4-Pi Sky update

Rob Fender
LOFAR TKP Meeting, Amsterdam, June 2011

Transcript

1. Project updates: 4 pi sky ERC grant / 5 years ThunderKAT Image-plane transients with MeerKAT and don't forget TRAPUM Time-series transients with MeerKAT + VAST / CRAFT (ASKAP) + SWATS (APERTIF)
2. ThunderKAT Image plane transients with MeerKAT Patrick Woudt (UCT) Rob Fender (Southampton) ~4000 hr over 5 years + commensal on all other observations
3. Recent developments: April 2011 Meeting of MeerKAT project PIs with engineers and project directors – agreed early transient science with KAT-7 (e.g. Cir X-1, GRS 1915+105). Proposed to port LOFAR transients pipeline to ThunderKAT on a timescale ~1 year. First ThunderKAT workshop June 2011 Two SKA-SA funded postdocs (based at UCT) join ThunderKAT: Richard Armstrong Valerio Ribeiro
4. Correlator CPU cluster running standard imaging pipeline User spigot The ThunderKAT spigot ThunderKAT system Imaging (cluster) Source finding Analysis ≤1 sec cycles Report if interesting Data rate for full f.o.v. and full b/w ~700 Mb/sec Collaborators / outside world (via e.g. VOEventNet) Rate estimate ≥ 1 day-1
5. 4 pi sky Develop infrastructure for coordinated observations of transients across LOFAR / MeerKAT / ASKAP + optical follow-up program Early goals: - Contribute to LOFAR transients pipeline / assist with port to KAT-7 - Begin systematic optical follow-up program (together with TKP MMWG) - Develop rapid communications and response network
6. 4 pi sky people: - New faculty member at Southampton: Anna Scaife - Two 4 yr PhD students starting Oct 2011: Adam Stewart – radio transients and optical counterparts Malgorzata Pietka – novel techniques for transient detection (time series and image plane) – together with Aris Karastergio - Optical programme manager: Teo Munos-Darias (this program holds 500 kEuro for buying optical time, negotiations ongoing with Liverpool Telescope) - Radio imaging: Jess Broderick - Developer: Tim Staley Two more postdoc level positions to be filled (in final stages..) Anticipate program (i.e. all of the above) will contribute in a major way to LOFAR Transients KSP work in early stages (first year or two)