TY - JOUR
T1 - Radio Continuum Surveys with Square Kilometre Array Pathfinders
AU - Norris, Ray P.
AU - Afonso, J.
AU - Bacon, D.
AU - Beck, Rainer
AU - Bell, Martin
AU - Beswick, R. J.
AU - Best, Philip
AU - Bhatnagar, Sanjay
AU - Bonafede, Annalisa
AU - Brunetti, Gianfranco
AU - Budavári, Tamá
AU - Cassano, Rossella
AU - Condon, J. J.
AU - Cress, Catherine
AU - Dabbech, Arwa
AU - Feain, I.
AU - Fender, Rob
AU - Ferrari, Chiara
AU - Gaensler, B. M.
AU - Giovannini, G.
AU - Haverkorn, Marijke
AU - Heald, George
AU - Van der Heyden, Kurt
AU - Hopkins, A. M.
AU - Jarvis, M.
AU - Johnston-Hollitt, Melanie
AU - Kothes, Roland
AU - Van Langevelde, Huib
AU - Lazio, Joseph
AU - Mao, Minnie Y.
AU - Martínez-Sansigre, Alejo
AU - Mary, David
AU - Mcalpine, Kim
AU - Middelberg, E.
AU - Murphy, Eric
AU - Padovani, P.
AU - Paragi, Zsolt
AU - Prandoni, I.
AU - Raccanelli, A.
AU - Rigby, Emma
AU - Roseboom, I. G.
AU - Röttgering, H.
AU - Sabater, Jose
AU - Salvato, Mara
AU - Scaife, Anna M. M.
AU - Schilizzi, Richard
AU - Seymour, N.
AU - Smith, Dan J. B.
AU - Umana, Grazia
AU - Zhao, G.-B.
AU - Zinn, Peter-Christian
PY - 2013/3/1
Y1 - 2013/3/1
N2 - In the lead-up to the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project, several
next-generation radio telescopes and upgrades are already being built
around the world. These include APERTIF (The Netherlands), ASKAP
(Australia), e-MERLIN (UK), VLA (USA), e-EVN (based in Europe), LOFAR
(The Netherlands), MeerKAT (South Africa), and the Murchison Widefield
Array. Each of these new instruments has different strengths, and
coordination of surveys between them can help maximise the science from
each of them. A radio continuum survey is being planned on each of them
with the primary science objective of understanding the formation and
evolution of galaxies over cosmic time, and the cosmological parameters
and large-scale structures which drive it. In pursuit of this objective,
the different teams are developing a variety of new techniques, and
refining existing ones. To achieve these exciting scientific goals, many
technical challenges must be addressed by the survey instruments. Given
the limited resources of the global radio-astronomical community, it is
essential that we pool our skills and knowledge. We do not have
sufficient resources to enjoy the luxury of re-inventing wheels. We face
significant challenges in calibration, imaging, source extraction and
measurement, classification and cross-identification, redshift
determination, stacking, and data-intensive research. As these
instruments extend the observational parameters, we will face further
unexpected challenges in calibration, imaging, and interpretation. If we
are to realise the full scientific potential of these expensive
instruments, it is essential that we devote enough resources and careful
study to understanding the instrumental effects and how they will affect
the data. We have established an SKA Radio Continuum Survey working
group, whose prime role is to maximise science from these instruments by
ensuring we share resources and expertise across the projects. Here we
describe these projects, their science goals, and the technical
challenges which are being addressed to maximise the science return.
AB - In the lead-up to the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project, several
next-generation radio telescopes and upgrades are already being built
around the world. These include APERTIF (The Netherlands), ASKAP
(Australia), e-MERLIN (UK), VLA (USA), e-EVN (based in Europe), LOFAR
(The Netherlands), MeerKAT (South Africa), and the Murchison Widefield
Array. Each of these new instruments has different strengths, and
coordination of surveys between them can help maximise the science from
each of them. A radio continuum survey is being planned on each of them
with the primary science objective of understanding the formation and
evolution of galaxies over cosmic time, and the cosmological parameters
and large-scale structures which drive it. In pursuit of this objective,
the different teams are developing a variety of new techniques, and
refining existing ones. To achieve these exciting scientific goals, many
technical challenges must be addressed by the survey instruments. Given
the limited resources of the global radio-astronomical community, it is
essential that we pool our skills and knowledge. We do not have
sufficient resources to enjoy the luxury of re-inventing wheels. We face
significant challenges in calibration, imaging, source extraction and
measurement, classification and cross-identification, redshift
determination, stacking, and data-intensive research. As these
instruments extend the observational parameters, we will face further
unexpected challenges in calibration, imaging, and interpretation. If we
are to realise the full scientific potential of these expensive
instruments, it is essential that we devote enough resources and careful
study to understanding the instrumental effects and how they will affect
the data. We have established an SKA Radio Continuum Survey working
group, whose prime role is to maximise science from these instruments by
ensuring we share resources and expertise across the projects. Here we
describe these projects, their science goals, and the technical
challenges which are being addressed to maximise the science return.
KW - radiotelescopes
KW - surveys
KW - galaxy evolution
KW - cosmology
M3 - Article
SN - 1448-6083
VL - 30
SP - 20
JO - Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia
JF - Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia
ER -