Call for proposals to use the WSRT

Observing proposals are solicited for all of the available observing time on the WSRT in Semester 13B, running from 01 June 2013 through 30 November 2013.

Astronomers from all countries can apply for observing time on the WSRT; all proposals will be judged on their scientific merit and technical feasibility only. The titles and authors of accepted proposals since 2004 are listed online.

The deadline to submit WSRT proposals is:

During the 13B-semester RT5 will remain out of the array for Apertif commissioning. Also, a further 2 telescopes, quite likely RT2 and RT4, will be converted for Apertif. The remaining 11 telescopes will remain equipped with the MFEE receivers until the spring of 2014.

Once the transition to Apertif is completed, WSRT will have a superb wideband 21/18-cm surveying capability, but with a somewhat reduced pointed sensitivity. Observing at the traditional MFFE-frequencies will be restricted to single 25-m telescope applications.

Since further transition is now foreseen in the spring of 2014, the present call is likely to be the last chance for those who wish to observe during the months June through November, with a substantial complement of MFFE telescopes. In particular those astronomers who wish to make use of the "classical" WSRT capabilities for large projects are urged to submit their proposals at this time.

Large programmes are defined as taking up at least 250 hours in a semester. Proposals in this category can use up to 4 pages (instead of 2) for their combined scientific and technical justification. The PC may impose special requirements concerning rapid public data access, project management, progress, etc.

Classical long term projects, spanning multiple, consecutive semesters, will not be considered any more in view of the transition to Apertif.

Descriptions of the Urgent and Service proposal categories can be found via the "Policy for WSRT Observing" of the ASTRON website; these can be submitted at any time.

General information on the capabilities of the WSRT, with its 14x25m dishes, suite of sensitive receivers spanning 250 MHz to 8.7 GHz, powerful and flexible correlator, and pulsar and VLBI backends, can be obtained online.

Proposers should consider designing projects and samples to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by the generally unevenly distributed oversubscription as a function of Right Ascension (i.e., LST); some recent histograms are shown online. Proposals for projects that can be executed in multiple 24 hour blocks are also expressly invited, because of the logistical ease in carrying them out.

Since Semester 10B, astronomers can query the WSRT archive online for WSRT data that have been taken since 2000. Data that are in the public domain, can then be requested by sending an email to wsrt-support [at] astron [dot] nl, identifying the project name and the sources they require.

Proposers should take note of EU encouragement to form teams with a European dimension, as it provides valuable financial support. When both the PI and at least 50% of the proposers have an affiliation outside The Netherlands, yet in an EU or affiliated country, their approved WSRT proposals are eligible for RadioNet TransNational Access support.

WSRT proposals of any kind must be submitted only via the web-based tool, NorthStar.

R.C. Vermeulen
Director, Radio Observatory at ASTRON