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Newsletter Issue 104 NATIONAL RADIO ASTRONOMY OBSERVATORY July 2005 Newsletter Issue 104 GBT Observations of the Double Pulsar Test Einstein’s Theory of Gravitation The Wind-Wind Collision in WR140—Defining an Orbit with the VLBA VLA Studies of a Giant High-Energy Flare from a Magnetar A New Bursting Radio Source Toward the Galactic Center Also in this Issue: ALMA Update Riccardo Giacconi National Medal of VLBA Large Proposal Review Science Recipient Results American Astronomical Society Honors 2005 Jansky Fellows Symposium Eric Greisen NRAO Announces Image Contest Christopher Carilli Wins Max Planck Research Award Education and Public Outreach TABLE OF CONTENTS FROM THE DIRECTOR 1 Riccardo Giacconi National Medal of Science Recipient 2 American Astronomical Society Honors Eric Greisen 3 Christopher Carilli Wins Max-Planck Research Award 4 SCIENCE 5 The Wind-Wind Collision in WR140—Defining an Orbit with the VLBA 5 A New Bursting Radio Source Toward the Galactic Center 7 VLA Studies of a Giant High-Energy Flare from a Magnetar 9 GBT Observations of the Double Pulsar Test Einstein’s Theory of Gravitation 11 ALMA 13 Technical News 13 ALMA Board Meeting 14 North American ALMA Science Center 15 SOCORRO 15 VLBA Large Proposal Review Results 15 VLA Configuration Schedule; VLA/VLBA Proposals 16 VLBI Global Network Call for Proposals 17 Status of the VLBA’s Transition to MARK 5 Recording 18 A New Proposal System for NRAO Telescopes 18 [VLA+Pie Town] Link Observing in the 2006 A Configuration 18 VLBA Data Distribution Using FTP 19 Blank-Field Extragalactic Surveys on the VLA 19 GREEN BANK 21 EDUCATION AND PUBLIC OUTREACH 22 WISE Visits the Array Operations Center 22 New EVLA Exhibit Installed 22 NTC Hosts Tech Tour 23 The NRAO at the American Astronomical Society Summer Meeting 23 IN GENERAL 24 2005 Jansky Fellows Symposium 24 NRAO/AUI Radio Astronomy Image Contest 26 Research Assistant Receives Sigma Xi Grant for Neutrino Search 26 First Grote Reber Medal Awarded to Bill Erickson 27 The John Kraus Archive at the NRAO 27 The NRAO Graphics Department will be happy to assist you in the production of images for your article as well as for your research papers. Contact Patricia Smiley ([email protected]) with your request. If you have an interesting new research result obtained using NRAO telescopes that could be featured in the NRAO Newsletter, please contact Jim Condon at [email protected]. We particularly encourage Ph.D. students to describe their thesis work. Editor: Mark T. Adams ([email protected]); Science Editor: Jim Condon ([email protected]); Assistant Editor: Sheila Marks; Layout and Design: Patricia Smiley Cover Image: More than 100 million years ago, the giant elliptical galaxy, NGC1316 (center of the image), began devouring its small northern neighbor. The complex radio emission, associated with this encounter (called Fornax A, shown in orange) was imaged using the Very Large Array in New Mexico. This image shows the radio emission superimposed on an optical image (STScI/POSS-II). The radio emission consists of two large radio lobes, each about 600,000 light years across. Investigator(s): Ed Fomalont (NRAO), Ron Ekers (ATNF), Wil van Breugel and Kate Ebneter (UC-Berkeley) July 2005 From the Director Issue 104 To operate three major knowledge regarding the Green Bank staff and telescope facilities (VLA, VLBA, to his new responsibilities. A search committee will GBT) and, at the same be named in the near future to seek a permanent time, undertake two Green Bank Site Director. major construction projects (ALMA and George Clark has also recently joined the NRAO senior EVLA), the NRAO management team as Associate Director of must have a strong Administration, arriving from the Institute for and effective senior Astronomy at the University of Hawaii. At the NRAO, management team. George is responsible for all the administration and Thus, it is a great business services of the Observatory, an important set pleasure to announce of responsibilities. that after a careful Fred K. Y. Lo, Director and extensive search, Adrian Russell joined the NRAO as North American Philip R. Jewell has (NA) ALMA Project Manager in February 2005. His accepted the position of NRAO Deputy Director. leadership has solidified the Observatory’s improved Phil assumed his Deputy Director duties effective management of the NA ALMA Project. Adrian has June 20, 2005. As Deputy Director, Phil will oversee recently taken on additional responsibilities as North all of the Observatory’s operations in New Mexico, American Project Director for ALMA at the NRAO. West Virginia, and Virginia. He will have oversight responsibility for both the NA ALMA Project Office and the NA ALMA Science Phil comes to the Deputy Director position in Center (NAASC) during the construction period. A Charlottesville having served as Site Director at search for a permanent head of the NAASC will be Green Bank since 1999 where he did an exceptional conducted soon as Paul Vanden Bout has indicated job leading the West Virginia staff responsible for the his intent to step down from this position by the end Green Bank Telescope (GBT) development, operations, of 2005. and maintenance. Prior to his arrival in Green Bank, Phil served the Observatory in several capacities, The senior management team also includes Peter Napier, including Deputy Site Director in Tucson. Phil’s who continues as Project Manager for the EVLA management skills and intimate understanding of the construction. Miller Goss, Head of the Division of Observatory’s capabilities and culture will serve him Scientific and Academic Affairs (DSAA), oversees the well as Deputy Director. scientific and academic programs of the Observatory. David Hubbard, as Head of Program Management Phil succeeds Jim Condon, who served as Interim Office (PMO), is responsible for reviewing program- Deputy Director for the past nine months. I would like matic status and future planning across the entire to thank Jim for the outstanding job that he has done Observatory. Perhaps most importantly, Jim Ulvestad for me and for the Observatory. The Observatory and Richard Prestage are at the front-lines ensuring faced major challenges during these months, and Jim that the VLA/EVLA, VLBA, and GBT facilities are has seen us through this period with remarkable skill, optimized for astronomical research for the international dedication, and calm. astronomical community. It is also my pleasure to announce that Richard Prestage The Observatory’s senior staff has been preparing has agreed to serve as Interim Site Director for intensively for the Senior Review of the National Green Bank when Phil Jewell assumes the Deputy Science Foundation (NSF) - Astronomy Division port- Director position. Richard has been Phil’s Deputy in folio. The goal of this Senior Review is to free up Green Bank. He brings a wealth of experience and $30M of annual funding within the division by 2011 Page 1 July 2005 From the Director Issue 104 that will be distributed to the design and development Riccardo Giacconi National Medal of of future projects such as the Giant Segmented Mirror Science Recipient Telescope (GSMT), the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), the Square Kilometer Array (SKA), Riccardo Giacconi, and ALMA operations. By July 31, 2005, NRAO, recently retired President NOAO, NSO, NAIC, and Gemini have been directed of Associated Universities, to supply to the NSF the case, priority, and the defensi- Inc. (AUI), was awarded ble cost for their facilities, as well as the cost and the National Medal of timescale associated with potential closure of each of Science by President the component facilities. Guided by the Senior George W. Bush on Review, the NSF will make decisions regarding the March 14, 2005. selective reduction of current facilities in order to start Giacconi, who received new initiatives. Community involvement is absolutely the Nobel Prize for crucial, especially given the fast-track decision time- Physics in 2002, was Riccardo Giacconi scale required by the NSF. It is important for everyone honored for his pioneer- affected by these decisions to carefully consider ing research in X-ray astronomy and for his visionary whether the proposed changes are viable and lead to a leadership of major astronomy facilities. vital and sustainable future, or whether the proposed pace and scope are too drastic. Established by Congress in 1959, the National Medal of Science is the Nation’s highest honor for American The NRAO senior staff is actively seeking input from scientists and is awarded annually by the President of the astronomical community and has been critically the United States to individuals “deserving of special examining every aspect of our current operations in recognition for their outstanding contributions to West Virginia, Virginia, and New Mexico. The knowledge.” Observatory’s scientists, engineers, technicians, managers, and administrators have proposed and are “We are extremely proud that Riccardo Giacconi has actively considering a wide range of innovative options been selected to receive the nation's highest award for to enhance NRAO’s scientific productivity and cost scientific achievement,” said current AUI President effectiveness, including seeking funding from sources Ethan J. Schreier, a long-term colleague of outside the National Science Foundation. Regardless Dr. Giacconi. “It is another fitting recognition for an of the proposals and decisions that emerge from this outstanding scientific career that has enhanced our comprehensive internal review process and the basic understanding of the universe," Schreier added. NSF Senior Review, the NRAO will remain dedicated Giacconi, known as the father of X-ray astronomy, to and focused on its primary mission: providing used X-ray detectors launched on rockets to discover world-class, front-line research facilities that enable the first cosmic X-ray source in 1962. Because X-ray truly transformational science for the astronomical radiation is absorbed in Earth’s atmosphere, space- community.
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