Commission J: Radio Astronomy (Novebber 2007 – October 2010)
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Commission J: Radio Astronomy (Novebber 2007 – October 2010) Edited by H. Kobayashi J1 Overview of Japanese radio astronomy activity One of most important activities in Japanese radio astronomy is ALMA project, which is a millimeter and submillimeter large array with 80 telescopes at Atacama Desert of Chili. Japan shares quarter burden for the construction and operation. In concrete terms, Japan has constructed ACA (Atacama Compact Array), which consists of four 12-m telescopes and twelve 7-m telescopes, and 3 band receiver cartridges for whole ALMA telescopes. The construction of ALMA is succeeding and science observations have been started. In the field of millimeter and submillimeter radio astronomy, ASTE telescope, which is a 10-m submillimeter telescope at Atacama Desert, has started science observations. A large TES bolometer array is used for simultaneously imaging the sky in the two bands (1100 and 850 micron). It discovered a cluster of galaxies, which show ultra star burst formation. And Nobeyama 45-m telescope is continued for science observations and Nobeyama millimeter array was closed for common use. At the field of VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometer) researches, VERA (VLBI Exploration of Radio Astrometry) was started to carry out a precise astrometry project to measure the distance of galactic maser objects by using trigonometric parallax measurement technique. It has revealed the structure of nearby spiral arm structure around the Sun. And a new VLBI correlator is developed under the collaboration with NAOJ (National Astronomical Observatory of Japan) and KASI (Korean Astronomy and Space Science Institute), which will be used for the East Asian VLBI network observations. Also Japanese VLBI network have started science observations with 6, 8 and 22 GHz bands. And NANTEN telescope, which is a 4-m submillimeter telescope at Chili, has made wide field mapping observations of southern hemisphere sky. On September 2007, SELENE satellite was launched, which is a lunar probe vehicle. In order to make precise hypsographic map and gravity map of whole lunar globe, Japanese VLBI network has used for the satellite tracking. It revealed the accurate gravitational field of the whole of the moon. J2. ALMA The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) is most important project for Japanese radio astronomy. It is constructed and operated by Europe, Japan, and North America, in cooperation with the Republic of Chile. ALMA is funded in Europe by the European Organization for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere,in Japan by the National lnstitutes of Natural Sciences(NINS) in cooperation with the Academia Sinica in Taiwan, and in North America by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) in cooperation with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC). ALMA construction and operations are led on behalf of Europe by ESO,on behalf of Japan by the National Astronomical 0bservatory of Japan (NAOJ), and on behalf of North America by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO). ALMA will have 54 12-m telescopes and 12 7-m telescopes with 3-0.3 mm wavelength receivers. East Asia shares the construction of Atacama Compact Array (ACA), which is a part of ALMA for wide field and extended structure imagings. ACA consists of four 12-m telescopes and twelve 7-m telescopes. Also East Asia has been developing three bands receivers, which are 125-163GHz, 385-500GHz, and 780-950 GHz, and a correlator. Operation and data analysis software is developing with international collaborations. ALMA was succeded test observations at 230, 345, and 690 GHz with more than 10 telescopes. They already showed the higest feasibilities of sensitivity and spatial resolution in millimeter and submillimeter arrays. And first science program with common use will start within 2011. J3 .ASTE ASTE is 12-m single dish telescope for millimeter and submillimeter observations. It has four receivers, which are 350GHz/450GHz heterodyne receivers and the 270GHz/350GHz bolometer camera. It made important scientific results for star busrt galaxies, galactic star forming regions and others. ASTE discovered very active star burst galaxy at 11.5 Giga light-year distances, which shows 1000 time star formation than Milkyway galaxy. Also other star burst galaxies are discovered. These results are important for understanding of the revolution of galaxies. J4. VLBI In the field of VLBI, Japan has mainly two activities. One is ground-based arrays, such as VERA, JVN and EAVN. The other is a space-based project, which is VSOP-2. VERA aims to measure the trigonometric parallaxes for galactic maser sources and reveal real structure of the Milkyway galaxy. VERA has started to observe more than 200 sources and determine the distance and proper motions for around 50 sources. And neaby arm structure around Sun is decided. Also JVN (Japanese VLBI Network) has started science observations, which consists of 12 VLBI stations in Japan. Fine structure of jets and disks in star forming regions are revealed by 6.7GHz methanol maser observations. And other high sentivity VLBI observations have been carried out. Moreover EAVN (East Asian VLBI network) is started. Some test observations were done and feasibility is checked between Japan, Korea and China. EAVN has around 20 VLBI stations, which is the biggest in the world. And new VLBI correlator is constructed by the interbational collaborations between Japan and Korea. It has 16 stations correlations with 8Gbps data rate per station, which is the biggest capability in the world. Space VLBI project, which is used space radio telescope as a VLBI station, is started the project. 9-m deployment antenna, which is a key instrument, met some difficulties. It is under the review of project by ISAS/JAXA. J5. Others Japan has many activities of radio astronomy. Hokakido University has a 11-m telescope for 22 GHz observations. NH3 observations for galactic sources are published. Ibaraki University is operating two 32-m telescopes at Takahagi under the collaboration with NAOJ. They have 6, 8, and 22 GHz receivers for single dish and VLBI observations. National Institute of Communication and Trasmission (NICT) has a 32-m telescope at Kashima for VLBI. And NICT has developed VLBI sampler, recorder and software correlator for geodesy VLBI. Geo-Survey Institute (GSI) of Japan has a 32-m telescope at Tsukuba for geodesy VLBI, which is to keep the original point in Japan. GSI has three 11-m telescopes for geodesy VLBI in Shitotsugawa, Aira, and Chichijima. Moreover Tsukuba University uses GSI 32-m telescope for astonomy usage at 22GHz. Institute of Space and Astronaitics Science (ISAS) has a 64-m telescope at Usuda, which is mainly used for satellite tracking. It is used for VLBI. Waseda University has an 8-element array with 20-m fixed telescopes at 1.4 GHz, which is mainly used for pulsar and transient sources. Naogoya University has a 4-m submillimeter telescope at Atacama, which is called as NANTEN. It made large survey of some star forming regions. Gifu University has a 11-m telescope at 8 and 22GHz, which is used for geodey VLBI and optical fiber VLBI experiments. Osaka Prefecture University has a 1.85-m telescope at Nobeyama and an activity to develop new receivers. 6GHz and 8GHz common polarized and receiver is developed and used at Takahagi and Shanghai telescopes. Yamaguchi University is operating 32-m telescope at Yamaguchi with NAOJ, which has 6GHz and 8GHz receivers. It is used for single dish and VLBI obserbations and made some results of methanol masers and active galactic nuclei sources. Kagoshima Univeristy is collaborating with NAOJ for VERA. Period luminosity relation of Mira variables is deteming. References and Abstracts Abdo, A.A., M. Ackermann, M. Ajello, A. Axelsson, L. Baldini, J. Ballet, G. Barbielline, D. Bastieri, B. M. Baughman, K. Bechtol, R. Bekkazzini, B. Berenji, E. D. Bloom, E. Bonamente, A. W. Borgland, J. Bregeon, A. Brez, M. Brigida, P. Bruel, T. H. Burnett, G. A. Caliandro, R. A. Cameron, P. A. Caraveo, J. M. Casandjian, E. Cavazzuti, C. Cecchi, Ö. Celik, A. Celotti, A. Chekhtman, J. Chiang, S. Ciprini, R. Claus, J. Cohen-Tanugi, W. Collmar, J. Conrad, L. Costamante, S. Cutini, A. de Angelis, F. de Palma, E. do Couto e Silva, P. S. Frell, D. Dumora, C. Farnier, C. Favuzzi, S. J. Fegan, W. B. Focke, P. Fortin, L. Foschini, M. Frailis, L. Fuhrmann, Y. Fukazawa, S. Funk, P. Fusco, F. Gargano, N. Gehrels, S. Germani, N. Giglietto, F. Giordano, M. Giroletti, T. Glanzman, G. Godfrey, I. A. Grenier, IJ. E. Grove, L. Guillemot, S. Guiriec, Y. Hanabata, E. Hays, R. E. Hughes, M. S. Jackson, G. Johannesson, A. S. Johnson, W. N. Johnson, M. Kadler, T. Kamae, H. Katagiri, J. Kataoka, N. Kawai, M. Kerr, J. Knodlseder, M. L. Kocian, M. Kuss, J. Lander, L. Latronico, F. Longo, F. Loparco, B. Lott, M. N. Lovelette, P. Lubrano, G. M. Madejski, A. Makeev, W. Max-Moerbeck, M. N. Mazziotta, W. McConville, J. E. McEnery, S. McGlynn, C. Meurer, P. F. Michelson, W. Mitthumsiri, T. Mizuno, A. A. Moiseev, C. Monte, M. E. Monzani, A. Morselli, I. V. Moskalenko, I. Nestoras, P. L. Nolan, J. P. Norris, E. Nuss, T. Ohsugi, N. Omodei, E. Orlando, J. F. Ormes, D. Paneque, D. Parent, V. Pavlidou, V. Pelassa, M. Pepe, M. Persc-Rollins, F. Piron, T. A. Porter, S. Raino, R. Rando, M. Razzano, A. Readhead, O. Reimer, T. Reposeur, J. L. Richards, A. Y. Rodriguez, M. Roth, F. Ryde, H. F. -W. Sadrozinski, D. Sanchez, A. Sander, P. M. Saz Parkinson, J. D. Scargle, C. Sgro, M. S. Shaw, P. D. Smith, G. Spandre, P. Spinelli, M. S. Strickman, D. J. Suson, G. Tagliaferri, H. Tajima, H. Takahashi, T. Tanaka, J. B. Thayer, J. G. Thayer, D. J. Tho,pson, L.