Searching the Southern SKy, and unchaining the internet

Through their unique view of the southern sky, Australian researchers are unraveling the secrets of the cosmos—and they’re doing it with a huge helping hand from the US. In return, Australian astronomer engineers have helped change the world via discoveries that have unchained notebook computers, made flight safer, improved CT scans, and delivered clearer sound. Now, Australia and the US are working together to design the next generation of telescopes: the Giant Magellan optical telescope to be constructed in Chile; the gravitational observatories looking for echoes from the Big Bang; and what will be the world’s largest radio telescope— the Square Kilometre Array. from hunting bombers looking over the horizon Starbugs and the Giant Already, two facilities to test to hunting galaxies— Magellan Telescope technology are underway at Western the birth of radio astronomy Australia’s expertise with radio is also demonstrated in the over-the- Australia, along with seven US Australia’s radio-quiet Murchison Australia was one of the pioneers horizon radar that guards the country’s research institutions and Korea, is a Radio-Astronomy Observatory, of radio astronomy, literally turning northern approaches—the Jindalee founding partner in the international Australia and New Zealand’s its World War II radar stations to Operational Radar Network— Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) proposed core site for the SKA. The the stars, developing techniques in developed over 40 years by DSTO project to be constructed in Chile Murchison Widefield Array is being processing radio signals and making with American support. by about 2018. Of revolutionary built by an international consortium the important discovery of the first design, it will be far larger than any of US, Australian and Indian research radio galaxies outside the Milky creating tomorrow’s existing optical telescope. Australian institutions. It has no moving parts, Way. The mathematical techniques telescopes technology to be provided to the GMT being made up of tile-like detectors Australian pioneers used at this time American and Australian astronomers may well include a light-capturing that are tuned electronically, and went on to underpin the development and engineers are working closely on system incorporating novel robots is already collecting data on low of CT and MRI medical imaging as the development of a new generation known as ‘Starbugs’, being developed frequency radio emissions. The second well as modern radio astronomy. of telescopes. at the Australian Astronomical facility, the 36-dish Australian SKA Guiding stars for Gemini Observatory. Pathfinder, is under construction and transmitting the first due to start operating in 2013. It will lunar landing Starbugs will move optical fiber light Australia and the US are among the combine high-speed surveillance of America took heed of Australia’s seven national partners involved in receivers precisely to locations of interest in the telescope’s focal plane. the sky with sensitivity in a search for growing expertise in radio astronomy building the Gemini Observatory, the pulsars, magnetic fields and galaxies. and contributed to the construction of world’s largest publicly funded optical/ The fibers themselves are an outgrowth the Parkes radio telescope in southern infrared telescopes. The twin 8.1-meter of astrophotonics, a field pioneered by Quantum computing Professor Joss Bland-Hawthorn of the New South Wales, which found the telescopes, located at high altitude In 2010, a team of physicists and first quasar (quasi-stellar radio source). in Chile and Hawaii, can collectively University of Sydney. These fibers can selectively absorb unwanted parts of engineers at the University of The telescope later helped to track access the whole sky. Researchers at New South Wales in Sydney led by the first lunar landing, delivering the Australian National University have the spectrum to improve the analysis of astronomical objects. Dr Andrea Morello and Professor pictures of the first moon walk to built a near infra-red spectrometer Andrew Dzurak announced in the US television audiences. for the Hawaii telescope and an Square Kilometre Array journal Nature they had developed adaptive optics imaging system for Australian radio astronomers are one of the key building blocks needed unchaining the computer the Chile telescope which will provide working closely with their US to make a quantum computer using Using techniques he developed distortion-free images of the sky using counterparts in developing technology silicon—a ‘single electron reader’. to clean up the radio waves from natural and artificial guide stars. Other to be used in the Square Kilometre Their work, and research at the exploding black holes, astronomer instruments are on the drawing board. Array (SKA), the world’s largest radio Universities of Queensland and engineer Dr John O’Sullivan and his Assisting with the design of the telescope, to be constructed either Melbourne, have put Australia at team at CSIRO invented the tools adaptive optics system is Electro Optics in Australia and New Zealand or in the forefront of development of the needed for fast, reliable wireless Systems (EOS), one of the world’s southern Africa from about 2016. quantum computer, which promises computing in the home and office. largest installers of medium-sized The SKA will comprise thousands exponential increases in processing Their patented ideas are built into optical telescopes, which has built of separate radio dishes and other speed over today’s computers for almost every modern notebook telescopes for the Universities of antennae in a focal square kilometer, tasks including database searches and smart phone. California and Hawaii. The company is with additional detectors spread and encryption. From similar origins came: the also a world leader in laser ranging and across an area the size of a continent. technology for Interscan, the first targeting, remote weapons systems chief Scientist for australia Combining the radio signals received microwave-based aircraft landing and the surveillance of space for by each of the sensors will effectively Professor Penny Sackett, a dual system to be approved and deployed debris. In 2005, it formed a strategic create one giant antenna thousands US-Australian citizen formerly of the at US airports; some of the signal alliance with global defense company of kilometers across, to provide the Australian National University, is an processing technology behind the Northrop Grumman. sharpest ever radio images of the authority on the discovery of planets bionic ear; and the consumer sound sky, with incredible sensitivity to outside Earth’s Solar System. In her technology, Dolby Headphone, faint signals. role as Chief Scientist, Professor which was developed in Sydney Sackett advises the Australian Prime by Lake Technologies. Minister on matters relating to science, technology and innovation.

IMAGE CREDITS: GEMINI NORTH, GEMINI; ARTIST’S IMPRESSION OF SKA DISHES, SWINBURNE ASTRONOMY PRODUCTIONS/ SKA PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT OFFICE; DR TAMARA DAVIS, L’ORÉAL; HORSEHEAD NEBULA, DAVID MALIN/AAO.

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