Meudon, 31 July 2000
Dear colleagues,
Here is a summary and conclusions of our first meeting in Pushchino, with Action Items and additional informations. A paper copy of this short report including the relevant documents (copies of articles and transparencies) will be sent to you soon, with the latest INTAS documents (accepted individual grant forms for all Kharkov and Pushchino participants - payment orders will be sent very soon, and you will be kept informed).
Philippe Zarka.

Participants :
Y. P. Shitov
V. A. Izvekova
O. I. Malov
INTAS 99 - 1183 : First meeting in Pushchino, 5-7 July 2000
B. P. Ryabov
V. B. Ryabov
G. Woan
M. Abada-Simon
P. Zarka
R. D. Dagkesamanskii
Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory (Russia)
Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory (Russia)
Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory (Russia)
Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory (Russia)
Institute of Radio Astronomy, Kharkov (Ukraine)
Future University, Hakodate (Japan) & IRA Kharkov
University of Glasgow (UK)
Paris Observatory (France)
Paris Observatory (France)
Agenda :
- Presentation of Participants & Local Arrangements
- Theoretical background for radio exoplanet search
Paper accepted in Astrophys. Space Sci. (P. Zarka et al., 2000)
PZ also given as a PRAO seminar on Friday 7th.
- Presentation of Pushchino observatory
[1]
Description document + viewgraph copies
RDD
- Pushchino radiotelescopes and receivers
Description of BSA and DKR-1000 (+ notes on receivers by PZ)
YPS
- Excursion to radiotelescope site
- Nancay decameter array and receiving systems
Short description joined
- Kharkov/UTR-2 array and receiving system
- Previous observations in Kharkov
See paper by P. Zarka et al.: “Ground-Based High Sensitivity
Radio Astronomy at Decameter Wavelengths”, in "Planetary
Radio Emissions IV”, H.O. Rucker et al. eds, Austrian Acad.
Sci. press, Vienna, p. 101-127, 1997.
+ Dynamic spectrum of pulsar PSR 0809+74
- Processing of AOS data
Viewgraph copies
- Interference mitigation
Viewgraph copies
- Processing & Interference cleaning in PRAO
- Future observations
see below + Action Items
- Analysis software issues see Action Items - IDL to be used throughout the team
- Hardware development issues
see below + Action Items
- Diffusion of data / of information within/outside the team ftp site & web site - see below + Action Items
- Review of the work programme / Definition of tasks
All
MAS
VBR
GW
YPS
All
[2,3]
[4,5]
[6]
BPR
VBR / PZ
[7]
[8]
[9]
VBR / PZ
PZ / VBR / All

• Future observations :
We may expect ~5 nights / month at UTR-2 between November and February. The better interval of the day for observations (lowest interference level) is ~22h to 08h (ionospheric scintillation weaker about 18h ? to be checked).
The pressure for observation time is weak on DKR. On BSA, we may obtain up to 10-15% of the observation time
An exhaustive candidate list will be prepared (PZ+BPR) circulated through the team & posted on the web site. Candidates will be identified per month (with ephemeris computed), and submitted to UTR-2 and PRAO program committees. After confirmation of observations, detailed observation parameters will be discussed (e-mail + web site) in the team. Observations should begin at fall 2000.
Note that the question of time-synchronization (<1 msec) between UTR-2 and PRAO is pending.
Observations at UTR-2 will be performed both (alternatively) with 2-beam NS array, and in interferometric mode, for the same sources.
Interesting targets include exoplanets (especially hot Jupiters), close-by stars, Saturn,
Pulsars. For pulsars, interesting studies include the pulse spectrum from <30 to ~100 MHz, the detection of Geminga ≤30 MHz, the comparison of scintillation effects on both sites...
Jupiter in side lobes is expected to be a major noise source for xoplanetary search. The position of side lobes in the sky should be monitored and checked for Jupiter’s location during observations.
Observation of reference calibration sources (Cygnus, Cas-A, + noise/line generator) should be performed during each night of observation.
• Hardware development issues :
Improvements to be brought to AOS observations at UTR-2 include
- Build and install at UTR-2 a switching interface synchronized with AOS acquisition for interferometric mode (EW  NS) for interference mitigation  to be installed Fall 2000
- Need of an additional switch for a sine channel ? (if no phase compensation at UTR-2 for interferometric observations)
- Additional switch (period ~15 sec) on stable noise generator to monitor AOS slow gain fluctuations (~a few dB in ~100 sec) ?
- Test rejecting filters at UTR-2
- Electronic interface for flattening the UTR-2 response curve (amplifying equalizer) ?
These issues will be examined by the French team (with L. Denis in Nançay).
A further step consists in building a digital (DSP) receiver (with ~2.5 MHz bandwidth).
Possibilities exist in Kharkov. Funding possibilities are investigated.
• Diffusion of data / of information within/outside the team :
It has been planned to archive observation data on CD-Rom at IRA and PRAO, + send one copy to VBR (Japan)  duplication for PZ+MAS  duplication for GW.
GW has set up the web page : http://radio.astro.gla.ac.uk/exoplanets/  send inputs !

Action Items :
1
2
6
3
4
5
7
8
9 •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
10
11
12
13
14
Write & distribute an account of the first meeting
Make list of targets to observe
•
•
•
• observations  by iteration between
(+ PZ to check in Nançay) phase compensation to be built in Kharkov range 60-86 MHz (customs...)
(~100 Gbyte space required) msec timescale (clock injection at UTR-2 ?)
Create a web page in Glasgow for the INTAS project
- Candidate exoplanets (known hot Jupiters), Close-by stars (≤10 pc),
Pulsars, Geminga, Saturn ?  list to be posted on the web site
Prepare observation ephemeris
Gather information on scintillation effects (IS, IP, ionosphere) in decameter range and issue directives for optimizing the observations (best time of day)
Define observations window for simultaneous Kharkov - Pushchino
Solve problem of synchronization of Kharkov & Pushchino observations at
Check that UTR-2 operation in interferometric mode (EW  NS) includes
Investigate improvements to be brought to AOS observations at UTR-2
Investigate funding possibilities for a digital receiver (~2.5 MHz bandwidth)
Check the possibility of performing AOS observations at DKR in the
Investigate the possibilities for a ftp site for data distribution
Exchange of practical informations through e-mail via PZ,
PZ  done
PZ + All  in progress
BPR + PZ
All  GW  All
IRA and PRAO teams
IRA and PRAO teams
VBR + PZ + MAS
GW  in progress
Public area with free access + Team pages with password
+ provide inputs (text, images, description of intruments, procedures...) All to provide mailing list
BPR
VBR + PZ
BPR + YPS
PZ 
PZ + LD
below
YPS (report to PZ if pb) • Upgrade PRAO computer for data analysis (RAM, CD-writer)
Mailing list of INTAS participants :
M. Abada-Simon (Paris Obs.)
C.H. Barrow (Max-Planck I. A., Germany)
R. D. Dagkesamanskii (PRAO, Russia)
L. Denis (Nançay Obs.)
V. A. Izvekova (PRAO, Russia)
O. I. Malov (PRAO, Russia)
B. P. Ryabov (IRA, Kharkov)
V. B. Ryabov (FUn, Japan)
Y. P. Shitov (PRAO, Russia)
J. Thouvay (admisnistrator, Paris Obs.)
R. A. Treumann (Max-Planck I. E., Germany)
G. Woan (Glasgow, UK)
P. Zarka (Paris Obs.) barrow@linax1.mpae.gwdg.de rdd@prao.psn.ru
Laurent.Denis@obs-nancay.fr iva@prao.psn.ru
? rai@ira.kharkov.ua riabov@fun.ac.jp shitov@prao.psn.ru
Jacqueline.Thouvay@obspm.fr tre@mpe-garching.mpg.de graham@astro.gla.ac.uk
Philippe.Zarka@obspm.fr