Astronomical Research and Technical Support of Millimeter- Wavelength VLBI

毫米波VLBI天文研究与技术支撑

• 批准号: 9420460
• 负责人: Alan Rogers
• 金额: $ 158.89万
• 依托单位: Northeast Radio Observatory Corp
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 1995
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1995-03-01 至 1998-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9420460&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Astronomical; Research; Technical; Support; Millimeter

ABSTRACT AST-9420460. Rogers, Alan E. Millimeter-wavelength very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) achieves the highest angular resolution in astronomy--typically 50 microarcseconds at 3mm and 20 microarcseconds at 1mm. Only such resolutions can begin to reveal the compact astrophysical structures associated with the massive central engines of active galactic nuclei such as quasars and BL Lacertids, and only at millimeter wavelengths does one minimize the inherent limitations of continuum VLBI due to scattering by the interstellar plasma and optical depth effects. The millimeter band is also rich in molecular masers whose structure can only be resolved by VLBI. This three year award will provide support to form and operate a "Coordinated mm-VLBI Array" (CMVA). Replacing previous ad-hoc efforts in this field by a the unified scheduling, support and analysis infrastructure, the CMVA will make mm-wave VLBI available to all astronomers, not just those who are experts in the technique. The CMVA will consist of a core group of mm-wave observatories who have agreed to make approximately two weeks per year available for VLBI; an additional group of facilities will make time available on a per-proposal basis. The CMVA will be managed out of the Haystack Observatory. which is also one of the CMVA's core institutions. Haystack will coordinate the solicitation and review of mm-wave VLBI proposals from the astronomical community, and will coordinate scheduling, hardware and tape allocation, as well as in absentia data correlation; it will also provide the technical support necessary to make the CMVA reliable and fully functional, will loan two data acquisition systems to various CMVA sites, and will continue to develop advanced VLBI instrumentation. ***

摘要 AST-9420460。 作者：Alan E. 毫米波长甚长基线干涉测量（VLBI）在天文学中达到了最高的角分辨率-通常在3毫米处为50微弧秒，在1毫米处为20微弧秒。 只有这样的分辨率才能开始揭示与活动星系核（如类星体和BL Lacertids）的大质量中心引擎相关的紧凑天体物理结构，并且只有在毫米波长下，才能最大限度地减少连续VLBI由于星际等离子体散射和光学深度效应而带来的固有限制。毫米波段也有丰富的分子脉泽，其结构只能通过VLBI来分辨。 这项为期三年的奖励将为“协调毫米VLBI阵列”（CMVA）的形成和运行提供支持。 CMVA将用统一的调度、支持和分析基础设施取代以前在这一领域的临时工作，使所有天文学家都能使用毫米波VLBI，而不仅仅是那些技术专家。 CMVA将由一组核心的毫米波观测台组成，这些观测台已同意每年为VLBI提供大约两周的时间;另一组设施将根据每个提案提供时间。 CMVA将由Haystack天文台管理。也是CMVA的核心机构之一 Haystack将协调向天文学界征求和审查毫米波VLBI建议，并将协调时间安排、硬件和磁带分配以及缺席情况下的数据关联;它还将提供必要的技术支持，使CMVA可靠和充分发挥作用，将两个数据采集系统借给CMVA各站点，并将继续开发先进的VLBI仪器。 ***