(Radio) Astronomy in Taiwan(Radio) Astronomy in TaiwanJeremy Lim

Institute of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Academia Sinica

(ASIAA), Taiwan

Taiwan(22.5 million)

Malaysia (23 million)

Why do Why do Astronomy?Astronomy?Forefront Scientific Research

No secrets - Universe available to All

Friendly Community:Free (competitive) access to forefront Telescopes

Collaborations to build up Research or Instruments/Telescopes

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

Improving Science and Technology

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

Technology transfer to Industry

Public Support

Strong Public interest, and stimulates Education

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 Astronomy in Taiwan (so far) is very much the story of ASIAA”

1980 1990 2000

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

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

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 (temporarily 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

Constructed and Assembled in Taiwan in partnership with Industry

Carbon-Fiber Reinforced Plastic Tubes for Reflector Backup Structure constructed by NITE in Taichung

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

Constructed and Assembled in Taiwan in partnership with Industry

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

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

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

Science Programs: Studies of Star Formation, Evolved Stars, External Galaxies, ...

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

Array commissioned in November 2003

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

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

SMA: 12CO (2-1)

Array commissioned in November 2003

Science Program: Motion of Molecular Gas in M51

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

SMA: 12CO (2-1)

Array commissioned in November 2003

Science Programs: Feeding the Central Supermassive Black Hole in M51

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

12CO (1-0)

Sakamoto et al. (1999)

Array commissioned in November 2003

Science Programs: Feeding the Central Supermassive Black Hole in M51

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

SMA: 12CO (2-1)

Array commissioned in November 2003

Science Programs: Feeding the Central Supermassive Black Hole in M51

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

SMA: 12CO (3-2)

Measure polarization of Cosmic Microwave Background

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

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

Measurement of SZ-effect with Owens Valley Radio Observatory

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

X-ray Contours Radio False-Color

X-ray Contours X-ray False-Color

X-ray Contours Optical False-Color

AMiBA Prototype on Mauna Loa, Hawaii (deployed 2002)

Hardware Testing and Trouble-Shooting, Astronomy Test Observations

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

AMiBA to be deployed in 2004 (starting with 7 elements)

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

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

Determine size distribution of Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs)

Discovery Images

Jewiit & Luu (1993)

The Solar System

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

Technique: Occultation of Background Stars by KBOs

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

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

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

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

(0.2 s)

ASIAA: A Growing InstituteASIAA: A Growing Institute

Currently about 70 members

Active Recruitment of Astronomers and Engineers

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

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

jlim@asiaa.sinica.edu.tw Sun Kwok (Director, Executive Committee) kwok@asiaa.sinica.edu.tw