ATNF News Issue No. 69, October 2010 ISSN 1323-6326 CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science – undertaking world leading astronomical research and operator of the Australia Telescope National Facility. Two of CSIRO’s new Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) antennas, close to the centre of the array, during assembly at the Murchison Radio- astronomy Observatory in September 2010. Credit: Carole Jackson A reflector dish is placed on its pedestal as one of CSIRO’s new ASKAP anennas is assembled at the Murchison Radio- astronomy Observatory. Credit: Ross Forsyth Cover page image Three newly constructed CSIRO ASKAP antennas pictured at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory in Western Australia. 2 ATNF News, Issue 69, October 2010 Editorial Contents Welcome to the October issue From the Chief of CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science ...........................................................4 of ATNF News for 2010. CASS Organisational Change ........................................................................................................................5 In this issue we report on a number ASKAP and SKA News .....................................................................................................................................6 of staff changes including the arrival Super Science Fellowships Awarded to CASS ....................................................................................9 of Dr Phil Diamond, on 1 June Distinguished Visitors ..........................................................................................................................................9 as new CASS Chief and ATNF Education and Outreach ...............................................................................................................................10 Director, as well as the recent Graduate Student Program .........................................................................................................................11 departures of Lewis Ball to the Australia Telescope Compact Array Open Day ...............................................................................12 Atacama Large Millimeter Array CASS Telescopes Track IKAROS ...............................................................................................................14 (ALMA) and Dave DeBoer to the 2010 Grote Reber Medal Awarded to Alan Rogers .....................................................................16 University of California, Berkeley. 2010 CASS Radio Astronomy School ...................................................................................................18 We wish both Lewis and Dave well In France at the International Space University’s Space Studies Program ........................20 in their new endeavours. You can The Southern Cross Astrophysics Conference Series .................................................................21 read more about Phil Diamond’s Supernovae and their Host Galaxies......................................................................................................21 first impressions of CASS and the The MALT 90 GHz Survey and the SOC Pilot Project ..............................................................22 ATNF in his column on page four. Discovery of a Radio–loud X-ray–quiescent Magnetar in the High Time Resolution In other news, we report on CASS Universe Survey .................................................................................................................................................26 success at being awarded three of First Science from the ASKAP and Warkworth Antennas .........................................................30 the Australian Research Council’s Bonsai-ed Radio Galaxy Gives Clue to Jet Energies ......................................................................33 new Super Science Fellowships. National Facility Operations ........................................................................................................................34 The Fellowships, worth a total of Publications List ...................................................................................................................................................36 $835,000 over three years, will help develop technology for the future international Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope. In other newsletter highlights, we to be installed at the Murchison International Space University’s feature a number of science articles, Radio-astronomy Observatory, along Space Studies Program in France. with a new 12-m antenna installed all based on the fantastic research As always, we provide our regular at Warkworth in New Zealand. that is being undertaken at our in-depth update on CSIRO’s observatories. In the first, Roberto We also feature a report on the Australian Square Kilometre Array Soria reports on a new Compact MALT-90GHz survey, and examine Pathfinder (ASKAP) and SKA Array study of a microquasar in how this activity has been used related activity. As we go to print, the galaxy NGC 7793. His research as a demonstration project in the ASKAP project remains well suggests that the true power of the development of a Science on track with staff currently busy black hole jets is a thousand times Operations Centre in Sydney. at the MRO site, constructing larger than the power estimated ASKAP antennas numbers 2-6. In other news, Phil Edwards looks from observed radio emissions. We at the Japanese solar sail mission To conclude, we finish with our also feature an article by Michael IKAROS — successfully tracked by regular Operations report. Keith and collaborators, who report the Mopra telescope; we report on on the intriguing discovery of a If you would like to contribute to this year’s CASS Radio Astronomy magnetar, by its radio emission alone. future editions of the ATNF News, School held recently at the Narrabri please contact the newsletter team. Also on a science front, Professor Observatory; Chris Hollingdrake Steven Tingay reports on successful details a successful public open Tony Crawshaw and Joanne Houldsworth VLBI observations undertaken using day at the Compact Array; and The ATNF Newsletter Production Team the first of the ASKAP antennas Kjetil Wormnes undertakes the ([email protected]) 3 From the Chief of CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science Phil Diamond Chief of CASS In years past I would receive, originally by post and then more recently via a URL, a copy of the ATNF Newsletter. I was always admiring of the Newsletter: a professional looking document with a range of articles of interest to the users of the ATNF and the wider community. I now find myself in the role of the Chief of CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science (CASS) and the Director of the ATNF and so it is a pleasure to write the “Chief’s Column” for the first time. To begin, I’d like to take the Newsletter) and the huge potential will become clearer and then, of opportunity to give my views on the opportunity of the SKA and the course, we need to know where current status of the Division and local precursor project, ASKAP. the SKA will be located. All of these the ATNF as well as to elaborate, issues will have implications for Opportunities however also bring to some extent, on future strategic radio astronomy across the planet. challenges. A big issue facing CASS direction. Since starting this role and the Australian astronomy To conclude the column, I’d like to on the 1 June 2010 I’ve discovered community is the rapidly changing share with you one of the principal that there is no getting away from strategic landscape. CSIRO is building attractions of coming to lead the fact that CASS and the ATNF ASKAP and aims to be delivering CASS — and that’s the chance to are embedded within CSIRO, science to the user community in work with such an excellent team. a large organisation of 6,500 2013. One immediate challenge Australia and CSIRO in particular, people. This brings with it various is ensuring that we have the full have always had a world-class challenges and opportunities. One operating funds for ASKAP and the reputation in radio astronomy. This personal challenge is that I’ve had existing ATNF facilities, an issue that is still the case. People express to learn CSIRO-speak at which I is being vigorously pursued right now. concern when essential senior staff am told, to my dismay, that I am approach retirement. I worry less, already alarmingly proficient. More In the slightly longer term we especially when I see the quality of seriously, I have been impressed need to understand what might the young engineering team here at at the huge support that CSIRO be the impact of the SKA on radio CASS. This is a talented team that and the Australian government astronomy in Australia. As I write, I is oriented towards the future. provide for radio astronomy, a sum am preparing to attend a series of exceeding $300M over the last high-level SKA meetings in Oxford, I hope you enjoy reading this few years. This support is driven which will be taking decisions vital issue of the ATNF Newsletter. both by the excellent science for the future of the project. As we These are exciting times for undertaken with the current facilities see the outcomes of these meetings radio astronomy Down Under. (see articles elsewhere in this the future structure of the SKA 4 ATNF News, Issue 69, October 2010 CASS Organisational Change Tony Crawshaw (CASS) Since the previous issue of ATNF News (April edition), CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science has seen a number of organisational and