Newsletter
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Newsletter |
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| Number 1: September 1999 | ||||
| MERLIN | VLBI AT JBO | PROPOSALS | ARCHIVE | CONTACT |
| Contents | |
This is the first of a regular biannual newsletter that will describe activities at the MERLIN/VLBI National Facility (NF). In the past there has been no clear mechanism for disseminating information to the NF's user community; this is being rectified through this newsletter and also through the publication of a more detailed biennial report. Copies of the first edition of this report, covering the period 1997-1998, were made available at NAM and will be distributed further within the next two weeks.
The proposal deadline is 9th October 1999. All details are in the MERLIN web area, specifically:
MERLIN will be offering 22GHz, 5GHz, and 1.4-1.7GHz for Semester 00A (although it is not yet clear if the Lovell telescope will be available for 1.4-1.7GHz in 00A). Proposal forms, information on MERLIN Key Programmes, and further general information can be obtained via:
| www: | http://www.merlin.ac.uk | ftp: | ftp.jb.man.ac.uk, Directory: /pub/merlin/semester_00A | email: | merlin@jb.man.ac.uk |
The second is the autumn deadline for European and global VLBI:
The proposal deadline is 1st October 1999. All details may be found in the EVN USERS GUIDE at:
The provisional plan for EVN observing sessions in 2000 is given below, proposals received by October 1st will be considered for scheduling in any of the sessions listed.
| 2000 | Session 1 | Feb 10 - Mar 02 | 6 cm, | (+MERLIN), | 18/21 cm, + ?? |
| 2000 | Session 2 | May 25 - Jun 15 | 6 cm, | 18/21 cm, + ?? | |
| 2000 | Session 3 | Sep 06 - Sep 27 | 6 cm, | 18/21 cm, + ?? | |
| 2000 | Session 4 | Nov 08 - Nov 25 | 6 cm, | 18/21 cm, + ?? |
The ?? signify wavelengths to be allocated based on proposal pressure.
There is some good news: GBFC allowed the NF to appoint a data archivist whose job is to produce an archive of all MERLIN data. This will be accomplished in three phases: first the archive database and web interface will be created; secondly, an existing pipeline reduction script written in AIPS will be used to start populating the database with calibrated data and initial images from new observations; finally the archivist will move backwards through the existing archive of raw data and produce a full archive. The existing rules regarding open access to MERLIN data will remain in place, that is: MERLIN data becomes publicly available 12 months after the end of the semester in which the observations were made. Dr. Anita Richards has been appointed as the archivist from October 1, 1999.
In addition, we welcome Brian Smith to Jodrell Bank. Bryan joins us on an EU funded programme to perform development work on broadband fibre optic connections. Specifically, he is modelling the transmission characteristics of such fibres and assessing the feasibility of transmitting several Gbit/sec over lengths of 100s and 1000s of km.
(Click on image for full version) |
Additional 1.4 and 1.6 GHz MERLIN data have shown 9 sources coincident in
position with the ones detected at 5 GHz and allowed us to compute their
spectral indices. Three of them show values consistent with synchrotron
emission from SNR or RSN, but the others present a very steep inverted
spectrum. Most of the sources with inverted spectrum are unresolved with
diameters < 9 pc and TB > 1000 K, but two are resolved in amorphous
structures with sizes 10 and 20 pc. We claim that the positive spectral
index sources are optically thick compact or "ultra dense" HII regions
with ne > 103 cm-3, ionized by
103 O6 equivalent stars.
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Such massive regions of current star-formation have been seen in other galaxies (NGC5253 and Henize 2-10), but, interestingly, are not seen in M82; this last galaxy has in fact many similarities with NGC2146. The present starburst in NGG2146 may lie in a temporally intermediate phase between the very young ones such as in NGC5253 and older examples like M82 (the ageing of the bursts refers to the sequence presented in Rieke et al., 1988, ApJ 325, 679).
The inverted spectra could alternatively be caused by strong free-free absorption at 18cm caused by foregroung ionized gas with very high emission measures (> 108 pc cm-6). The MERLIN observations also reveal a very compact steep-spectrum source close to the centre of the galaxy which is, up to now, considered a candidate for a RSN, because of its steep nonthermal spectrum and its high brightness temperature. HI absorption has been detected against this source using MERLIN at 21cm, implying a column depth of 25 x 1021 cm-2.
These observations demonstrate the current ability of MERLIN to resolve SNR and star-forming regions in increasingly distant galaxies. The proposed upgrade for MERLIN, including the resurfaced Lovell Telescope, will allow populations of SNR and HII regions to be studied in many more galaxies at greater distances.
PI: A. Tarchi (Bonn), Co-I's: N. Neininger, U. Klein (Bonn), A. Greve (IRAM), B. Glendenning (NRAO), A. Pedlar (JBO), S. Garrington, T. Muxlow (MERLIN/VLBI NF).
(Click on image for larger version) |
Our main task this summer has been the complete replacement of the servo,
drive and control system on the Darnhall telescope which is one of the 25-m
diameter VLA-style dishes located about 30km from Jodrell Bank. This is part
of the Restructuring initiative, which also provides for similar work to be
carried out on the Knockin and Pickmere telescopes in summer 2000. The
existing (original) control systems on these three telescopes are more than
20 years old, obsolete and beginning to cause trouble, so the replacement is
timely. It is interesting to note that even electric motor technology has
advanced since the telescopes were built, with the result that the new
motors are substantially smaller than the originals. At the time of writing, the new hardware is installed and commissioning is almost complete. The revised telescope control software has also been written and installed. Testing of the complete system is due to begin shortly. Also ready for testing is a new version of the Mk2 telescope control software which will permit full remote control of the receiver changing carousel in the focus cabin during the next 5/22GHz observing session early in the new year. However, final commissioning of this system has been deferred until after the September VLBI session to permit completion of improvements to the elevation drive and new focus access arrangements required by the Health & Safety Executive. The construction of the carousel was a direct scientific benefit of the restructuring programme which was otherwise aimed at decreasing the running costs of current observations. It was designed and commissioned in-house in less than 12 months. |
The Lovell Telescope, which is an important element of many National Facility observations, has been the subject of major engineering work this summer, including:
The bearings we have replaced were installed when the Telescope was first constructed in the early 1950s. We hope that the new ones last equally well.
The plan is discussed in more detail at
Briefly, the development is envisaged in three stages:
Along with the concurrent resurfacing of the Lovell telescope, these upgrades will provide, without significant increase in running costs, a 25-fold sensitivity increase at the prime operating frequency of 5 GHz with 50 mas resolution and the ability to carry out reliable imaging at 22-24 GHz with 8 mas resolution.
The exact sequencing of the components of the development is not critical, nor is the division into three stages.
The unique combination of resolution, sensitivity and frequency coverage of an upgraded MERLIN will open up a spectacular range of new possibilities in both galactic and extra-galactic astronomy. In particular it will bring within reach the thermal and ionized universe of stars, nebulae and active galaxies in a wavelength regime unobscured by dust. Stellar astronomy in particular will be revolutionised by the ability to detect thermal emission from warm gas and dust with linear resolution of a few AU or better. MERLIN will therefore provide complementary science to ALMA (which studies cold/cool material at somewhat lower resolution) and NGST. Other MERLIN opportunities include fundamental astrometry with a positional accuracy < 0.1 mas; planetary searches; studies of star forming regions and active stars; methanol and excited state OH masers, extragalactic SNR and starburst galaxies, AGN and a wide range of cosmological studies.
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