by the University of Cambridge. A collaboration of the University of Cambridge and INAF enhanced the dual-polarised log-periodic antenna design (SKALA4) to further improve both the performance and mechanical aspects of the design. The BY ICRAR AND INAF commissioning work commenced “It would be impossible to almost immediately. By the end of experimentally characterise more antenna prototype SKALA4.1-AL used in AAVS2 is showing promising results that increase the confidence that the SKA- Low challenging requirements can be met. A few months ago, Italian and the year, the full station was in place, than 130,000 antennas in such wide Australian researchers completed and data was being captured and frequency range, so scientists have to the deployment of a full 256-antenna processed. The demonstrator, known rely on antenna models. At the same SKA-Low station at the Murchison as the Aperture Array Verification time, we cannot run electromagnetic Radio-astronomy Observatory, System 2.0 (AAVS2.0), was deployed models without having proved at least EU-FUNDED PROJECT the future home of SKA-Low in by researchers from ICRAR and INAF, for some frequencies and for some Western Australia. The year-long as part of SKAO-led bridging activities. antennas that their results match work on site taught them valuable Its 256 antennas are distributed on a with high fidelity to the measured SUPPORTS THE SKA lessons about the behaviour of wire-mesh ground, with a maximum responses. This is where the drone antennas on the ground, with a distance between them of 38 metres. measurement entered in the game.” SOURCE: EU COMMISSION few extra insights thrown in... The array layout is semi-random, with The researchers were able to achieve AENEAS (Advanced European Network of E-infrastructures for Astronomy with the SKA) refers to a three-year initiative funded some antenna positions fine-tuned for excellent agreement between In late 2018, the International Centre for by the European Commission to support the astronomical community in the SKA era. Here’s an overview of the project following mechanical and practical reasons. different simulations for a very large Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) and its successful conclusion. Italy’s National Institute for Astrophysics array of antennas using different (INAF) set themselves an ambitious goal The team then simulated the commercial electromagnetic AENEAS has been funded by Horizon 2020, the research will be involved in developing and ultimately running the to simulate, deploy and commission electromagnetic behaviour of the array simulation tools. The simulations took a full station of 256 SKA-Log periodic components, to predict the station almost a year and close to 20,000 and innovation programme of the European Union. regional centres – not just in Europe, but also globally. Antennas (SKALA) within a year, in beams (the method by which SKA-Low hours of computing to complete. The project ran from January 2017 until December The technical work packages have identified solutions order to mitigate the risks associated will view the sky) and other antenna 2019 and received 3 million euros of EU funding. (in software and in hardware) that will be adopted and with station-level calibration that had parameters key to understanding the The simulated beam patterns were further developed. We now also have a better idea of the As the project recently ended, the Commission been identified in the lead-up to the performance of the telescope. They then verified with the help of a costs involved in transporting, storing and processing SKA’s System Critical Design Review. assessed the interference level between drone following the initial roll-out asked Michiel van Haarlem, the coordinator of the the data, as well as the personnel costs of supporting the individual antenna beams due to of the array, in collaboration with project and Head of the SKA Office at ASTRON in the users and running the network of regional centres. “If you can’t calibrate the individual the large number of antennas within the National Research Council of Netherlands, to recap the achievements of AENEAS. stations properly, you don’t know how such a small diameter, creating so- Italy and the University of Malta (see By engaging with funding agencies and national observatories accurately your station beam has been called ‘Embedded Element Patterns’. our previous article in Contact 1). What was the first and primary we have also been able to discuss important organisational formed. This will impact on the overall The full station beam generated by and governance aspects. We have benefited from the these patterns differs from the ideal The team is now working to determine objective of AENEAS? SKA-Low array beam, and hence how experience gained by other pan-European projects, in stand-alone one, which is computed whether the variation in element good your observation is, so it’s a particular the Worldwide Large Hadron Collider Computing with simplified models not including patterns will allow sufficiently The main goal of the AENEAS project was to produce a vital part of preparation for the SKA. Grid (WLCG) which is a global collaboration that provides This is especially true for the sensitive the interactions between antennas. accurate and rapid station-level preliminary design of the network of SKA Regional Centres computing resources for CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) science SKA-Low will conduct, such calibration for SKA-Low. (SRCs) that we must build in order to be ready for the data “Having an accurate field validation stream generated by the telescopes once they become and the ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter as work on the Epoch of Reionisation, “The next steps are to take all the of the antenna numerical patterns operational. These regional centres will be distributed Array) Regional Centres that support users of the ALMA which seeks incredibly faint signals data we’ve collected and progress computed in very realistic scenarios, around the globe and having these ready on time is critical telescope in Chile. There are clear benefits to having compute hidden behind much stronger ones,” the commissioning of the instrument, considering for instance the mutual to getting the eagerly awaited scientific results emerging and data intensive projects collaborate and share both said Professor David Davidson, including making some observations,“ Director of Engineering at ICRAR. coupling between antennas, is from tests of Einstein’s theory of relativity and studying physical resources as well as expertise and software tools. very important before trusting the said Professor Davidson. the signals from the first stars and galaxies that formed simulated model,” explains Dr Pietro By May 2019, a smaller station “We will also direct efforts towards after the Big Bang -among many other science projects. What’s next for European countries consisting of 48 SKALA antennas Bolli, Antenna Researcher at INAF. a more suitable design maturation involved in SKA after AENEAS? version 4.1 was on site, and for the industrial production phases, We investigated many different aspects of the design of as well as the (...) integration of the the regional centres: not just the computing, data storage The SKA project is a global collaboration, so work on other parts of the telescope that and networking requirements and solutions, but also the preparing and developing the SRC concept is also underway are in the competence of various governance questions on how to organise, fund and set-up around the world. However, AENEAS was the first dedicated working packages such as Telescope this collaboration which will involve many partners. Dealing project and has led the way in exploring the full range of Management, Central Signal with the unprecedented data volumes generated by the SKA issues to be solved. This has increased its impact significantly. Processor, Signal and Data Transport, is also likely to bring about changes in the way astronomers The EU funding for AENEAS has helped European countries etc.,” said Jader Monari, SKA-Low work, so we also studied how users can interact with the that were interested but not yet members, to join the SKA. Italian Programme Manager. data and how we can prepare them for these changes. Many of the AENEAS partners are now also involved in the And so the challenge continues! Horizon 2020 project ESCAPE, one of the European Open What are the concrete benefits Science Cloud (EOSC) Cluster projects. ESCAPE brings Watch the video summarising and impacts of the project for the together large research infrastructures in the fields of the work that’s been happening scientific and research community? astronomy, particle physics and astro-particle physics, which and visit our Youtube channel opens up fascinating opportunities for multi-messenger for interviews with the team. The AENEAS project has made significant progress on discoveries with telescopes that detect electromagnetic many fronts. It has brought together the organisations that radiation, gravitational waves, neutrinos and cosmic rays. Completed AAVS2.0 station from overhead. Credit: ICRAR-Curtin University

18 CONTACT | JUNE 2020 19 FE AT URED IM AGE THE ORIGIN ORIGIN OF OF DARKNESS DARKNESS AND THEAND MOON THE MOON

On 18 May, museums and art enthusiasts around the world marked International Museum Day, which this year focused on celebrating diverse perspectives. The SKA’s indigenous astronomy art exhibition Shared Sky couldn’t be a better match, especially since SKAO recently made the entire collection available online, following the lead of museums and art galleries internationally during the lockdown. Curated by the SKA, Shared Sky brings together Aboriginal Australian and South African artists in a collaborative exhibition celebrating humanity’s ancient cultural wisdom. Indeed, the movement of objects across the night sky has been a profound source of inspiration for artists since time immemorial. The desire to understand has informed myths and stories amongst human populations across the globe for countless generations. In South Africa, artists we’ve engaged with are descendants of /Xam speaking San people living in the central Karoo region – close to the telescope site. Using textile as raw material, they produce collaborative artworks that explore their own creation myths and celebrate the ancient culture of their ancestors that survived in the harsh environment of the Karoo for millennia. This particular artwork depicts the Origin of Darkness and the Moon. Here it is in their own words: “The /Xam trickster, whose name was |kaggen, created from his son-in- law’s shoe a tiny live Eland. He kept it hidden in the reeds, and fed it on wild honey. The Meercats, jealous and ruthless, found the Eland when it had grown large and beautiful. At once they slaughtered it and roasted it to feast on. This was the first time humanity killed for food. |kaggen, heartbroken, tried to fight them, but was losing the battle. On a bush he found his Eland’s gall bladder, and in his grief, pierced it, unleashing darkness into the world. Then he threw his shoe into the sky where it became the shining moon, lighting the dark for him to fly away home.” © Jeni Couzyn, 2014 “The Origin of Darkness and the Moon” – Collaborative art quilt by First People Artists, Bethesda Arts Centre: Jeni Couzyn (artistic director). Sandra Sweers (lead artist), Naas/ey Swiers, Maria Tamana, Yvonne Merrington, Gerald Mei, Riaan Swiers, Julia Ma/gas, Rentia Davidson, Felicity Tromp, Merlyn Davidson, Esmerelda Tromp, Frendoline Ma/gas, Serafine Tromp. © Bethesda Foundation. All rights reserved.

20 CONTACT | JUNE 2020 2121 LET’S TALK ABOUT

Time to get technical. The first measure the dip mechanism is known as “Faraday in a star’s light as LET’S TALK ABOUT... rotation”, named for 19th Century its orbiting planet British scientist Michael Faraday. Radio passed by, or the COSMIC MAGNETISM telescopes are highly sensitive to what star’s “gravitational we call polarised radiation – radio wobble” caused by waves emitted by a distant object which the planet’s orbit, BY CASSANDRA CAVALLARO (SKAO) travel to us along a single plane, rather George explains. than in lots of different directions. When you think about magnetism, your mind may return to school physics lessons, playing around with little magnets and iron “The radio filings. While magnetism is apparent to us at those very small scales, it also pervades the entire Universe. On their way to Earth, the waves can technique can be “twisted” by the magnetic fields of not only help us As one of the four fundamental forces Let’s start with the basics. Magnetic “The study of magnetic fields in all other objects they encounter, a change to understand of physics like gravity, it helps to govern fields are generated whenever a these different environments is of that radio astronomers can detect the environment, everything around us on Earth. Our own charged particle like an electron or paramount importance to track the full and use to measure the magnetic including the magnetic field, the magnetosphere, a proton moves, and space is full of history of how magnetism has evolved environment of those objects in magnetic field, acts like a protective blanket to shield moving charged particles – hence in the Universe,” says Dr Valentina between. around known us from harmful radiation from the Sun. cosmic magnetism. Vacca of INAF, co-chair of the working exoplanets, but can The beautiful auroras that we see in the group alongside George. “Magnetic Next, we have “Zeeman splitting”, possibly help us to skies of both hemispheres are the result “As far as we can tell, everything in fields in evolved systems, like planets, named after Dutch physicist Pieter find new exoplanets of this interaction – and these auroras the Universe is magnetic, or at least stars, galaxies and clusters of galaxies, Zeeman, who shared the 1902 Nobel that are too small or have been spotted beyond Earth, too. co-exists with magnetic fields,” George reflect this evolution, while those in Prize for his discovery. Here the narrow far from their parent We’ll come back to that later in the explains. “One of the big outstanding more diluted environments such as emission lines produced by atoms and star to cause much article. questions in astronomy is why magnetic filaments and voids between clusters molecules are split by the effects of of a gravitational fields are so strong and so organised of galaxies can give us precious magnetic fields. Emission lines are like wobble,” he says. cosmic magnetism thanks to the broad “Magnetic fields are everywhere!” says across wide areas in space, especially information about more ‘pristine’ the fingerprints of astronomical objects. range of frequencies they cover and Dr George Heald of CSIRO Astronomy inside objects like galaxies.” magnetic fields.” When these lines split, it signals a Cosmic magnetism, exoplanets and high sensitivity, two key things you and Space Science, co-chair of the change in energy that astronomers can distant galaxies might all seem a bit need to study faint and distant objects. SKA’s Cosmic Magnetism Science That strength is particularly extreme While there’s much we don’t yet observe, and enables them to measure disconnected from everyday life in The SKA will provide another leap in Working Group. “Their influence can around the cores of dead stars (neutron understand about magnetism’s role in the strength of the magnetic fields. these strange times for world health, capabilities, allowing astronomers to be felt in the space between objects, stars or pulsars); we’re talking trillions of the Universe, we know that it influences but important crossovers do occur. map the vast magnetic structure which like at home when you feel the fridge times stronger than on Earth. But that’s star formation, affecting how many The third mechanism radio astronomers connects the Universe on the grandest door attracting a magnet before they not the case everywhere. Vast regions stars are created from gas clouds can observe is called synchrotron “The signals used to study cosmic scales. are touching. When we talk about between galaxies that we might think inside galaxies, and how massive they emission, a type of radiation generated magnetism and other phenomena ‘magnetic fields’, it is a way to describe of as “empty” space still have magnetic become. It’s also possible magnetic by charged particles spiralling around are often very faint from distant “We want to trace the beautiful ‘cosmic the ability for magnetic forces to fields, but here they may be a billion fields affect the evolution of galaxies, magnetic field lines at close to the objects which require sensitive and web’ that stretches through space influence objects or even light.” times weaker than on Earth. for example influencing the formation speed of light. That’s been at the heart high resolution images, a bit like the on scales of tens and hundreds of of the arms of spiral galaxies. of two recent discoveries involving the difficulty doctors have when trying millions of light years and more, and MeerKAT (see page 26) and LOFAR to image parts of the human body,” within which clusters of galaxies are Of course, we can’t see magnetic fields, radio telescopes. Valentina notes. “In radio astronomy, embedded,” George says. “The SKA so how do we study them? techniques such as aperture synthesis will enable us to study the magnetic With LOFAR, researchers detected – simulating a very large antenna with fields in cosmic objects to a level of “The only way we have to see them is emission from a star which had the a collection of small ones – have been detail that we have been unable to through their actions,” says Valentina. tell-tale signature of auroras, meaning developed to tackle this, and medical achieve with any other radio telescope “There are three physical mechanisms it was likely being created by an imaging uses a technology inspired so far. We hope to reveal where we can observe at radio wavelengths, interaction with an orbiting planet by it.” magnetic fields originally came from, so radio telescopes allow us to study (Read our previous article on this and how they’ve shaped our Universe!” magnetic fields with great detail story). In other words, the effects of The newest generation of radio compared to other telescopes.” magnetism had potentially opened up telescopes, in particular SKA a new way of detecting exoplanets. pathfinders and precursors like LOFAR, Above: Here the radio emission is Until now, exoplanet discoveries mostly MWA, ASKAP, and MeerKAT, are shown in blue; the diffuse emission involved using an optical telescope to especially well-suited to studying along the filament connecting the two clusters is a direct expression of the magnetic field permeating this region.

DID YOU KNOW? THE SKA WILL ENABLE US TO STUDY The technique of combining Spiral galaxy NGC 628, around 32 million light years from Earth in the THE MAGNETIC FIELDS IN COSMIC signals to create one image, constellation Pisces. The flow lines used in radio astronomy overlaid on this optical image trace the OBJECTS TO A LEVEL OF DETAIL interferometers such as the orientation of the magnetic fields that THAT WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO SKA, is also behind Magnetic run through the disk of this galaxy, as Resonance Imaging (MRI) traced by radio observations. ACHIEVE WITH ANY OTHER RADIO scanners, enabling doctors Credits: Optical image: Steve to get a clear picture of the Mazlin and Vicent Peris, Calar Alto TELESCOPE SO FAR. inside of the human body. Observatory; Radio data: Mulcahy et al. Dr George Heald, CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science 2017, Jansky Very Large Array (VLA)

22 CONTACT | JUNE 2020 23 HQ CORNER

2 MINUTES WITH... DAV ID BRIGGS MOVING TO A MEET THE TEAM: LORD-LIEUTENANT OF CHESHIRE LEGAL Early March, SKA HQ was getting ready to host its NEW REALITY Among a wide variety of expertise at SKA HQ is a team of legal specialists. They make sure we remain compliant with first head of state, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the laws and regulations of different jurisdictions and over the past few years have been applying their skills to the complex transition of SKA Organisation towards becoming an Inter-Governmental Organisation (IGO), among many II, when the visit had to be postponed due to The first mention of coronavirus in an all-staff email at SKAO other things. Let’s meet the team! the coronavirus pandemic. As Lord-Lieutenant of was on 28 January. Since then, the SKA HQ has gradually Cheshire, the county where SKA HQ is located, implemented a series of measures to adapt to the COVID-19 In-House Legal Counsel Theunis Kotze That’s why having an in-house team David Briggs played a key role in preparing pandemic and since mid-March, in line with the UK government from South Africa is an international who speak the same (notoriously tricky) the visit. We spoke to him about his work. recommendations, SKAO has been operating remotely. law expert. Theunis has decades of legal language – and know which experience in criminal, intellectual questions need to be asked when – is Credit: David Briggs The IT tools needed for a global project to function - in our property, competition and international essential. case Confluence, Zoom and Slack - have allowed us to adapt law. He joined the SKA Organisation quickly, and while they were previously only used by some from the South African Foreign Affairs Assistant In-House Legal Counsel teams, they’ve now been adopted by almost everyone as de Department, where he provided Shelley Decker is an English-qualified facto communications channels. training in international law to fledgling solicitor. She previously worked for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), A weekly internal newsletter was launched to provide relevant diplomats and advised South African supporting the UK membership of information but also to keep everyone feeling informed and delegations to the African Union, World international science infrastructure connected and avoid the all-too-easy trap of working in silos Intellectual Property Organisation, projects such as CTA, XFEL, FAIR & that can come with remote-working. International Telecommunications Union, and United Nations’ Committee LIGO. Shelley’s primary focus at SKAO And at a time when many companies have frozen hires, SKAO On the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space is advising on English law matters, such Tell us about what your role involves. has continued hiring new staff critical to the delivery of the among many others. While at SKAO, as queries concerning employment law, plan, with interviews, panels and on-boarding being conducted Theunis has been instrumental in company law, property and intellectual There is a Lord-Lieutenant in each county of the UK, who remotely, and new staff working from home, including abroad. facilitating the legal process behind property. A sizable portion of Shelley’s is the Queen’s representative and helps to organise royal A buddy system is now in place, connecting our new hires with establishing the SKA Observatory IGO time involves drafting and negotiating visits among other things. I’ve been in this role for 10 colleagues outside their teams, to help create that sense of Convention and the UK Headquarters a variety of contracts, both for the years, and I was very involved in planning a visit of Her belonging, despite not having set foot in the office yet. Agreement, from negotiations to future IGO (such as the Host Country SKAO’s Legal Team was present at Majesty to the SKA HQ, which sadly had to be postponed drafting of the treaties to signature and Agreements with South Africa and the signature of the SKA Observatory because of the coronavirus. Each visit is meticulously Highlights of the office life have continued online, providing a ratification. Australia) and for the current company. Convention in Rome in March 2019. planned, every minute is carefully considered to make constant in our lives, like the weekly all-hands coffee update by Shelley also drafts MoUs to strengthen Pictured here are Assistant In-House sure the Queen meets all the people she ought to meet, the DG. Perhaps equally important is the weekly (virtual) pub “A multilateral project of this working relationships with other Legal Counsel Shelley Decker and Legal and to coordinate with media and security services. outing that has become even more inclusive, with spouses and magnitude, with so many countries organisations, such as the MoU signed Advisor Betty Kioko. About 80% of my time is spent on community work and partners joining in for an opportunity to catch up. There’s only collaborating, requires on the one with the CTA Observatory recently. supporting local charities, including fundraising for those one rule: no work discussions! hand a lot of diplomacy, but also a are writing the rule book and setting “Because of the collaborative nature of helping people during the current COVID-19 situation. My great attention to legal details – to some precedent on how to do this,” The SKAO Family Facebook group has also come into its own, our work, we have many relationships team of 43 deputies has also been finding ways to help the nitty gritty of legislation in all our says Betty. providing a means for staff and their families to share useful with other organisations, which means National Health Service workers, such as sourcing fresh member countries and beyond. There resources about online activities, schooling, etc. dozens of agreements,” explains food and hand sanitiser, and making a counsellor available. is always something weird, exciting “Behind it all, it’s about our people, and unexpected in my inbox,” Theunis Shelley “so we will be quite busy and the implications the transition What did the preparations for the visit focus on? Of course, adapting to this new routine comes with challenges. explains. ensuring that all of these are properly process may have on their lives. It’s New words like ‘meetingitis’ and ‘zoombified’ have been transferred from the current company very complex and requires regular It was about talking to the management of SKA to ensure coined, and home-schooling or caring responsibilities can Indeed, the team works across many to the IGO!” the very most can be made of a relatively short visit. interaction with the UK government’s take their toll, especially when an already heavy workload and different areas of law; from international experts to understand all the At least three months of preparation goes into such a Legal Advisor for Transition and Change tight deadlines haven’t gone away. A particular emphasis has law and intellectual property to varying ramifications because each person’s visit to cover all the different elements, from policing to Betty Kioko from Kenya initially joined been put on mental health to support staff in getting their labour laws around the world. They’re situation is different and unique.” catering requirements and many other logistical details. work-life balance right, with a number of appreciated initiatives constantly liaising with legal firms in as a graduate intern working on the I was particularly keen for the Queen to visit the HQ implemented around Mental Health Awareness Week. Overall, the SKA’s host countries to advise legal scrub – checking the consistency Like many, they’ve been adjusting to because with Australia, South Africa and the UK as host SKAO staff have proved extremely resilient in the face of on changes in legislation and their of legal language – of the SKA homeworking during the COVID-19 countries, this is an extraordinary, exciting initiative adversity, and continue to adapt to keep the project moving implications on the SKA. Observatory Convention. She brought pandemic and the shutdown of the SKA involving Commonwealth members. Given the Queen forward together with international colleagues. So to borrow with her experience from a corporate HQ, but are also confident about the is very passionate about the Commonwealth, I thought from our Italian friends, andrà tutto bene. law firm in Nairobi and a Master of Laws future. she would be very interested to see how they’ve been in International Law degree from the working together on what I describe as the “world’s biggest University of Manchester. She points “It is a difficult time globally, so it science project”. The plan is very much to reschedule out that the SKA Observatory will has been heartening to hear positive the visit, although of course we can’t know a date yet. be groundbreaking not just messages from governments about scientifically, but also legally. their support for the SKA,” says What was your impression of the HQ as a home for the Betty. “We’re staying optimistic about SKA, and in terms of what it means for the local area? “A transition from an emerging from the pandemic, and English company to a that includes looking forward to more When I first visited my reaction was “wow”. It is so UK-headquartered exciting – many people think of Cheshire as agricultural, ratifications of the Convention, and the IGO has not been beginning of the SKA Observatory.” but the SKA’s arrival makes people realise that the done before, so we county is also a centre of world scientific expertise. I spend a lot of time speaking to schoolchildren and explaining why it’s so important to study STEM subjects SKA In-House Legal Counsel Theunis Kotze (right) at school, and showing them that there are so many welcoming then South African Science Minister Ms opportunities to have fascinating careers in science and Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane at the SKA Headquarters technology. Having the SKA HQ here is really helpful in following the signature of the SKA Observatory selling Cheshire as a home for budding new scientists. Convention. Credit: Department of Science & Innovation

24 CONTACT | JUNE 2020 25 PATHFINDERS MEERKAT SOLVES MYSTERY OF X-SHAPED GALAXIES

BY SARAO

A team of astronomers from South Africa and the US have used the MeerKAT telescope, an SKA precursor facility, to solve a longstanding puzzle in ‘X’-shaped radio galaxies.

Many galaxies far more active than the Milky Way The team’s paper was published in the Monthly have enormous twin jets of radio waves extending Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. far into intergalactic space. Normally these go in opposite directions, coming from a massive black Previous studies of these unusual galaxies lacked hole at the centre of the galaxy. However, a few the high quality imaging provided by the recently are more complicated and appear to have four jets completed MeerKAT telescope. Computers forming an ‘X’ on the sky. combined the data from the MeerKAT antennas into a telescope 8 km in diameter, and provided images Several possible explanations have been proposed in the radio band of unprecedented quality for PKS to understand this phenomenon. These include 2014-55, which enabled solving the mystery of its MEERKAT DATA changes in the direction of spin of the black hole at shape. the centre of the galaxy, and associated jets, over millions of years; two black holes each associated Further research into these open questions is already REVEALS UNEXPECTED with a pair of jets; and material falling back into the underway. Read more on the SARAO website. galaxy being deflected into different directions FEATURES IN DISTANT forming the other two arms of the ‘X’. Exquisite new MeerKAT observations of one such galaxy, PKS 2014-55, strongly favour the latter Below: Annotated image showing X-shaped giant GALAXY explanation as they show material “turning the radio galaxy PKS 2014-55, observed with the South corner” as it flows back towards the host galaxy. African Radio Astronomy Observatory’s MeerKAT telescope, indicating the old X-shaped radio jets, the BY SARAO This work was carried out by a team from the South younger jets closer to the central black hole, and the African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), the region of influence dominated by the central galaxy’s An international team of astronomers has uncovered unusual features in a radio galaxy using data from South Africa’s (US) National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), stars and gas. The curved arrows denote the direction MeerKAT telescope, a precursor to the SKA. the University of Pretoria and Rhodes University in of the backflow that forms the horizontal components South Africa. of the X. Credit: UP; NRAO/AUI/NSF; SARAO; DES. The radio galaxy resides in a galaxy cluster located around The nature of these unusual features is unclear; they may 222 million light years from Earth, and is one of the brightest be unique to the galaxy because of its harsh environment, objects in the southern sky at radio wavelengths. The or could be common in radio galaxies but, so far, we have classical picture of a radio galaxy consists of an active been unable to detect them due to instrument limitations. galactic nucleus that hosts a growing supermassive black Dr Ramatsoku adds that understanding the nature and hole, shooting out two jets of plasma filled with particles the physics of these threads could open a new science that move at speeds close to the speed of light. The material case for sensitive radio interferometers like MeerKAT and, within the jets eventually slows down and billows out, in the future, the SKA. “Such serendipitous discoveries forming large radio lobes. are very important for MeerKAT because it highlights its incredible capacity for finding the ‘unknown unknowns’ in The galaxy in question is characterised by two such lobes our Universe,” said Prof. Oleg Smirnov, Head of the Radio of very bright radio emission, but, unexpectedly, the new Astronomy Research Group at SARAO. Read more on the observations with MeerKAT show multiple previously unseen SARAO website. parallel threads of radio emission connecting the two lobes which are thought to be caused by synchrotron radiation, Above: Image reconstructed using radio emission data from explains Dr Mpati Ramatsoku, a Research Fellow at Rhodes MeerKAT at 1000 MHz, showing unusual parallel threads University and lead author of the study. connecting radio emission lobes of the galaxy (M. Ramatsoku et al., 2020, A&A). Credit: Rhodes University/INAF/SARAO

SUCH SERENDIPITOUS DISCOVERIES ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR MEERKAT BECAUSE IT HIGHLIGHTS ITS INCREDIBLE CAPACITY FOR FINDING THE ‘UNKNOWN UNKNOWNS’ IN OUR UNIVERSE.

Professor Oleg Smirnov, Head of the Radio Astronomy Research Group at SARAO

26 CONTACT | JUNE 2020 27 PATHFINDERS FAST TELESCOPE TURNS ASTRONOMERS DISCOVER TO OPERATIONS FROM NEW CLASS OF COSMIC CONSTRUCTION EXPLOSIONS

BY F. F. KOU & BO PENG (CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES KEY LABORATORY OF FAST, NAOC) SOURCE: NRAO

FAST, China’s mind-blowing 500-metre diameter SKA Pathfinder telescope, formally switched to operations earlier this Using a range of telescopes operating at different year after completing its national acceptance on 11 January 2020, when all technical specifications met the design baseline. wavelengths, astronomers have found three separate objects Since its construction was completed in September 2016, the world’s largest single dish radio telescope has undergone a that constitute a new class of cosmic explosions, in papers thorough technology verification and system performance check. published in the Astrophysical Journal and the Astrophysical Journal Letters. Over the past three years, it – and then went on to measure Individual Principal Investigator- FAST successfully implemented the timing of all known pulsars in led proposals will open for Chinese The astronomers followed up on these objects first discovered various observing modes and M13 with the highest precision to users this summer, and in a year’s using optical telescopes by observing them with two SKA made remarkable early science date. Soon afterwards, FAST found time for international users. pathfinders: the NSF’s Very Large Array in the US and NCRA’s achievements, especially in the field of a ‘redback’ pulsar – a similar type of Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope in India, as well as NASA’s pulsar science. In August 2017, FAST millisecond pulsar – in the globular FAST has already shown its unique Chandra X-ray space telescope. discovered its first pulsar, and has since cluster M92; the first binary pulsar to sensitivity in all related scientific These so-called Fast Blue Optical Transients (FBOTs) probably discovered more than 110 new ones. be observed there. The discovery of research. Observations of three begin the same way as certain supernovae and gamma-ray In February 2018, it detected its first binary pulsars is the third milestone rotating radio transients with FAST bursts – when a star much more massive than the Sun explodes FAST achieved in pulsar research. revealed their pulses are more frequent than previously observed. In the future, at the end of its “normal” atomic fusion-powered life. The facility’s key science projects have the giant telesccope is also expected However, FBOTs seem to be enshrouded by thick material that now started, including surveys such as to contribute to frontier research, was probably shed by the star just before it exploded. When the Commensal Radio Astronomy FAST such as the detection of gravitational the thick material is struck by the blast wave of the explosion, Survey and the Galactic plane pulsar waves and new FRBs as well as it causes a bright visible-light burst. And as the blast wave survey; but also projects undertaking observing interstellar molecules. collides with the material around the star as it travels outwards, Fast Radio Burst (FRB) research, it produces radio emission. neutral hydrogen imaging, pulsar You can read more about the science and technology behind FAST in a searching in M31 and pulsar timing. The astronomers also found that all three objects are located special topic of Science China here. in small, dwarf galaxies, which leads them to believe that the dwarf galaxy properties might allow some very rare evolutionary paths of stars that lead to these distinctive explosions. To better Artist’s conception illustrates the phenomena that understand this new class of cosmic explosions, they hope to make up the new class of cosmic explosions called Left: A Special issue of Science China covering FAST early Science. observe more FBOTs and their environments using telescopes Fast Blue Optical Transients. Credit: Science China covering a wide range of wavelengths. Credit: Bill Saxton, NRAO/AUI/NSF Below: The first pulsar discovered by FAST in 2017. Credit: NAOC

millisecond pulsar, which coincides with a previously unassociated gamma-ray source observed by NASA’s Fermi space telescope. The discovery of this extremely faint pulsar demonstrated FAST’s great potential for pulsar searching. In February 2020, FAST announced the discovery of a new binary millisecond pulsar in the globular cluster M13, confirmed one of the previously identified pulsars in the cluster was a ‘black widow’ binary – a type of millisecond pulsar that ‘eats’ its companion star while orbiting The artist’s conception illustrates the differences in phenomena resulting from an “ordinary” core-collapse supernova explosion, an explosion creating a gamma-ray burst, and one creating a Fast Blue Optical Transient. Credit: Bill Saxton, NRAO/AUI/NSF

28 CONTACT | JUNE 2020 29 PATHFINDERS

The FRB leaves The FRB travels its host galaxy from its host as a bright burst galaxy to Earth. of radio waves. Credit: ICRAR Credit: ICRAR

A network of FRBs was used to measure the density of the missing matter. ASKAP HELPS TO UNVEIL Credit: ICRAR UNIVERSE’S MISSING MATTER BY ICRAR AND CSIRO

Astronomers have used Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) to detect “missing matter” -not to be confused with dark matter-, long predicted to exist in the Universe and hinted at in previous measurements but never detected - until now. The researchers detected missing “normal” matter in the vast space between stars and galaxies. Their findings are reported in the journal Nature. Watch the video.

Lead author Associate Professor Jean-Pierre Macquart, from fraction of a second. the Curtin University node of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), said astronomers have “This enables the precision to determine the location of been searching for the missing matter for almost 30 years. the fast radio burst to the width of a human hair held 200m away,” he said. “We know from measurements of the Big Bang how much matter there was in the beginning of the Universe, but when Associate Professor Macquart said this result underscores we looked out into the present Universe, we couldn’t find the strong connection between instrument design and The density of missing matter is calculated using the distance of half of what should be there.” science. the FRB from Earth, and the delay between the wavelengths of the FRB as detected by ASKAP. Credit: ICRAR They thought the matter should be out there, but couldn’t “ASKAP’s success is just like Formula 1, no driver can win detect it. That posed a problem – how do you prove a championship without the backing of a whole team of something is present when you can’t see it? engineers and mechanics,” he said.

The researchers were able to directly detect the missing “The team working on FRBs with ASKAP is a tight-knit matter using fast radio bursts which they detected and then collaboration – it harnesses expertise spanning five localised to their origins using CSIRO’s Australian Square continents that exploits the best the world has to offer in DID YOU KNOW? Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) radio telescope. terms of radio, optical, simulation and theory.” The Universe is believed to be This was accomplished by first measuring the delay made up of dark energy, dark between the wavelengths of an FRB using ASKAP, and then calculating the distance of the FRB from Earth. The delay matter and “normal matter” between wavelengths signals the presence of matter, and ASKAP’S SUCCESS IS JUST – the latter being everything can be used to work out its density as long as you have the LIKE FORMULA 1, NO DRIVER we can see, Earth, planets, distance from Earth. stars, etc. The best available CAN WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP current models estimate dark A whole network of FRBs was used in the study, acting as energy to represent about “cosmic weigh stations”. WITHOUT THE BACKING OF A 68% of the universe, dark matter 27% and normal matter Dr Keith Bannister from CSIRO, Australia’s national science WHOLE TEAM OF ENGINEERS agency, who designed the pulse capture system used in only 5%. But “normal matter” the research, said that when fast radio bursts arrive at the AND MECHANICS. also has its own invisibility telescope, ASKAP records a “live action replay” within a problem and of that 5%, we When travelling through completely empty space, all wavelengths of the FRB Associate Professor Jean-Pierre Macquart can only see about half of it. travel at the same speed, but when travelling through the missing matter, some ICRAR-Curtin wavelengths are slowed down. Credit: ICRAR

30 CONTACT | JUNE 2020 31 TEAMSKA

The rig has been built at the SARAO I think that this increased exposure to backgrounds. I think the industry still offices in Cape Town and is being STEM and the subsequent development needs more of this, but I have been NATHANEAL used to test the mechanical installation of human capital are critically important greatly encouraged by the approach and integration of major components factors in determining the overall and attitude of my team at SARAO. relating to the conversion, in particular success of the SKA. to improve the positional accuracy of What advice would you give to young MORGAN From an African perspective, it’s the antenna, which is crucial to track people who might want to follow your important to showcase our talent and celestial objects. lead? Mechanical engineer Nathaneal Morgan joined the South African Radio resourcefulness in being able to deliver Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) straight out of university. Having been these instruments, thereby increasing Be curious and stay humble. Curiosity When did you first hear about the SKA, part of the SKA’s Infrastructure South Africa design consortium, where further investment opportunities in will make it easier to find things that and what made you want to be part he worked on the heating and cooling requirements for the sensitive our country. The scale of this project is interest you; this is important because of it? equipment on site, Nathaneal is now based in Cape Town and part of the immense and the close collaboration you will likely put more effort into SARAO-led National Ventilator Project (see page 11). We spoke to him Probably when I was applying for the between partner countries provides something that you find appealing, about his route into engineering, what the SKA means for South Africa, graduate programme. I was amazed by a perfect opportunity to highlight our and produce better results. Actively try and how he was inspired by the classic movie Back to the Future. the scale, technical requirements and capability to a global audience. The to identify interesting aspects in every potential impact that a project of this progress that we have made thus far project you do and learn something new about it. There will be times (plenty Let’s begin with your childhood, Nathaneal – was anyone in your family magnitude could have, and wanted to provides concrete evidence of the of times!) when you need help, ask involved in science or engineering? be part of the team that delivered it. I quality that can be produced in Africa mean it’s a ground-breaking build, the unashamedly and accept assistance I grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa and was the first one in my family when we work towards a common goal. products of which could fundamentally humbly. to be able to attend university. Growing up I don’t even think I knew anyone As a key stakeholder in the SKA, I think change our understanding of the else who had attended university, never mind being involved in science or the entire country is invested in the Universe, who wouldn’t want to be part Let’s talk about outside of the office – engineering. Although, my dad was always tinkering with old computers – picking success of this project. of something that monumental? I also how do you take your mind off work? them apart and building them up again. I guess that must have been my first real felt that the international collaboration I’m an avid sports fan and enjoy exposure to anything engineering related. I didn’t have much interest in that at the time Sometimes science and engineering would offer unique opportunities for watching and playing often. I have but was exposed to the processes and curiosity of understanding how things work. are seen as not very diverse or networking and professional exposure. inclusive. What has been your a particular fondness for football I was able to meet some international and I spend a lot of time reading, So when did you start to take an the engineering-related processes of knowledge transfer – this appealed experience of this, and how do you colleagues from the central office as analysing, and discussing tactics and interest in STEM? design, manufacturing, and innovation to me. I spent my first year at SARAO feel it could be improved? part of the Critical Design Review (CDR) performances particularly those related are applied across a wide range of under secondment, and was offered a Although these are global issues, I don’t recall one particular event, but visit, and I hope to be able to take to my favourite team Manchester industries and was intrigued by the permanent contract thereafter. we as South Africans perhaps have perhaps a collection of reinforcing United. We have access to a sports field possibilities. I began watching a lot advantage of similar opportunities in a unique perspective on the effects events throughout my life. I remember the future. close to the SARAO offices in Cape of shows like How It’s Made and What’s your specialism at SARAO now of discrimination and inequality watching Back to the Future and Town where we play weekly matches MythBusters, which enhanced that and how does it relate to the SKA? on a society. Building an inclusive thinking that Marty McFly’s hoverboard after work – it’s a great way to keep fit scientific curiosity in me – naturally I What does the SKA mean for you as industry (and society as a whole) was the coolest thing I had ever seen I am a Mechanical Engineer working and socialise with colleagues outside of gravitated towards STEM. a young South African, and for the requires purposeful commitment and I desperately wanted one. My primarily on the African Very Large the office environment. Unfortunately, country as a whole in your opinion? to transformation and diversity parents obviously couldn’t get me Baseline Interferometry Network (AVN). these activities have been curtailed You joined SARAO through the young I’m proud to be part of the project and management, and the perseverance one so I decided that I would become The AVN programme helps to develop due to the effects of the COVID-19 professionals programme they run – feel like I am genuinely contributing that comes with it; because real change a scientist/inventor when I grew up, the skills and capacity needed in SKA pandemic and subsequent lockdown why did you choose to apply? towards something that will have a can’t happen overnight. Additionally, so that I could make one for myself (I African partner countries to encourage measures. lasting impact on the global scientific genuine diversity and inclusiveness haven’t quite cracked it yet). I had just completed my Bachelor’s and optimise African participation in community. I am part of a vastly is not a superficial tick-box exercise, I also enjoy cooking and recreating degree and was applying for every related development and science. When I was 13 years old, I was asked vacancy I could find, but remember knowledgeable and capable team, but a migration towards all people dishes I see online. Actually, I probably to give a farewell speech to my being particularly interested in this Currently, I am part of a fantastic team which allows me to enhance and respecting and valuing the inputs and just like eating delicious food and classmates as we all prepared to move opportunity. It was a collaborative working on a conversion project, diversify my own skills as an engineer. perspectives of those from different cooking is simply a means to an end! on to high school. My dad helped Young Professionals Development where an existing antenna in Ghana – me write it and the overarching idea Programme between the SKA’s previously used for telecommunications was something like: “I hope that this Infrastructure South Africa design services – has been designated for Images courtesy of Nathaneal Morgan. All rights reserved. Team SKA group will produce future doctors, consortium and an external engineering conversion into a radio telescope. The In each issue of Contact, we’ll get lawyers, artists… and engineers.” I institute. Experienced engineers were change in functionality imposes a new to know one of the many talented people contributing to the SKA, remember not wanting to add that available to offer valuable consulting set of requirements on the structure and hearing about their work, how they last part into the speech because I services, while graduates were control system, and I am responsible for got here and their advice for the didn’t actually know what an engineer incorporated into the programme to the design, assembly, and subsequent next generation. did. I did some research and found gain industry experience and facilitate utilisation of a Qualification Test Rig.

I FEEL LIKE I AM GENUINELY CONTRIBUTING TOWARDS SOMETHING THAT WILL HAVE A LASTING IMPACT ON THE GLOBAL SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY. Nathaneal Morgan, SARAO

32 CONTACT | JUNE 2020 33 NEWS

SKA JOBS

CONTROL SYSTEM ARCHITECT Deadline: 14/06/2020 Apply here

NETWORK ARCHITECT Deadline: 28/06/2020 Apply here

As we continue to grow, new roles will continue to be advertised. To set up alerts and receive notifications when jobs are advertised, register on SKAO’s NEWS FROM A BRIEF RECAP OF THE BIG STORIES COVERED BY COMING UP... recruitment website and follow us on LinkedIn. THE SKA COMMS TEAM IN RECENT MONTHS. AROUND THE WEB EUROPEAN ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY Since the last issue of Contact was involved in their respective countries ANNUAL MEETING (FORMERLY EWASS) PARTNER INSTITUTE JOBS published in early March, much has – see our feature on page 11. CAREERS WITH STEM – VIRTUAL MEETING changed globally. On 17 March, Meet Dr Sarah Pearce – CSIRO https://eas.unige.ch/EAS2020 INSTITUTE OF ASTROPHYSICS OF ANDALUCIA (IAA) SKA Global Headquarters was While the pandemic dominated Astronomy and Space Science 29 June – 3 July 2020 Software Engineer Position at IAA-CSIC for closed in line with guidance from many conversations and headlines, Deputy Director Sarah Pearce was SKA Regional Centre Activities the UK government on containing there was positive news in the SKA recently named 2020 Telstra NSW 30TH ANNUAL INCOSE INTERNATIONAL the COVID-19 pandemic. With the world with the announcement that Deadline: Announced Soon Business Woman of the Year. SYMPOSIUM – VIRTUAL EVENT wellbeing of staff, their families the Swiss science and technology Apply here and communities a priority, SKAO university École Polytechnique https://www.incose.org/symp2020/home THE CONVERSATION instructed all staff to work from Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) 20 July – 22 July 2020 Project Scientist position for the coordination home until further notice, with no had become the 14th member Technology, international bonds, of the Spanish participation in the SKA domestic or international business of the SKA Organisation. EPFL is and inspiration: why astronomy EUROSCIENCE OPEN FORUM (ESOF) Deadline: Announced Soon the lead institution coordinating travel to be undertaken. matters in times of crisis – – POSTPONED FROM JULY, NEW DATES Apply here involvement in the SKA on behalf Australia’s Astronomer-at-Large IN SEPTEMBER 2020 A few weeks later our South African of the Swiss academic community. Fred Watson on the resilience of https://www.esof.eu/en/ partners SARAO announced that they astronomy throughout history, had been tasked with managing the SKA Director-General Prof. Philip and the importance of the SKA. 2 September – 6 September 2020 national effort required for the local Diamond also issued an update on the | Trieste, Italy status of the SKA project, highlighting design, development, production and CNN the progress that continues to be procurement of respiratory ventilators AUTUMN ANNUAL MEETING OF THE PARTNER PUBLICATIONS to support the government’s response made despite current restrictions. Southern Africa’s Stargazers – ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF JAPAN CNN’s Inside Africa explores to combat the pandemic there. The “None of us can predict what the http://www.asj.or.jp/nenkai/index-en.html decision recognised the significant coming months will bring,” he wrote, the history and bright future of 8 September – 10 September 2020 READ THE LATEST SKA-RELATED NEWS FROM expertise and experience engineers “but, as one of the world’s major astronomy in Southern Africa. | Aomori, Japan SOME OF OUR INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS and scientists have gained in the scientific endeavours, we hope to development of complex systems for push forwards bringing employment, SCIENCE|BUSINESS innovation and scientific exploration SPARCS X 2020 “CAPTURING SCIENCE the MeerKAT radio telescope, an SKA SKA: Major science project across to benefit our partner countries.” FROM THE PATHFINDER SURVEY DATA” precursor facility. Many of the SKA’s three continents keeps running during https://www.idia.ac.za/SPARCS2020/ CSIRO MRO NEWS – APRIL 2020 partner institutions have been similarly the pandemic – While the COVID-19 ICRAR NEWS – JUNE 2020 pandemic is causing some delays, 8 September – 11 September 2020 much science continues as normal. | Cape Town, South Africa

Spotted on social media: INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON TELESCOPE MAGAZINE SKA-FRANCE BULLETIN A message from our Solar RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES (ICRI) System neighbours in this Expert Interview: Dr Robert Braun – http://icri2020.ca/ difficult period. The Japanese technology magazine talks in-depth with the SKA’s 30 September – 2 October 2020 science director about all aspects | Ottawa, Canada of the project (in Japanese). MEDIA INAF LATEST SKA NEWS SPIE ASTRONOMICAL TELESCOPES AND SPIE INSTRUMENTATION – POSTPONED FROM Drowning in Data – An in-depth JUNE 2020 TO DECEMBER 2020; MOVED look at how the SKA will handle the FROM JAPAN TO USA ASTRON NEWS – JUNE 2020 “data tsunami” it will generate. Conference Link

13 December – 18 December 2020 RADIONET | San Diego, USA RADIONET NEWSLETTER – MAY 2020

34 CONTACT | JUNE 2020 35 Contact – The SKA magazine Published by the SKAO Communications team.

Editor: William Garnier [email protected] Editorial team: Mathieu Isidro, Cassandra Cavallaro [email protected] Design: Joe Diamond

Based on an original design from Carbon Creative.

We welcome your contributions to Contact! Find out how to submit ideas here.

All images in Contact are courtesy of SKAO unless otherwise indicated.

About the SKA The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Organisation leads an international effort to build the world’s largest radio telescope. The SKA will be constructed in Australia and South Africa with a later expansion in both countries and into other African countries. Its global headquarters is located at Jodrell Bank in the UK.

The SKA will conduct transformational science and help to address fundamental gaps in our understanding of the Universe including the formation and evolution of galaxies, fundamental physics in extreme environments and the origins of life in the Universe.

Front cover: The SKA-MPG prototype dish in the Karoo, South Africa. Credit: Enrico Sacchetti. All rights reserved.

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Hyperlinks: Contact is produced primarily as a digital magazine. If you are reading a print copy, use the QR code to read this and other issues of Contact online and access the hyperlinks.