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Australian SKA Planning Office
Newsletter 2, September 2005

This is the second of a series of Newsletters from the Australian SKA Planning Office (ASPO) to keep interested parties informed about the progress of activities in Australia related to the Square Kilometre Array radio telescope.

New Technology Demonstrator dishes arrive at CSIRO Radiophysics Laboratory
The Major National Research Facilities Program New Technology Demonstrator (NTD) project is to design and develop a technology demonstrator for the SKA. This CSIRO project will lead to the construction and operation of two parabolic dishes equipped with focal plane arrays.
mage: Chris Fluke, Centre for strophysics and Supercomputing, winburne University / CVA

Refurbished antennas from the old Fleurs radio telescope run by the University of Sydney are being installed on the CSIRO Radiophysics site at Marsfield in NSW by engineering company Sydney Engineering. Final adjustments are being made for a new surface mesh, and new drive and control systems are being installed and tested. A prototype 24 channel beamformer has been built and a prototype version of software has been written for polyphase filtering. In this first stage of the demonstrator, focal plane arrays are being sourced from overseas suppliers. A key milestone is the completion of the antenna test platform

Figure 2. Early meccano training comes into good use in reconstruction of the NTD antenna! Ken Skinner and Craig Best of Sydney Engineering starting to put together the dish structure. Photo credit: Tony Sweetnam.

using the dishes, a Thea tile from ASTRON in The Netherlands, and the prototype beamformer ready to conduct initial experiments. The target date is October 2005. For more information: Tony Sweetnam, CSIRO Australia Telescope National Facility, tony.sweetnam@csiro.au

SKAMP ­ updates and events
SKAMP ­ the SKA Molonglo Prototype ­ is a test bed for multibeaming technologies that is part of Australia's SKA prototyping effort. The first part of the project is to test a signal pathway using digital correlation that operates in parallel with the existing Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope (MOST). Issues concerning integration of the different pathway components have been resolved and all elements of the system are "talking" to each other. It is expected that a complete drift scan ­ sky fringes ­ will be achieved by the end of September. As part of implementing a fully digital data acquisition system, 1.2 km of optic fibre and custom-designed laser and detectors are on order and, despite delays due to poor weather conditions, trenching for conduits for the fibres is now complete. continued over page

Figure 1. Deliver y of the hub of an NTD dish at CSIRO Radiophysics Laboratory at Marsfield, August 2005. Photo credit: Tony Sweetnam.

CSIRO

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To enable early testing of the new line feed, an additional section of the cylindrical reflector is under construction on the site, 200 m north of the MOST axis. Called the Rapid Prototyping Telescope (RPT), the framework for this minitelescope has been completed. To reduce the effect on the system noise temperature from leakage through the present telescope mesh, a trial of a finer mesh is scheduled for the RPT, the signals from which will be fully integrated with the MOST systems. November 2005 sees the 40th anniversary of the commencement of telescope operations at the Molonglo Observatory. To celebrate this event, the University of Sydney is holding a one day symposium on Thursday 17th November 2005, to highlight the scientific impact of the past 40 years of the telescope and to present the exciting new plans and progress of the SKAMP project. A BBQ on site at Molonglo will be held the following day, Friday 18th November. For full details see http://www.physics.usyd.edu.au/astrop/molonglo40 For more information: Diana Londish, ASPO, diana.londish@csiro.au

time we brought to Hobart all of our equipment. Every element of the system we used was brought from New Zealand (except the 14 m dish) and assembled in to the complete system. This VLBI test was successful. A 5 Jy source (0537-441) gave a very strong fringe (14 sigma with just 1 s integration time). Data was crosscorrelated with the software correlator developed in Swinburne. The test has proved that the New Zealand system does work in the conditions of real VLBI. It is clear now that the 6 m dish we have available in New Zealand is marginal in terms of sensitivity. With much better understanding of the parameters of the New Zealand system (such as instrumental time delay, system temperature, etc.), there is the probability that we will get fringes in the next Trans-Tasman test. Since we started 6 months ago we have learned a lot about the telescope and the system we use. Some innovative approaches have been developed. For example it was demonstrated that two inexpensive Rubidium clocks combined and disciplined with GPS can serve as a reliable VLBI time standard (dt/t 10 12). Due to the great help and support from our Australian colleagues and friends we have evolved to the stage where single-dish radio astronomy has become fact in New Zealand, and Trans-Tasman VLBI is just a matter of a greater collecting area than we have had available up to now. There is no doubt that New Zealand will soon become a part of the international VLBI network; an important step on the path to our being an SKA partner. We thank John Dickey and Brian Boyle for providing Director's time and full support in the radio observatories of the University of Tasmania and ATNF. Massive thank you to all members

New Zealand Development towards VLBI and SKA
By Sergei Gulyaev and Tim Natusch Centre for Radiophysics and Space Research Auckland University of Technology Auckland, New Zealand In early 2005 the New Zealand Ministry of Economic Development granted a substantial fund for the development of Trans-Tasman (New Zealand­Australia) VLBI. In April 2005 the first prototype of the New Zealand receiving system developed for the L-band (1.65 GHz) was tested in Hobart, Tasmania for the first time. The multibeam correlator was used to cross-correlate between the 14 m and 26 m radio telescopes on a short baseline of about 100 m. One of the telescopes (14 m) was equipped with the principal components of the New Zealand system (feed, L-band receiver, sampler, etc.). We got fringes for a number of radio sources, from Taurus A to a 5 Jy QSO; but being only a 100 m baseline this was not true VLBI. Steven Tingay (Swinburne) suggested that we use a combination of the New Zealand system with a bigger antenna (14 m), this time in a VLBI test with the ATCA. The test was conducted in Hobart at the end of August. For a second

Figure 3. Celebrating acquisition of fringes from the New Zealand equipment at Hobart. From left to right: Adam Deller and Steven Tingay (Swinburne University of Technology), Tim Natusch (Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand), Brett Reid and Erick Baynes (Univeristy of Tasmania).


of Australian e-VLBI team, and especially to Steven Tingay, the initiator and the champion of the Trans-Tasman VLBI development.

this workshop, please see http://www.atnf.csiro.au/ projects/ska/industry_2/antennas.html For more information: Dr Carole Jackson, ASPO Industry Liaison, carole.jackson@csiro.au

Industry supports the SKA industry cluster mapping project
As reported in the last ASPO newsletter, (www.atnf.csiro.au/news/press/ASPOnewsletter1.pdf) the Australian Electronics Industry Action Agenda Implementation group has endorsed the SKA project, and since then ASPO, with advice from industry groups, has been progressing industry engagement in SKA R&D. An "SKA cluster mapping project" has been designed, which will determine capability, gaps and strategic goals within the Australian-based electronics and ICT industry. The initial mapping project is expected to foster the development of industry-led SKA R&D projects, offering global exposure to potential new astronomy markets, as well as the exploitation of SKA technologies beyond radio astronomy. An initial `core' consortium comprising Global Innovation Centre Pty Ltd, CSIRO, AEEMA, Cisco Systems, RLM Management Pty Ltd, Boeing Australia Ltd, BAE SYSTEMS Australia, Radio Frequency Systems Pty Ltd, Tenix Pty Ltd, R.F.Aust Technologies Pty Ltd, and Raytheon Australia Pty Ltd has been identified with all partners expressing strong support for the aims of the cluster mapping project. This core consortium, via the facilitator, Mr John Humphreys of Global Innovation Centre Pty Ltd, has submitted an application for funding to AusIndustry's "Industry Cooperative Innovation Program" (ICIP). The SKA industry cluster mapping project will enable ASPO to work with the project teams to maximise the benefits from SKA R&D to: identify industry capability manage a potentially very large number of interested Australian companies with high expectations of potential benefits from the SKA project, and raise the profile of SKA-related R&D via active engagement with the Commonwealth Government's "Action Agendas". More information on the cluster's current activities can be found on the ASPO Industry web pages (http://www.atnf.csiro.au/projects/ska/industry_2.html). The first event that used the new contacts forged via the SKA cluster was an open `Antennas design for the xNTD workshop' on the afternoon of 15 September 2005. For further information on

Industry advises on SKA operational models for the Australasian SKA Consortium site submission
On 15 August 2005, a newly established ADIESA SKA Working Group met at University House, ANU, to assist with advice and information in support of the Australasian SKA Consortium Site submission. ADIESA (Australian Defence Information and Electronic Systems Association) is a forum of AEEMA (the Australian Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association), and has as members many of the companies that support remote facilities operations in Australia. The workshop was convened and facilitated by Brett Biddington (Cisco Systems) as Chair of ADIESA, an industry representative on the CSIRO Australia Telescope Steering Committee and member of the ASKAC industry working group. Connell Wagner is actively engaged in the site submission preparation with CSIRO, and was represented by Rick Hopkins. The workshop discussed the operational logistics of the many remote facilities that are successfully operated across Australia, and demonstrated that Australian companies have vast experience in successfully operating remote facilities in inland regions. We would like to thank representatives from Boeing Australia Ltd, RLM Management Pty Ltd, Tenix Pty Ltd, Raytheon Australia Pty Ltd, Ball Solutions, Cisco Systems, Rohde & Schwarz (Australia) Pty Ltd, Storagetek-Australia, and Hewlett-Packard Australia Ltd who traveled to Canberra to participate in this workshop and provided useful input to our site submission. For more information: Michelle Storey, ASPO Leader, michelle.storey@csiro.au.

Australian SKA Planning Office Personnel
Dr Diana Londish has joined the ASPO team to assist with documentation and other duties for ASPO. Welcome, Diana! For more information: Michelle Storey, ASPO Leader, michelle.storey@csiro.au continued over page


News from Western Australia
In July 2005 the Western Australian Minister for the Environment; Science, the Hon Dr Judy Edwards, MLA, established the Western Australian SKA Taskforce (WASKAT) to coordinate the State Government's contributions to the bid to host the SKA in Australia. The chair of WASKAT is Dr Ross Field, Chief of Staff of the Office of the Minister for the Environment; Science. Serving on the taskforce are Prof. John de Laeter, from Curtin University, and representatives from relevant Ministerial Offices, the Office of Science and Innovation and the Mid West Development Commission. Michael Rowe, Principal Policy Officer, Department of the Premier and Cabinet, has been appointed Project Director to oversee and coordinate State Government agency contributions to the SKA bid process.

Currently the priority issue for WASKAT is to secure land for an Astronomy Park and radio-quiet zone in and around Australia's candidate site for the SKA at Mileura Station in the mid west of Western Australia. In addition to WASKAT a number of other Western Australian Government agencies are providing significant assistance on issues such as access, land use, cultural heritage, environmental matters and development opportunities that may arise from the establishment of the Radio Astronomy Park. These include the Department for Planning and Infrastructure, Department of Indigenous Affairs, Department of Industry and Resources, Department of Land Information, Department of Conservation and Land Management, Department of Environment and the Office of Native Title. For further information, contact Michael Rowe, mrowe@dpc.wa.gov.au

Further information on the SKA project can be found on the international SKA website at www.skatelescope.org. If you would like to become a member of the Australian SKA email group to receive information about SKA activities and events, please contact Dr Michelle Storey, ASPO Leader, michelle.storey@csiro.au.

Contact ASPO
Phone Web +61-2-9372-4100 www.atnf.csiro.au/projects/ska

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