The accretion history of the universe with the SKA

In this paper, we investigate how the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) can aid in determining the evolutionary history of active galactic nuclei (AGN) from redshifts z = 0 → 6. Given the vast collecting area of the SKA, it will be sensitive to both ‘radio-loud’ AGN and the much more abundant ‘radio-quiet’ AGN, namely the radio-quiet quasars and their ‘Type-II’ counterparts, out to the highest redshifts. Not only will the SKA detect these sources but it will also often be able to measure their redshifts via the Hydrogen 21-cm line in emission and/or absorption. We construct a complete radio luminosity function (RLF) for AGN, combining the most recent determinations for powerful radio sources with an estimate of the RLF for radio-quiet objects using the hard X-ray luminosity function of [ApJ 598 (2003) 886], including both Type-I and Type-II AGN. We use this complete RLF to determine the optimal design of the SKA for investigating the accretion history of the Universe for which it is likely to be a uniquely powerful instrument.     

The Australian Ska New Technology Demonstrator Program

I present a brief overview of the SKA projects conducted under the Australian Major National Research Facilities program, and describe the largest of these projects – the SKA New Technology Demonstrator. The goal of this project is to construct an SKA technology demonstrator which will explore and evaluate a number of SKA technologies in a remote radio-quiet environment, while also achieving a restricted set of key science goals. Infrastructure and access to back-end facilities will also be provided for other international SKA groups who wish to evaluate or demonstrate technologies, or conduct science experiments, in a remote, radio-quiet, environment.     

Microarcsecond astrometry using the SKA

The sensitivity and versatility of SKA will provide microarcsec astrometric precision and high quality milliarcsec-resolution images by simultaneously detecting calibrator sources near the target source. To reach these goals, we suggest that the long-baseline component of SKA contains at least 25% of the total collecting area in a region between 1000 and 5000 km from the core SKA. We also suggest a minimum of 60 elements in the long-baseline component of SKA to provide the necessary (u–v) coverage. For simultaneous all-sky observations, which provide absolute astrometric and geodetic parameters, we suggest using 10 independent subarrays each composed of at least six long-baseline elements correlated with the core SKA. We discuss many anticipated SKA long-baseline astrometric experiments: determination of distance, proper motion and orbital motion of thousands of stellar objects; planetary motion detections; mass determination of degenerate stars using their kinetics; calibration of the universal distance scale from 10 to 10⁷ pc; the core and inner-jet interactions of AGN. With an increase by a factor of 10 in absolute astrometric accuracy using simultaneous all sky observations, the fundamental quasar reference frame can be defined to <10 μas and tied to the solar-system dynamic frame to this accuracy. Parameters associated with the earth rotation and orientation, nutation, and geophysical parameters, can be accurately monitored. Tests of fundamental physics include: solar and Jovian deflection experiments, the sky frame accuracy needed to interpret the gravity wave/pulsar-timing experiment, accurate monitoring of spacecraft orbits that impact solar system dynamics.     

Modelling the 21-cm Signal from the Epoch of Reionization and Cosmic Dawn

Studying the cosmic dawn and the epoch of reionization through the redshifted 21-cm line are among the major science goals of the SKA1. Their significance lies in the fact that they are closely related to the very first stars in the Universe. Interpreting the upcoming data would require detailed modelling of the relevant physical processes. In this article, we focus on the theoretical models of reionization that have been worked out by various groups working in India with the upcoming SKA in mind. These models include purely analytical and semi-numerical calculations as well as fully numerical radiative transfer simulations. The predictions of the 21-cm signal from these models would be useful in constraining the properties of the early galaxies using the SKA data.     

Neutron Stars in the Light of Square Kilometre Array: Data,Statistics and Science

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA), when it becomes functional, is expected to enrich Neutron Star (NS) catalogues by at least an order of magnitude over their current state. This includes the discovery of new NS objects leading to better sampling of under-represented NS categories, precision measurements of intrinsic properties such as spin period and magnetic field, as also data on related phenomena such as microstructure, nulling, glitching, etc. This will present a unique opportunity to seek answers to interesting and fundamental questions about the extreme physics underlying these exotic objects in the Universe. In this paper, we first present a meta-analysis (from a methodological viewpoint) of statistical analyses performed using existing NS data, with a two-fold goal. First, this should bring out how statistical models and methods are shaped and dictated by the science problem being addressed. Second, it is hoped that these analyses will provide useful starting points for deeper analyses involving richer data from SKA whenever it becomes available. We also describe a few other areas of NS science which we believe will benefit from SKA which are of interest to the Indian NS community.     

Cost Effective Frequency Ranges For Multi-Beam Dishes, Cylinders, Aperture Arrays, and Hybrids

Five out of six Square Kilometre Array (SKA) science programs need extensive surveys at frequencies below 1.4 GHz and only four need high-frequency observations. The latter ones drive to expensive high surface accuracy collecting area, while the former ask for multi-beam receiver systems and extensive post correlation processing. In this paper, we analyze the system cost of a SKA when the field-of-view (Fov) is extended from 1 deg² at 1.4 GHz to 200 deg² at 0.7 GHz for three different antenna concepts. We start our analysis by discussing the fundamental limitations and cost issues of wide-band focal plane arrays (FPA) in dishes and cylinders and of wide-band receptors in aperture arrays. We will show that a hybrid SKA in three different antenna technologies will give the highest effective sensitivity for all six key science programs.     

Tracking Galaxy Evolution Through Low-Frequency Radio Continuum Observations using SKA and Citizen-Science Research using Multi-Wavelength Data

We present a brief review of progress in the understanding of general spiral and elliptical galaxies, through merger, star formation and AGN activities. With reference to case studies performed with the GMRT, we highlight the unique aspects of studying galaxies in the radio wavelengths where powerful quasars and bright radio galaxies are traditionally the dominating subjects. Though AGN or quasar activity is extremely energetic, it is extremely short-lived. This justify focussing on transitional galaxies to find relic-evidences of the immediate past AGN-feedback which decide the future course of evolution of a galaxy. Relic radio lobes can be best detected in low frequency observations with the GMRT, LOFAR and in future SKA. The age of these relic radio plasma can be as old as a few hundred Myr. There is a huge gap between this and what is found in optical bands. The very first relic-evidences of a past quasar activity (Hanny’s Voorwerp) was discovered in 2007 by a Galaxy Zoo citizen-scientist, a school teacher, in the optical bands. This relic is around a few tens of thousand years old. More discoveries needed to match these time-scales with star formation time-scales in AGN host galaxies to better understand black hole galaxy co-evolution process via feedback-driven quenching of star formation. It is now well-accepted that discovery and characterization of such faint fuzzy relic features can be more efficiently done by human eye than a machine. Radio interferometry images are more complicated than optical and need the citizen-scientists to be trained. RAD@home, the only Indian citizen-science research project in astronomy, analysing TIFR GMRT Sky Survey (TGSS) 150 MHz data and observing from the Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope (GMRT), was launched in April 2013. Unique, zero-infrastructure zero-funded design of RAD@home as a collaboratory of 69 trained e-astronomers is briefly described. Some of the new-found objects like episodic radio galaxies, radio-jet and companion galaxy interaction, radio galaxy bent by motion of the intra-filament medium in a Mpc-scale galaxy filament etc. are briefly presented as demonstration of its potential. Citizen-science has not only opened up a new way for astronomy research but also possibly the only promising way to extract maximum science out of the Big Data in the SKA-era. This possibly can convert the Big Data problem into a prospect. Citizen-science can contribute to the knowledge creation in never-seen-before speed and in approach. As it is based on internet, it can provide an equal opportunity of academic-growth to people even in the under-developed regions where we always need to put our optical and radio telescopes. This can liberate the research-activity of city-based research-institutes out of the four brick walls and alleviate various socio-economic and geo-political constraints on growth of citizens educated in undergraduate-level science but located in remote areas.     

Interstellar Medium and Star Formation Studies with the Square Kilometre Array

Stars and planetary systems are formed out of molecular clouds in the interstellar medium. Although the sequence of steps involved in star formation are generally known, a comprehensive theory which describes the details of the processes that drive formation of stars is still missing. The Square Kilometre Array (SKA), with its unprecedented sensitivity and angular resolution, will play a major role in filling these gaps in our understanding. In this article, we present a few science cases that the Indian star formation community is interested in pursuing with SKA, which include investigation of AU-sized structures in the neutral ISM, the origin of thermal and non-thermal radio jets from protostars and the accretion history of protostars, and formation of massive stars and their effect on the surrounding medium.     

基于分布式执行框架的低频射电干涉阵列成像管线优化

平方公里阵列(Square Kilometre Array,SKA)项目是建设全球最大射电望远镜的国际合作项目,其灵敏度和测量速度将比当前所有的射电望远镜都要高出一个数量级.连续谱巡天是SKA的主要观测模式之一,基于连续谱成像建立巡天区域的标准星图,将能为后续天文科学研究奠定重要基础.银河系与河外星系全天默奇森宽场阵列拓展巡天(GaLactic and Extragalactic All-sky Murchison Widefield Array survey eXtended,GLEAM-X)是2018—2020年利用SKA先导望远镜默奇森宽场阵列(Murchison Wide-field Array,MWA)二期拓展阵列开展的新的射电连续谱巡天项目,观测期间积累了大量的低频巡天观测数据.海量观测数据的自动化、大批量处理是SKA望远镜项目所面临的的最大挑战和难题之一,基于分布式执行框架的成像管线优化经验将有助于解决海量数据处理问题.详细介绍了GLEAM-X成像管线并对其进行整合和改进,在中国SKA区域中心原型机(China SKA Regional Centre Prototype,...     

Rfi Mitigation And The Ska

Radio frequency interference (RFI) has plagued radio astronomy from its inception. The Workshop on the Mitigation of Radio Frequency Interference in Radio Astronomy (RFI2004) was held in Penticton, BC, Canada in July 2004 in order to consider the prognosis for the RFI problem, in particular as it impacts the planned Square Kilometre Array (SKA). This paper concludes that RFI is unlikely to be a “showstopper” in achieving SKA science goals, but that improved RFI mitigation technology may nevertheless be essential in order to take advantage of the vastly improved sensitivity, bandwidth, and field of view. Reported results provide some optimism that the desired improvements in RFI mitigation technology are possible, but indicate that much more work is required.     

Cylinder – Small Dish Hybrid For The SKA

No single technology can meet the current science specifications for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). In this paper a hybrid option is explored that uses cylindrical reflectors to satisfy low frequency sensitivity and field-of-view requirements and small parabolic dishes to work at frequencies above 0.5 GHz.     

The merging/AGN connection: a case for 3D spectroscopy

We discuss an ongoing study of the connection between galaxy merging/interaction and AGN activity, based on integral field spectroscopy. We focus on the search for AGN ionization in the central regions of mergers, previously not classified as AGNs. We present here the science case, the current status of the project, and plans for future observations. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Experiments on the dish verification antenna china for the SKA

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is expected to become the world’s most powerful radio telescope at meter and centimeter wavelength in the coming decades. The construction of SKA will be divided into two phases. The first phase (SKA1), scheduled for completion in 2023, will construct 10 % of the whole collecting area. The second phase (SKA2) will build the rest 90 % collecting area. The SKA1 consists of several types of arrays including SKA1-low and SKA1-mid. The latter is a dish array consisting of ~200 medium-size antennas. The integrated dish array in SKA2 will expand to 2500 dishes, spreading 3000 kilometers across the southern part of Africa. The demanding specifications and enormous number of the SKA dish raise challenges in the dish development such as mass production with high performance at low cost, quick installation and high reliability. Dish Verification Antenna China (DVA-C) was built as one of three initial prototypes. A novel single-piece panel reflector made of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) was adopted. In this study, an L-band receiver is installed to make DVA-C a complete system for experiments on antenna performance test and preliminary observations. The performance of DVA-C including the system noise temperature, pointing accuracy, antenna pattern, and aperture efficiency has been tested. Preliminary observations such as pulsars and HI are then conducted, which indicates that the DVA-C can not only serve as an educational instrument and key technology test bed, but also be applied for scientific work such as pulsar timing, all-sky HI survey, multi-frequency monitoring of variable sources etc.     

Explosive and Radio-Selected Transients: Transient Astronomy with Square Kilometre Array and its Precursors

With the high sensitivity and wide-field coverage of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), large samples of explosive transients are expected to be discovered. Radio wavelengths, especially in commensal survey mode, are particularly well-suited for uncovering the complex transient phenomena. This is because observations at radio wavelengths may suffer less obscuration than in other bands (e.g. optical/IR or X-rays) due to dust absorption. At the same time, multiwaveband information often provides critical source classification rapidly than possible with only radio band data. Therefore, multiwaveband observational efforts with wide fields of view will be the key to progress of transients astronomy from the middle 2020s offering unprecedented deep images and high spatial and spectral resolutions. Radio observations of Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) with SKA will uncover not only much fainter bursts and verifying claims of sensitivity-limited population versus intrinsically dim GRBs, they will also unravel the enigmatic population of orphan afterglows. The supernova rate problem caused by dust extinction in optical bands is expected to be lifted in the SKA era. In addition, the debate of single degenerate scenario versus double degenerate scenario will be put to rest for the progenitors of thermonuclear supernovae, since highly sensitive measurements will lead to very accurate mass loss estimation in these supernovae. One also expects to detect gravitationally lensed supernovae in far away Universe in the SKA bands. Radio counterparts of the gravitational waves are likely to become a reality once SKA comes online. In addition, SKA is likely to discover various new kinds of transients.     

Efficient Imaging Strategies For Next-Generation Radio Arrays

The performance goals of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) are such that major departures from prior practice for imaging interferometer arrays are required. One class of solutions involves the construction of large numbers of stations, each composed of one or more small antennas. The advantages of such a “large-N” approach are already documented, but attention has recently been drawn to scaling relationships for SKA data processing that imply excessive computing costs associated with the use of small antennas. In this paper we examine the assumptions that lead to such scaling laws, and argue that in general they are unlikely to apply to the SKA situation. A variety of strategies for SKA imaging which exhibit better scaling behaviour are discussed. Particular attention is drawn to field of view issues, and the possibility of using weighting functions within an advanced correlator system to precisely control the field-of-view.     

Adaptive scale model reconstruction for radio synthesis imaging

A sky model from CLEAN deconvolution is a particularly effective high dynamic range reconstruction in radio astronomy,which can effectively model the sky and remove the sidelobes of the point spread function(PSF)caused by incomplete sampling in the spatial frequency domain.Compared to scale-free and multi-scale sky models,adaptive-scale sky modeling,which can model both compact and diffuse features,has been proven to have better sky modeling capabilities in narrowband simulated data,especially for large-scale features in high-sensitivity observations which are exactly one of the challenges of data processing for the Square Kilometre Array(SKA).However,adaptive scale CLEAN algorithms have not been verified by real observation data and allow negative components in the model.In this paper,we propose an adaptive scale model algorithm with non-negative constraint and wideband imaging capacities,and it is applied to simulated SKA data and real observation data from the Karl G.Jansky Very Large Array(JVLA),an SKA precursor.Experiments show that the new algorithm can reconstruct more physical models with rich details.This work is a step forward for future SKA image reconstruction and developing SKA imaging pipelines.     

Ska Correlator Advances

When the SKA was proposed, a major technical obstacle to its feasibility was the cost of the correlator. Significant advances made in correlator design since then are described. These advances have made SKA correlator possible within reasonable cost constrains. At the same time performance issues with the proposed FX architecture have been addressed.     

Australian research effort for the SKA

The next generation radio telescope being planned is the Square Kilometer Array (SKA): an international project which is currently in the research and development phase. Australia is one of the partner countries in the SKA consortium; here I describe some of the SKA research being undertaken in Australia. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Environmental dependence of active galactic nuclei activity in the supercluster A901/2

We present XMM data for the supercluster A901/2, at   z ∼ 0.17  , which is combined with deep imaging and 17-band photometric redshifts (from the COMBO-17 survey), two degree field (2dF) spectra and Spitzer 24 μm data, to identify active galactic nuclei (AGN) in the supercluster. The 90 ksec XMM image contains 139 point sources, of which 11 are identified as supercluster AGN with   L _{X(0.5−7.5 keV)} > 1.7 × 10⁴¹ erg cm⁻² s⁻¹  . The host galaxies have   M _R < −20  and only two of eight sources with spectra could have been identified as AGN by the detected optical emission lines. Using a large sample of 795 supercluster galaxies, we define control samples of massive galaxies with no detected AGN. The local environments of the AGN and control samples differ at ≳98 per cent significance. The AGN host galaxies lie predominantly in areas of moderate projected galaxy density and with more local blue galaxies than the control sample, with the exception of one very bright type I AGN very near the centre of a cluster. These environments are similar to, but not limited to, cluster outskirts and blue groups. Despite the large number of potential host galaxies, no AGN are found in regions with the highest galaxy density (excluding some cluster cores where emission from the intra-cluster medium obscures moderate luminosity AGN). AGN are also absent from the areas with lowest galaxy density. We conclude that the prevalence of cluster AGN is linked to their environment.