Radio Astronomical Studies with the BIMA Array

伯克利-伊利诺斯-马里兰-协会（BIMA）阵列由10个直径6.1米的望远镜组成，作为毫米波干涉仪运行。它位于加州大学伯克利分校的哈特克里克天文台。目前的提案要求在未来三年内继续为阵列操作、工作人员和学生支持以及仪器开发提供资金。提议的研究领域包括星系中的分子气体研究，星周盘的高分辨率成像，以及分子云磁场的测量。此外，在长毫米波波段对星系团的微波背景衰减成像将用于确定基本的宇宙学参数。新的仪器项目包括用于有源大气相位校正的水线监测仪、双极化MMIC接收器、拓宽中频带宽和一个新的宽带数字相关器。就其更广泛的社会影响而言，BIMA多年来一直鼓励女性研究生和博士后研究员的参与，其速度远高于天文学领域的平均水平。此外，BIMA还在其Hat Creek天文台遗址开展了广泛的公共宣传工作，包括步入式游客项目、团体正式参观、媒体参观和采访、公开讲座、高中生就业影子项目，以及一年一度的公众开放日。BIMA工作人员估计，每年有1000名游客来到天文台。三个BIMA奖项的主要研究人员是Leo Blitz博士（加州大学伯克利分校），Lewis Snyder博士（伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳-香槟分校）和Stuart Vogel博士（马里兰大学帕克分校）。

ABSTRACTAST 9981308Blitz, LeoThe Berkeley-Illinois-Maryland-Association (BIMA) array consists of ten 6.1-meter-diameter telescopes operating as an interferometer at millimeter wavelengths. It is located at U.C. Berkeley's Hat Creek Observatory in Northern California. The current proposal requests continued funding for the next three years for array operations, staff and student support, and instrumentation development. Proposed areas of research include studies of molecular gas in galaxies, high-resolution imaging of circumstellar disks, and measurements of magnetic fields in molecular clouds. In addition, imaging of the microwave background decrement toward clusters of galaxies at long millimeter wavelengths will be used to determine fundamental cosmological parameters. New instrumentation projects include water line monitors for active atmospheric phase correction, dual polarization MMIC receivers, broadening the IF bandwidth, and a new wideband digital correlator.In terms of its broader societal impact, BIMA has over the years encouraged the participation of women graduate students and postdoctoral fellows at a rate much higher than the average for the field of astronomy. In addition, BIMA maintains an extensive public outreach effort at its Hat Creek Observatory site, including a walk-in visitor's program, formal tours for groups, media tours and interviews, public lectures, a job-shadow program for high school students, and an annual open house for the general public. BIMA staff estimate that 1000 visitors come to the observatory per year. The Principal Investigators for the three BIMA awards are Dr. Leo Blitz (University of California at Berkeley), Dr. Lewis Snyder (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), and Dr. Stuart Vogel (University of Maryland at College Park).