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VLBI Facility report - Apr 2002

VLBI Facility report - Apr 2002. Tasso Tzioumis ATNF CSIRO. The LBA. ATNF – Parkes, ATCA, Mopra, LBA-Correlator UTas – Hobart, Ceduna NASA – Tidbinbilla -- limited access South Africa – Hartebeesthoek (USNO) – Kokee Park VSOP – HALCA + world array(s) S2 VCR-based system.

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VLBI Facility report - Apr 2002

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  1. VLBI Facility report - Apr 2002 Tasso Tzioumis ATNF CSIRO

  2. The LBA • ATNF – Parkes, ATCA, Mopra, LBA-Correlator • UTas – Hobart, Ceduna • NASA – Tidbinbilla -- limited access • South Africa – Hartebeesthoek • (USNO) – Kokee Park • VSOP – HALCA + world array(s) • S2 VCR-based system

  3. LBA Operations • Proposals – through ATNF ATAC but 1-year lifetime • Oversubscription - ~2 2.1 in 1999, 1.7 in 2000, 2.0 in 2001 • Observations 5-10 days /term • 2001 – 4 sessions (2000SeptT Jan01) ~23 days

  4. Observational support • Staff provide anchor person at each telescope - PIs required to help with observing • UTas operates Hobart and Ceduna - very small staff; new people in 2001 - some manning difficulties (ATUC issue?) - ATNF occasional support at Ceduna and Hobart + Uni of Adelaide observers. • Correlator – PI operation + casual employees - most observations correlated within term.

  5. Major new program • ATNF-USNO collaboration on Astrometry - USNO-funded postdoc (Roopesh Ojha) • 5-year joint project • Imaging – S2 on LBA + Kokee Park - ~2 days per term • Astrometry – MkIII/IV + USNO correlator - 2 sessions/year (Parkes, Hobart +o/s antennas) • Commenced Jan 2001

  6. Polarisation VLBI • Major push for polarisation with LBA • Driven by Roopesh Ojha • 1-day workshop in Feb 2001 • Imaging observations now with full polarisation • All products from correlator • Calibration techniques evolving

  7. Upgrades – MNRF (UTas) • Hobart – Cooled Receivers - 21cm Rx in use - 5-band Rx 5-22 GHz (5,6.7,8,12,22) Under testing • Ceduna – 22 GHz Rx in use - remote VSOP observing - pointing improvements

  8. VSOP • NASA support ceased Feb 2002 (5 years) • Survey program continues - S2 recording + Canadian correlator - until Feb 2003 • Request for Mopra support through ATAC • Limited operations • LBA – Mp, Ho, Cd, (Hh) - still significant effort at ATNF

  9. Statistics - 2001

  10. Performance in 2001 • 84% success rate - as in 2000 but with 45% increase in observing • Major losses due to single telescope failures - Parkes – Rx failure - Hobart – Cryogenics; new staff - Ceduna – H-maser failure - Rb backup clock – some recovery • VSOP stats not included • Tid access very difficult – still a problem

  11. Future ATUC VLBI reports • Last report in Oct 2000 • Regular report at all ATUC meetings? • Proposal - March-April mtg – full stats for previous year - Oct-Nov mtg – short progress report • Feedback from ATUC needed

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