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(Radio) Astronomy in Taiwan

(Radio) Astronomy in Taiwan. Jeremy Lim Institute of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Academia Sinica (ASIAA), Taiwan. Taiwan (22.5 million). Malaysia (23 million). Why do Astronomy?. Forefront Scientific Research No secrets - Universe available to All

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(Radio) Astronomy in Taiwan

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  1. (Radio) Astronomy in Taiwan Jeremy Lim Institute of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Academia Sinica (ASIAA), Taiwan Taiwan (22.5 million) Malaysia (23 million)

  2. Why do Astronomy? Forefront Scientific Research • No secrets - Universe available to All • Friendly Community: Free (competitive) access to forefront Telescopes Collaborations to build up Research or Instruments/Telescopes • Funding Agencies – Academia Sinica, National Science Council, Ministry of Education Improving Science and Technology • Graduate Education (Astrophysics, Mathematics, Engineering, Computers, …) • Technology transfer to Industry Public Support • Strong Public interest, and stimulates Education

  3. Growth of Astronomy in Taiwan 1980 1990 2000 ASIAA established (1993) “Story of Astronomy in Taiwan (so far) is very much the story of ASIAA”

  4. Main Astronomy/Astrophysics Institutes/Departments • Graduate Institute of Astronomy, National Central University (NCU), Chung-Li (9 faculty, ~20 Masters, ~5 PhD, ~2 postdocs) • Institute of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei (NTU) (10 faculty, ~17 postdocs, ~20 technical, ~15 assistants, ~15 students) • Institute of Astrophysics, National Taiwan University (NTU), Taipei (3 faculty, a few students) • Institute of Astronomy, National Tsing-Hua University (NTHU), Tsing-Hua (2 faculty, a few students) • Theoretical Institute for Advanced Research in Astrophysics (TIARA), NTHU-AS initiative (temporarily at ASIAA) • Astronomers on faculty in other University departments

  5. Main Telescope Research Projects “Builder, not just user” Radio Telescopes • Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) on Mauna Kea, Hawaii (USA-Taiwan), commissioned • Array for Microwave Background Anisotropy (AMiBA) on Mauna Loa, Hawaii (Taiwan, Australia, USA, Canada), under construction • Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) on Atacama, Chile (USA, Europe, Japan), under negotiation with Japan Optical Telescopes • Taiwan-American-Occultation Survey (TAOS) on Lulin mountain, Taiwan (Taiwan-USA, Korea), under construction • WIRCam for CFHT (3.6 m) on Mauna Kea, Hawaii (Canada, France, USA, Korea, Taiwan), under construction

  6. The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Overview • Partnership between Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) and ASIAA • Eight 6-meter antennas located at Mauna Kea, Hawaii (altitude 4080 m) • 2 antennas constructed by ASIAA – increases number of baselines from 15 to 28!

  7. The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Overview • Partnership between Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) and ASIAA • Eight 6-meter antennas located at Mauna Kea, Hawaii (altitude 4080 m) • 2 antennas constructed by ASIAA – increases number of baselines from 15 to 28! Hangar for Assembly Control Room

  8. The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Operating Bands • Receivers at 1.3 mm (270 GHz), 0.8 mm (345 GHz), and 0.4 mm (690 GHz)

  9. The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Mount & Reflector • Constructed and Assembled in Taiwan in partnership with Industry • Mount constructed by China Shipbuilding Company (CSBC) in Keelung

  10. The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Mount & Reflector • Constructed and Assembled in Taiwan in partnership with Industry • Carbon-Fiber Reinforced Plastic Tubes for Reflector Backup Structure constructed by NITE in Taichung

  11. The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Mount & Reflector • Constructed and Assembled in Taiwan in partnership with Industry • Antenna Mechanical/Electrical Assembly by Aeronautic Research Laboratory (ARL) in Taichung

  12. The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Receiver Systems • Establishment of a Receiver Laboratory at ASIAA • All Receiver Systems assembled/tested by ASIAA Receiver Laboratory

  13. The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Junctions • Developing expertise to make Low-Noise Junctions for Receivers • 690 GHz SiS (Nb/SiO2) junction fabricated at ASIAA and National Tsing-Hua University (NTHU)

  14. The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Science • Array commissioned in November 2003 • Science Programs: Studies of Star Formation, Evolved Stars, External Galaxies, ...

  15. The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Science • Array commissioned in November 2003 • Science Program: Molecular Gas in Messier 51 (a nearby active galaxy) SMA: 12CO (2-1)

  16. The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Science • Array commissioned in November 2003 • Science Program: Motion of Molecular Gas in M51 SMA: 12CO (2-1)

  17. The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Science • Array commissioned in November 2003 • Science Programs: Feeding the Central Supermassive Black Hole in M51 12CO (1-0) Sakamoto et al. (1999)

  18. The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Science • Array commissioned in November 2003 • Science Programs: Feeding the Central Supermassive Black Hole in M51 SMA:12CO (2-1)

  19. The Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) − Science • Array commissioned in November 2003 • Science Programs: Feeding the Central Supermassive Black Hole in M51 SMA:12CO (3-2)

  20. Array for Microwave Background Anisotropy (AMiBA) • Measure polarization of Cosmic Microwave Background • Search for distant Galaxy Clusters from Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect, as tracer of Large-Scale Structure of the Universe

  21. Array for Microwave Background Anisotropy (AMiBA) • Measurement of SZ-effect with Owens Valley Radio Observatory X-ray Contours X-ray False-Color X-ray Contours Radio False-Color X-ray Contours Optical False-Color

  22. Array for Microwave Background Anisotropy (AMiBA) • AMiBA Prototype on Mauna Loa, Hawaii (deployed 2002) • Hardware Testing and Trouble-Shooting, Astronomy Test Observations

  23. Array for Microwave Background Anisotropy (AMiBA) • AMiBA to be deployed in 2004 (starting with 7 elements)

  24. Taiwan-American-Occultation Survey (TAOS) • Determine size distribution of Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs) Discovery Images The Solar System Jewiit & Luu (1993)

  25. Taiwan-American-Occultation Survey (TAOS) • Technique: Occultation of Background Stars by KBOs

  26. Taiwan-American-Occultation Survey (TAOS) • Instrument: Four 20 inch (50 cm) telescopes on Lulin Mountain, Taiwan

  27. Taiwan-American-Occultation Survey (TAOS) • Test observation: Occultation of Background Star by a known Asteroid 1 Frame (0.2 s)

  28. ASIAA: A Growing Institute • Currently about 70 members • Active Recruitment of Astronomers and Engineers • Positions advertised in Physics Today and Job Register of American Astronomical Society • For more Information, please contact: Jeremy Lim (Chair, Postdoc Committee) jlim@asiaa.sinica.edu.twSun Kwok (Director, Executive Committee) kwok@asiaa.sinica.edu.tw

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