SKADS Science Overview
SKADS Science Overview
Lisbon 2007 Jan 12
Steve Torchinsky
SKADS Science Overview
• SKA Science Case
• SKADS Science Interactions
SKADS Science Overview
Lisbon 2007 Jan 12
Steve Torchinsky
Strong Field Tests of Gravity
Binary orbit permits
determination of masses
Relativistic effects permit
(re) determination of
masses.
ALL MUST AGREE
http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/~pulsar/
SKADS Science Overview
Lisbon 2007 Jan 12
Steve Torchinsky
Strong Field Tests of Gravity
• Large surveys will find exotic binarys
– ~20 000 pulsars in the galaxy
– Edge-on Pulsar – Black-hole binary (at least one)
• Probe eg. Frame dragging
• Pulsar timing array
– Gravitational wave background
SKADS Science Overview
Lisbon 2007 Jan 12
Steve Torchinsky
Probing the Dark Ages
• When did the first luminous objects form?
• How did they form and over what period of time?
• SKA will detect the Epoch of Reionisation and map
the evolution history of the first luminous objects
SKADS Science Overview
Lisbon 2007 Jan 12
Steve Torchinsky
Large Scale Structure
Local hydrogen
Billions of galaxies!
Hydrogen in a distant
galaxy
SKADS Science Overview
Lisbon 2007 Jan 12
Steve Torchinsky
Precision Cosmology
1% !
SKADS Science Overview
Lisbon 2007 Jan 12
Steve Torchinsky
Cosmic Magnetism
• Origin of magnetic fields
– Dynamo?
– Primordial?
SKADS Science Overview
Lisbon 2007 Jan 12
Steve Torchinsky
Cradle of Life
• Protoplanetary disks resolved to Earth-like orbits
• Organic molecules
• Extrasolar planets
• Extra terrestrial intelligence
SKADS Science Overview
Lisbon 2007 Jan 12
Steve Torchinsky
Transient signal
SKADS Science Overview
Lisbon 2007 Jan 12
Steve Torchinsky
Transients
• Pulsar is a special case
of transient phenomena
(periodic)
• Giant pulses
• Supernova
• Bursters
• ETI
SKADS Science Overview
Lisbon 2007 Jan 12
Steve Torchinsky
The Unknown
• New discoveries always result from observations in new
parameter space
– sensitivity
– spatial resolution
– spectral resolution
– polarisation
– time domain
– observing speed (multibeaming)
SKA
improves
all of
these
• eg. CMB, pulsars, extra solar planets,…
SKADS Science Overview
Lisbon 2007 Jan 12
Steve Torchinsky
SKA Science Book
Chris Carilli & Steve Rawlings,
New Astronomy Reviews, Vol.48,
Elsevier, Dec. 2004
www.skatelescope.org
SKADS Science Overview
Lisbon 2007 Jan 12
Steve Torchinsky
SKADS Science Interactions
The Universe
observations
Our understanding of the Universe
science goals
achievable?
brain power
Request spec
change
BENCHMARK
Data analysis (DS2)
Sky Simulation (DS2T1)
Technology
development
(DS4)
Technology
demonstrators
(DS5 & DS6)
measurements
and
simulated
performance
Catalogs, images, EM fields
SKADS Science Overview
Convolution with the telescope
(DS2T2)
Simulated
telescope image
Data imaging
(DS2T2)
voltages
Network simulator (DS3T3)
Backend data
Lisbon 2007 Jan 12
Steve Torchinsky
SKADS Science Interactions
NO: not technologically
feasible
The Universe
NO: too expensive
observations
Our understanding of the Universe
science goals
achievable?
brain power
Request spec
change
BENCHMARK
Data analysis (DS2)
Consider
trade-offs
Sky Simulation (DS2T1)
Technology
development
(DS4)
Technology
demonstrators
(DS5 & DS6)
measurements
and
simulated
performance
Catalogs, images, EM fields
SKADS Science Overview
Convolution with the telescope
(DS2T2)
Simulated
telescope image
Data imaging
(DS2T2)
voltages
Network simulator (DS3T3)
Backend data
Lisbon 2007 Jan 12
Steve Torchinsky
SKADS Benchmark
• Special case of the SKA reference design
• 100MHz – 300MHz sparse phased array (eg. LOFAR)
• 300MHz - ~2GHz dense phased array (eg. EMBRACE)
• >2GHz 6m dishes with FPA
• The benchmark is evolving…
– www.skads-eu.org
• Select “benchmark”
SKADS Science Overview
Lisbon 2007 Jan 12
Steve Torchinsky
DS2 Participants and work packages
• Line HI Surveys – Oxford, Groningen, Swinburne
• Continuum Surveys – Oxford, Leiden, Lisbon
• Pulsar Surveys – Manchester
• EOR – Paris, Lisbon, Oxford
• Magnetism – Cambridge, Bonn
• Cradle of Life – no explicit SKADS effort
SKADS Science Overview
Lisbon 2007 Jan 12
Steve Torchinsky
DS2 Broad Role
• Provide Simulated Skies (output to DS2-T2)
• Quantify Science Return Versus Design for FOV, A/Tsys etc (input
from DS2-T2)
• Respond To Changing Science Environment
• Deliverables: simulated skies and quantified design constraints
SKADS Science Overview
Lisbon 2007 Jan 12
Steve Torchinsky
Multibeam & Multitasking
SKADS Science Overview
Lisbon 2007 Jan 12
Steve Torchinsky
DS2 & SKADS Technical Programme
Original goals of DS2 complimentary to SKADS Technical
Developments:

EMBRACE (European Multi-beam Radio Astronomy Concept) - DS5

Low-frequency bias in the original DS2 proposal and description of
work
European astronomers quick to recognise potential of Aperture Array:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
“All sky” coverage, extremely wide-field of view
Frequency coverage (0.3 - 1.4 GHz)
Independently steerable, multiple fields-of-view (beams), experimental
science…?
Transient buffer (data “replay”) capability
Instantaneous response to externally triggered events
Software telescope (clear upgrade path that follows Moore’s law)
SKADS Science Overview
Lisbon 2007 Jan 12
Steve Torchinsky
Evaluation of EMBRACE (DS5T3)
• Demonstrate that EMBRACE can be used for
astronomical observations
– Pulsar timing
– Multibeam pulsar timing
– HI mapping
– Continuum mapping
– Source tracking
– Observations in the presence of strong sources (moon, sun)
– Correlation with long baseline (Westerbork – Nançay)
– Engineering/characterisation testing
• Beam profile, Tsys, Aeff, etc,
SKADS Science Overview
Lisbon 2007 Jan 12
Steve Torchinsky
Science Advisory Group
• Advise Project Scientist
– Key science projects
– SKA related results (theory and observation)
– Modifications to benchmark
– 4 members plus Project Scientist
– 6 meetings per year (teleconference)
(terms of reference and members under discussion)
SKADS Science Overview
Lisbon 2007 Jan 12
Steve Torchinsky
SKADS Science Activities
• Sky simulations: DS2T1
– Already active involvement from Portugal
– SKADS needs input on Crade of Life projects
•
•
•
•
Telescope simulations and configuration studies DS2T2
Evaluation of EMBRACE DS5T3
Evolution of Benchmark
SKADS Science Advisory Group
SKADS Science Overview
Lisbon 2007 Jan 12
Steve Torchinsky
Contact
Steve Torchinsky
SKADS Project Scientist
Observatoire de Paris
Phone: +33 1 45 07 75 02
Email: projsci@skads-eu.org
Web: http://www.skads-eu.org
SKADS Science Overview
Lisbon 2007 Jan 12
Steve Torchinsky