Extragalactic Radio Source Studies

射电天文学计划的指导下， 首席研究员伯纳德·F.伯克，威尔 集中精力研究河外射电源， 特别强调了引力的研究 透镜现象 研究的第一阶段， 涉及4000个无线电源与VLA的映射， 已经完成，这项工作已经发现， 至少六个引力透镜的新例子。 的 利用引力时间延迟效应， 独立评估哈勃常数，并 探索宇宙的大尺度几何学 一种新的引力透镜，称为“爱因斯坦环” 已经被确认了 已经找到了三个， 将为更多这样的物体制作。 这些对象是 特别重要，因为它们允许确定的 测量银河系的质量。 在赠款期间，进行了两次新的射电源调查 将发生，一个使用甚大阵列（VLA）， 索科罗，新墨西哥州，另一个是使用 澳大利亚的帕克斯210英尺望远镜 这将是 随后使用澳大利亚望远镜 寻找引力透镜 除了这些项目，首席研究员 将继续一项计划，使用VLA调查材料， 寻找高红移射电星系和类星体， 研究它们的无线电特性。 首席研究员被认为是世界领先的， 这个研究领域。

The radio astronomy program under the direction of the Principal Investigator, Professor Bernard F. Burke, will concentrate on the study of extragalactic radio sources, with particular emphasis on the study of the gravitational lensing phenomenon. The first phase of the study, which involved the mapping of 4000 radio sources with the VLA, has been completed, and that work has resulted in the discovery of at least six new examples of gravitational lensing. The gravitational time delay effect has been utilized to give an independent evaluation of the Hubble constant, and to explore the large-scale geometry of the universe. A new class of gravitational lenses, called "Einstein Rings" has been identified. Three have been found, and a search will be made for more of these objects. These objects are of particular importance since they allow definitive measurements of galactic masses to be made. During the period of the grant two new radio source surveys will take place, one using the Very Large Array (VLA) in Socorro, New Mexico, and the other to locate sources using the Parkes 210-foot telescope in Australia. This will be followed up by use of the Australia telescope interformeteric array to look for gravitational lenses. In addition to these programs, the Principal Investigator will continue a program that uses the VLA survey material to search for high-redshift radio galaxies and quasars, and to study their radio properties. The Principal Investigator is regarded as a world leader in this research area.