VSOP-2 the role of Hobart and Ceduna?

Simon Ellingsen

University of Tasmania

Centre for Astrophysics of Compact Objects

VSOP-2 The role of Hobart and Ceduna?

History

• The University of Tasmania operates two radio telescopes, one near Hobart in Tasmania, the other near Ceduna in South Australia.

• There is a strong history of collaboration between various Japanese research groups and UTAS :– VSOP/HALCA

– SELENE VRAD experiment

– Syowa Geodetic VLBI

VSOP-2 The role of Hobart and Ceduna?

Current Capabilities

• Hobart operates over the frequency range 300 MHz - 25 GHz.– Pointing and surface accuracy mean higher frequency

operation would require significant expenditure.

• Ceduna operates over the frequency range 2 - 22 GHz.– No cryogenics, surface accuracy and optics limitations

(subreflector and waveguide) mean higher frequency operation work would require significant expenditure.

VSOP-2 The role of Hobart and Ceduna?

Availability/Flexibility• Hobart and Ceduna are heavily utilised for VLBI,

Flux Density monitoring, maser searches and student projects.

• Unique and high-impact projects such as VSOP-2 can easily be integrated into this program.

• Observations can be scheduled at relatively short notice, provided they don’t clash with LBA or other previously scheduled VLBI.

• Ceduna is operated remotely and probably best used primarily for 8 GHz observations.

VSOP-2 The role of Hobart and Ceduna?

Operations Issues

• As University owned facilities Hobart and Ceduna have a very limited operations budget & staff:– 3 academic staff (Dickey, Ellingsen & Johnston-Hollitt)

– 1 permanent technical staff (Reid)

– 1.5 + 1 contract technical staff

– 2 postdoctoral researchers

– 4 postgraduate students

• Degree of participation will depend on available funding, either direct, or leveraged

VSOP-2 The role of Hobart and Ceduna?

VSOP-2 The role of Hobart and Ceduna?

Mt Pleasant Observatory 14m (foreground) and 26m (background) radio telescopes

VSOP-2 The role of Hobart and Ceduna?

Ceduna 30m radio telescope just prior to the 4 December 2002 solar eclipse.