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NOVA-3 Proposal Advancing Submillimeter Astronomy at Chajnantor: Strategic Developments for APEX and ALMA. Principal Investigators: W. Wild (Instrumentation R&D) M. Hogerheijde (Allegro). NOVA3/instrumentation proposal: objectives. Two directions to optimize APEX and ALMA
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NOVA-3 ProposalAdvancing Submillimeter Astronomy at Chajnantor: Strategic Developments for APEX and ALMA Principal Investigators: W. Wild (Instrumentation R&D) M. Hogerheijde (Allegro)
NOVA3/instrumentation proposal: objectives • Two directions to optimize APEX and ALMA • Improve instrumentation for APEX and ALMA, e.g. • more sensitive CHAMP+ arrays at 650 and 800 GHz • R&D for future large arrays • 2nd generation ALMA receivers • Continue ALMA Regional Center node: Allegro • develop expertise, tools critical for optimal science return of ALMA for the Netherlands in 4 well-defined areas
Context • The NOVA-3 proposal • exploits previous investments in ALMA and APEX • CHAMP+ mixer development • ALMA Band 9 development • ARC node Allegro • complements other submillimeter and far-infrared facilities • JCMT with SCUBA2, HARP-B • enhanced-SMA • Herschel Space Observatory
NOVA-3 proposal status • NOVA Board approved support for the ALLEGRO and ALMA R&D project (with comments) • The project plan will be further negotiated and refined to optimally support Dutch submm astronomy needs • In particular, the technical R&D will focus on a few key developments • We listen carefully during today’s meeting …
Instrumentation: CHAMP+ status • Two 7-pixel arrays at 650 and 800 GHz • Commissioned at APEX: April, June 2007 • Max-Planck and NOVA PI instrument • First science: June 2007 • True pathfinder for ALMA CO 6-5 (691 GHz) NGC6331 IRS CO 7-6 (807 GHz) 1 arcmin 10’’ = CHAMP+ pixel = ALMA field of view
Option 1 - CHAMP+ improvement • Better submillimeter mixer arrays for APEX • Wider RF bandwidth at 650 GHz + wider IF b/w: 4–12 GHz • 25–50% better sensitivity at 800 GHz • Faster mapping (observing time ~ noise level2) • Single coverage for wide extragalactic lines; spectral multiplexing for narrow Galactic lines • Improvement now possible through new SIS technology at TUD NOVA: “The proposed upgrade for CHAMP+ will not be supported.”
Option 2 - APEX improvement • Towards large submillimeter arrays • Need to develop key technology R&D to enable large arrays • New fabrication techniques • Optics and LO coupling • IF system integration and heat dissipation • Lower system complexity • Goal: 19-pixel array design for APEX • Again: immediate impact on science output • Also useable for future telescopes such as 25m CCAT
Option 3 – 2nd generation ALMA receiver • ALMA Band 9 would benefit much from sideband separating mixers • Observing speed improvements of factor ~1.7 to ~2 feasible • “Poor” sky more accessible for band 9 Fig 1 - Gain in observing speed vs. frequency in ALMA band 9 when using a 2SB receiver instead of a DSB receiver.
Technical R&D funding Combination of several funding sources to enable and ensure instrumentation R&D • NOVA-3 • FP7 Radionet (EU contract under negotiation) • Veni Andrey Baryshev • SRON + TU Delft contributions • Synergy ALMA Band 9 • ALMA R&D funds ?
ALMA: International context • ALMA completed: 2013 • first science operations: 2010 • ALMA Regional Centers (ARC) • European ARC: 7-node network • ESO: ‘core’ functions • proposals handling • data archive • pipeline processing • limited f2f • 6 nodes: ‘additional’ functions • face-to-face user support • advanced data operations (“beyond the pipeline”) • expertise areas
Allegro: status • Advanced data operations / expertise areas • 1. high frequency observing • 2. wide field and high dynamic range imaging • 3. infrastructure for basic science analysis tools • line frequencies; atomic, molecular, mineralogical data; radiative transfer • Aligned with expertise and critical science interests of NL community • Activities (August 2006–present): • postdoc: offline software: CASA testing, interoperability with other packages • postdoc: high-frequency calibration /commissioning (@ Chile) • scientist: rationalized access to science analysis tools
Allegro: development 2009–2013 • NOVA3/instrumentation support for development activities during ALMA construction • develop offline software practices: calibration, reduction, imaging • participate in commissioning ALMA • develop high frequency observing and calibration strategies • port expertise for wide field and high dynamic range imaging • expand and maintain interface to basic science analysis tools • User support • NOVA3/Science Support postdoc for user support Early Science • Additional funding opportunities • NWO for user support functions (>2012) • Astronet proposals: RT and mol.data development; ESO COFUND proposal
Division of work, proposal team and partners Division of work Instrument R&D: Groningen (Kapteyn + SRON); TU Delft Allegro: Leiden (Universities + ASTRON + JIVE + SRON + JCMT) Proposal team Wolfgang Wild (SRON / RuG) Frank Israel (UL) Michiel Hogerheijde (UL) Teun Klapwijk (TU Delft) Peter Barthel (RuG) Huib Jan van Langevelde (JIVE/UL) Andrey Baryshev (SRON / RuG) Floris van der Tak (SRON / RuG) Ewine van Dishoeck (UL) Tom Oosterloo (ASTRON) Frank Helmich (SRON / RuG) Paul van der Werf (UL) International partners Instrument R&D: MPIfR Bonn, CalTech, EU RadioNet (with 24 partners) Allegro: ALMA and European ARC nodes (ESO, Bologna, Grenoble, Bonn/Köln/Bochum, Manchester, Onsala), JCMT