Radio Astronomy in Ghana

10th Inc. E-VLBI2011 Workshop

Amanzingwe Conference Centre, South Africa

Bernard Duah Asabere

(Research Scientist @ GSSTC, GAEC - GHANA & Postgraduate Student @ UJ )

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Outline * Background/Stakeholders

• Meetings/Activities

• Astronomical Projects

-SKA Africa

- Single Dish SO

- AVN & e-VLBI

- SLR Station

• Study Programmes (GP)

• Trainee Programmee

• Research Activities

• Others Items

• Challenges

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Background (1) * Efforts by Interim Committee of Centre (GSSTC) Put in place in Nov. 2009 *Established in Jan.2011 a Separate Institution by MEST *Manage, Coordinate, Steer & Control all Space Science and Technology Activities in the Country (esp.Astronomy, Astrophysics) •Host: GAEC (Research & PG) SNAS Directorate Management (Dr. P.K Ashirevi)

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Background (2) *Dream of GAEC & MEST *Mentored by South Africa(SKA –SA, DST, HartRAO)) *Massive Support from Leadership of MEST, GAEC & SNAS •NCA •Ghana Vodafone •Universities In Ghana •Other Research Institutions

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* Stakeholders •The Minister of MEST,

Ms. Sherry Ayittey

*Director-General, GAEC

Prof. E. Akaho

*Chirman of Interim Com.

& President of GAAS,

Prof. F. Allotey

* SNAS Directors: Prof. Serfo Armah

Dr. Shiloh Dede Osae

• Research Officer,CSIR/MEST

Ms Adelaide A. Asante

* Vodafone Ghana * NCA

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Activities/Meetings • The 54th General Assembly of

UN-OOSA in Vienna, Austria on

6th -10th May 2011 – Observer Status!

• All SKA SA WG Meetings : Last in Pretoria, SA on 21st- 22nd June 2011 & Next in Botswana on January 31-Feb.01, 2012

• SKA Industrial, Engineering and Science Forum in Banff, Alberta Canada on 4th -8th July 2011

• First Ghana Science Congress, Trade Fair Centre, Accra ,Ghana

August 2-5, 2011

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Activities/Meetings Cont. • The 4th ALC on Space Science

and Technology for Sustainable Development ; ALC-2011-Mombasa, Kenya, on 26th – 28th September 2011

• The 5th ALC -2013 to be Hosted

in Ghana by GSSTC in

September 2013

• World Space Week Celebration

on 4th - 10th October, 2011

• The 10th International E-VLBI Workshop in Johannesburg, SA

on 13th -16th November 2011

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Radio Astronomy Projects

• Single Dish Space Observatory (GSO)

• African VLBI Network (AVN)

• The Square Kilometer Array (SKA Africa)

• Satellite Laser

Ranger (SLR)

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Telescope Conversion • MEST Contacted DST/SKA

for colloboration back in Nov. 2010 (disuse dishes)

• Visits (4) by SA Team for Assessment of 32m Dish &

Other 2 (9m & 16m) at the

Site (Kuntunse- Accra)

- Gov’t & Vodafone Gh.

• Teams from SA, GAEC & Vodafone Ghana - work group

• Work on steady Progress

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Telescope Conversion Cont. *Flushing , Oiling & Greasing

Al & Az Gearbox Systems. * Radome to cover the beam waveguide aperture * Work on the EL & Az Resolvers

*Replaced rusty nuts and

faulty limit switches

* Replaced the Encoders in El Resolver * Control /Automatic Rotation Systems

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Milestones for AVN – Ghana (GAP) With the Dedication and Efforts from Ghana & SKA SA, Realistic targets set; • Track An Astronomical Object From End To End While

Recording The Signal Received (In Existing Receiver; 3.6-4.2 GHz) And prove the successful conversion of the antenna tracking system: Feb, 2012

* Pointing Verification, Photogrammetry, Holography and other Experiments as Training Exercises for the Ghanaian team and also to Qualify the Antenna: Sep, 2012

*First Light VLBI Demonstration Observation between Ghana and South Africa (HartRAO) in 5 GHz RF band: Dec 2012

• Full functional Radio Astronomy Telescope for use as Single Dish Telescope (GSO) and also for participation in Global VLBI, AVN and e-VLBI : Dec 31, 2014

*(Submarine Fibre Link Btn Ghana and e-VLBI Data

Processing Centre)

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Study Programmes

*Preparations Underway

. . . . . . . . • Discussion with GES To

Introduce Astronomy Astrophysics at the High School Level by 2013

(In Physics Syllabus) * Undergraduate Study

Programmes ; All Four Premier Universities in The Country.

*Curriculum/Human Capital Developments /Staff Search or

Hunt (Local & International) - PG Programmes At SNAS : • Astronomy &Astrophysics (Radio Astronomy)

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Trainee Programmes *Training and Topup Programmes

are being Organised for Team

Members :

•Science

•Engineering

•SuperComputing

•Technical

•To Build the Needed HCD

for the Project and To Work

on

Similar Projects In Africa

(About 26

Such Dishes are Available For

Conversion Across Africa)

•To Build the Needed Human

Capital for the AVN and

SKA

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Research Activities (GAP)

• Join the Rest of The

Astronomical World to

Explore The Universe in

Real-Time: VLBI

• Located on 50 N (Ghana)

is Very Strategic for All-

Sky Survey with our 32m

Single Dish Telescope

• Satellite Laser Ranger

(SLR) ; for

Satellite Tracking &

Geodesy

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Others Items • Development of a website for

the Centre (GSSTC) for

General Information about

Astronomy in Ghana (SSTC)

• Build Planetaria (4) Strategically – Education and Outreach ( Students & the General Public)

• Outreach/Sensitization Programs.

- electronic & print media

- workshops

- serminas

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Challenges •LAUNCHING, (GSSTC) for

Mandate to Operate Fully

* Staff Strength /HCD Drive

* Budget for Full Operation

(SNAS & GAEC Efforts)

-Measures to Make the Station Financially Self-Supporting

•Yet To Ratify Major UN Conventions & Treaties on Peaceful Use of Outer Space

•More Partners !!!!!

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ooo Thank You ooo

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