Square Kilometre Array: Towards Construction

平方公里阵列：走向建设

• 批准号: ST/T000538/1
• 负责人: Paul Alexander
• 金额: $ 519.87万
• 依托单位: University of Cambridge
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2019 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ST%2FT000538%2F1
• 关键词: Square; Kilometre; Array; Towards; Construction

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) will be the world's largest, most sensitive radio telescope and will deliver transformational science. It will address fundamental unanswered questions about our Universe including how the first stars and galaxies formed after the big bang, how dark energy is accelerating the expansion of the Universe, the role of magnetism in the cosmos, the nature of gravity, and the search for life beyond Earth. The SKA is a global project, currently with 12 full members. The observatory will be sited in three countries and continents with the headquarters in the UK and two telescope sites one in South Africa and the other in Western Australia. The UK has been heavily involved in the design work for the telescope, leading several key areas. We now seek to capitalize on this leadership by positioning the UK to win contracts during SKA construction, particularly in the areas of software development, consultancy and support for hardware systems delivery, and also to continue participation in the development of Regional Centres and thereby to maintain the leadership position we have established so that future participation in the Advanced Instrumentation Programme and future directions of the instrument will be maintained.The UK has successfully led two of the SKA international design consortia, Science Data Processing (SDP) and Signal and Data Transport (SaDT). In addition, UK teams have led the design of the Non-Imaging Processor (NIP), the core sub-system for Pulsar science; Observation Management (OM), part of the Telescope Manager; the Band 5 (4.6-15.4 GHz) feed package for SKA1-MID; and the log-periodic antennas (SKALA4) and beamformer digital system for SKA1-Low. The focus of this application is therefore to maximise the UK role and return in the construction phase of the SKA and to help ensure the best possible facility for the UK community. To achieve this objective we propose a programme of work in those areas we have already established leadership. In addition to the technical deliverables the programme also needs to: ensure we retain the expertise and skills developed during the pre-construction period and interest from UK industry in preparation for construction; work with industry partners and international partners to prepare to respond to tenders for construction work when they become available; establish a UK SKA project office bringing together and strengthening policy and engineering activity.

平方公里阵列（SKA）将成为世界上最大、最灵敏的射电望远镜，并将带来变革性的科学。它将解决有关我们宇宙的基本未解问题，包括大爆炸后第一批恒星和星系是如何形成的，暗能量如何加速宇宙的膨胀，磁性在宇宙中的作用，引力的性质以及对地球以外生命的探索。SKA是一个全球项目，目前有12个正式成员。该天文台将在三个国家和大陆设立，总部设在英国，两个望远镜站点，一个在南非，另一个在西澳大利亚。英国一直积极参与望远镜的设计工作，领导了几个关键领域。我们现在寻求利用这一领导地位，在SKA建设期间为英国赢得合同，特别是在软件开发、咨询和硬件系统交付支持等领域，并继续参与地区中心的发展，从而保持我们已经确立的领导地位，以便未来参与先进仪器计划和仪器的未来方向，英国已经成功领导了两个SKA国际设计联盟，科学数据处理（SDP）和信号和数据传输（SaDT）。此外，英国团队还领导了脉冲星科学核心子系统非成像处理器（NIP）的设计;望远镜管理器的一部分观测管理（OM）; SKA 1-MID的波段5（4.6-15.4 GHz）馈送包; SKA 1-Low的对数周期天线（SKALA 4）和波束形成器数字系统。因此，该申请的重点是最大限度地发挥英国在SKA建设阶段的作用和回报，并帮助确保为英国社区提供最佳设施。为了实现这一目标，我们在我们已经确立领导地位的领域提出了一项工作方案。除了技术交付成果外，该计划还需要：确保我们保留在施工前阶段开发的专业知识和技能以及英国工业在准备施工时的兴趣;与行业合作伙伴和国际合作伙伴合作，准备在可用时响应建筑工程招标;建立英国SKA项目办公室，汇集并加强政策和工程活动。