(radio) astronomy in taiwan

(Radio) Astronomy in Taiwan(Radio) Astronomy in Taiwan

Jeremy Lim Institute of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Academia Sinica

(ASIAA), Taiwan

Taiwan(22.5 million)

Malaysia (23 million)

Growth of Astronomy in Growth of Astronomy in TaiwanTaiwan

No. of PhD working in Astronomy, Astrophysics & Particle Astrophysics in Taiwan

4 5 5 5 5 5 59 9 9 9 9 10 12 12

15

22

29 3034

42

51

65 65

80

0

20

40

60

80

100

1970 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

year

Num

ber

of P

hD

No. of PhD

ASIAA established (1993)

“Story of Modern Astronomy in Taiwan is very much the story of ASIAA”

1980 1990 2000

Taiwan only recently became a player in modern astronomy

Why do Why do Astronomy?Astronomy?Forefront Scientific Research

No secrets or patents – Discoveries openly published, Universe available to All

Friendly and Helpful Community:Open (competitive) access to forefront Telescopes

Collaborations to build up Research or Instruments/Telescopes

Taiwan Funding Agencies – Academia Sinica, National Science Council, and Ministry of Education

Improve Science and Technology

Graduate Education (Astrophysics, Mathematics, Engineering, Computers, …)

Technology transfer to Industry

Public Support

Strong Public interest, stimulates Education among all Ages

Institute of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei (NTU) (10 faculty, ~17 postdocs, ~20 technical, ~15 assistants, ~15 students)

Graduate Institute of Astronomy, National Central University (NCU), Chung-Li (9 faculty, ~20 Masters, ~5 PhD, ~2 postdocs)

Institute of Astrophysics, National Taiwan University (NTU), Taipei (3 faculty, a few students)

Institute of Astronomy, National Tsing-Hua University (NTHU), Tsing-Hua (2 faculty, a few students)

Theoretical Institute for Advanced Research in Astrophysics (TIARA), NTHU-AS initiative (currently housed at ASIAA)

Astronomers on faculty in other University departments

Main Astronomy/Astrophysics Main Astronomy/Astrophysics Institutes/DepartmentsInstitutes/Departments

Main Telescope Research Main Telescope Research Projects Projects Radio Telescopes

Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) on Mauna Kea, Hawaii (USA, Taiwan), commissioned

Array for Microwave Background Anisotropy (AMiBA) on Mauna Loa, Hawaii (Taiwan, Australia, USA, Canada), under construction

Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) on Atacama, Chile (USA, Europe, Japan), under negotiation with Japan

Optical Telescopes

Taiwan-American-Occultation Survey (TAOS) on Lulin mountain, Taiwan (Taiwan, USA, Korea), under construction

WIRCam for CFHT (3.6 m) on Mauna Kea, Hawaii (Canada, France, USA, Korea, Taiwan), under construction

“Builder, not just user”

Partnership between Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) and ASIAA

Eight 6-meter antennas located at Mauna Kea, Hawaii (altitude 4080 m)

2 antennas constructed by ASIAA – increases number of baselines from 15 to 28!

The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − OverviewThe Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Overview

Partnership between Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) and ASIAA

Eight 6-meter antennas located at Mauna Kea, Hawaii (altitude 4080 m)

2 antennas constructed by ASIAA – increases number of baselines from 15 to 28!

The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − OverviewThe Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Overview

Hangar for Assembly

Control Room

Receivers at 1.3 mm (270 GHz), 0.8 mm (345 GHz), and 0.4 mm (690 GHz)

The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Operating The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Operating BandsBands

Constructed and Assembled in Taiwan in partnership with Industry

Mount constructed by China Shipbuilding Company (CSBC) in Keelung

The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Mount & The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Mount & ReflectorReflector


Carbon-Fiber Reinforced Plastic Tubes for Reflector Backup Structure constructed by NITE (bicycle company) in Taichung



Antenna Mechanical/Electrical Assembly by Aeronautic Research Laboratory (ARL) in Taichung


Establishment of a Receiver Laboratory at ASIAA

All Receiver Systems assembled/tested by ASIAA Receiver Laboratory

The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Receiver The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Receiver SystemsSystems

Developing expertise to make Low-Noise Junctions for Receivers

690 GHz SiS (Nb/SiO2) junction fabricated at ASIAA and National

Tsing-Hua University (NTHU)

The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Junctions The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Junctions

Array commissioned in November 2003

General Purpose Astronomical Research: Solar System – Planetary Atmospheres

Galactic Astronomy – Star Formation, Evolved Stars, Planetary Nebulae Extragalactic Astronomy – Dust and Interstellar Medium, Relativistic Jets

The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Science The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Science

Science Program: Molecular Gas in Messier 51 (a nearby active galaxy)


SMA: 12CO (2-1) @230 GHz

Science Program: Motion of Molecular Gas in M51


SMA: 12CO (2-1) @230 GHz

Science Programs: Feeding the Central Supermassive Black Hole in M51


12CO (1-0) @115 GHz

Sakamoto et al. (1999)


SMA: 12CO (2-1) @230 GHz



SMA: 12CO (3-2) @345 GHz


Local Partners ASIAA and National Taiwan University (NTU)

Measure polarization of Cosmic Microwave Background at 3 mm (90 GHz)

Search for distant Galaxy Clusters from Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect at 3 mm, as tracer of Large-Scale Structure of the Universe

Array for Microwave Background Anisotropy Array for Microwave Background Anisotropy (AMiBA) (AMiBA)

observing frequency

CMB modified by

SZ effect

CMB

Measurement of SZ-effect with Owens Valley Radio Observatory


X-ray Contours Radio False-Color

X-ray Contours X-ray False-Color

X-ray Contours Optical False-Color

Patel et al. (2000)

AMiBA Prototype (2 x 30 cm) dishes on Mauna Loa, Hawaii (2002)

Hardware Testing and Trouble-Shooting, Astronomy Test Observations


Fringes on MoonTwo-element Prototype

AMiBA to be deployed in 2004 (starting with 7 elements, 0.6 – 2.4 m dishes)


Taiwan-American-Occultation Survey (TAOS)Taiwan-American-Occultation Survey (TAOS)

Local Partners ASIAA and National Central University (NCU)

Determine size distribution of Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs)

Discovery of first KBO

Jewiit & Luu (1993)

The Solar System


Only KBOs ≥ 100 km detectable by even the largest optical telescopes

TAOS able to detect KBOs ≥ 2 km by occultation of Background Stars


Instrument: Four 20 inch (50 cm) telescopes on Lulin Mountain, Taiwan


Test observation: Occultation of Background Star by a known Asteroid 1 Frame

(0.2 s)

Astronomy in Taiwan: A Strong Growth PhaseAstronomy in Taiwan: A Strong Growth Phase

Strong Growth anticipated for TIARA, NTU, and NTHU

ASIAA, with ~70 members currently, continues to expand to meet challenge of ALMA and other projects

Active Recruitment of Astronomers, Astrophysicists, Physicists, Engineers, and Computer Scientists (hardware and software)

Positions advertised in Physics Today and Job Register of American Astronomical Society

For more Information, please contact:Jeremy Lim (Chair, Postdoc Committee)

[email protected] Sun Kwok (Director, Executive Committee) [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

(radio) astronomy in taiwan

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