====== UvA MSc Radio Astronomy 2013 ====== ===== Lecture Synopsis (date, title, lecturer) ===== {{ra_uva:ra_uva_course_outline.pdf| Course Outline}} ==== April 2, 2013 - The History of Radio Astronomy: Past to Present - Jason ==== {{ra_uva:ra_uva_lecture1.pdf| Lecture 1 }} * Introduction to the course: lecture structures, practica, etc. * Maxwell, Hertz, Marconi * Karl Jansky * Grote Reber * Technological developments during WWII * The post-war dawn of radio astronomy * Great discoveries in the first half century of radio astronomy * Radio astronomy in the context of multi-wavelength astronomy * The radio telescope as IT instrument ==== April 4, 2013 - The Science of Radio Astronomy: Extragalactic - Michael ==== {{ra_uva:ra_uva_lecture2.pdf|Lecture 2}} * Radio Astronomy for Extragalactic Science * Nearby Galaxies, Mapping HI, Dynamics, Magnetic Fields * Nearby Galaxies, Astrometry, SNR, GRBs, Mapping HI, Dynamics, * Star Formation, FIR-Radio Correlation, Lensing * Radio Galaxies, AGN, Jets, Quasars, Gas Flows, and Radio Source Evolution * Galaxy Groups and Clusters, Feedback, Black Hole Growth, Relics, Halos, and Shocks * Cosmic Microwave Background, S-Z Effect, EoR, Cosmology and Large-scale Structure ==== April 8, 2013 - The Science of Radio Astronomy: Galactic and Solar System - Joeri ==== {{ra_uva:ra_uva_lecture3.pdf| Lecture 3 }} * The Milky Way * Clouds of gas, supernovae, pulsars * The Sun * The Giant planets * Radar imaging of the planets, moon, and near-Earth asteroids ==== April 11, 2013 - Emission Mechanisms in Radio Astronomy - Jason ==== {{ra_uva:ra_uva_lecture4.pdf| Lecture 4}} * Thermal vs. non-thermal observing windows on the Universe * Synchrotron radiation ==== April 15, 2013 - The Radio Telescope - Joeri ==== {{ra_uva:ra_uva_lecture5.pdf| Lecture 5}} * Antenna response: resolution and beam shapes * Reflector types, collecting area * The signal chain: antenna, receivers, amplifiers, and mixers * Sensitivity: the radiometer equation ==== April 18, 2013 - The Techniques of Radio Interferometry I: The Basics - Jason ==== {{:ra_uva:ra_uva_lecture6.pdf|Lecture 6}} * Motivation for radio interferometry * Two-element interferometer * Basic interferometer equations * Confusion limit * Beam shape * Understanding the UV-plane ==== April 22, 2013 - The Techniques of Radio Interferometry II: Calibration - Michael ==== {{:ra_uva:ra_uva_lecture7.pdf|Lecture 7}} * Definition of Calibration * Visibilities, uv Coverage, Gains, Phases * Real Data, Data Examination, Data Editing * Formalism, Ideal vs. Real Measurements * Calibration Strategies and Effectiveness ==== April 25, 2013 - The Techniques of Radio Interferometry III: Imaging - Michael ==== {{:ra_uva:ra_uva_lecture8.pdf|Lecture 8}} * Imaging and Deconvolution * Image Quality, Noise, Dynamic Range * Wide-band imaging, Multi-frequency Synthesis * Wide-field imaging, Facet Imaging, W-Projection * Mosaicing ==== May 2, 2013 - Field Trip to LOFAR and Westerbork - Michael + Joeri + Jason ==== ==== May 6, 2013 - The Techniques of Time-Domain Radio Astronomy I: Single-dish techniques - Joeri ==== {{:ra_uva:ra_uva_lecture9.pdf|Lecture 9}} * Main differences between imaging and single-dish time domain astronomy * High-time resolution recording * Pulsar properties * Pulsar timing ==== May 13, 2013 - The Techniques of Time-Domain Radio Astronomy II: High time resolution with interferometers - Jason ==== {{ra_uva:ra_uva_lecture10.pdf| Lecture 10 }} * Comparison with single-dish observations. * Incoherent vs. coherent summation. * Fly's Eye observations. * Fast imaging. * Advanced techniques. ==== May 16, 2013 - NAC 2013 ==== * No lecture because of NAC conference. ==== May 21, 2013 - The Future of Radio Astronomy - Michael ==== {{:ra_uva:ra_uva_lecture11.pdf|Lecture 11}} * The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) * SKA Pathfinders * SKA Computational Challenges * Data Intensive Astronomy * Beyond the SKA ==== May 23, 2013 - Project Presentations - All ==== ==== May 24, 2013 - Deadline for written observing proposals and data analysis project ==== ==== May 28, 2013 - Final Exam (13-16h) - All ==== ===== Lab Notes ===== Instructions on [[uva_msc_radioastronomy_2013_vnc|installing software]] to work on the LOFAR Cluster ===== Proposal Writing ===== The proposal is 3 page scientific justification, 1 page technical justification, and 1 page references maximum. Final deliverable is a PDF. You can write it as Latex, Word, or otherwise. Templates: {{:ra_uva:proposal.pdf|PDF}} | {{:ra_uva:proposal.tex.zip|Latex}} A few suggestions on writing good observing proposals: * [[http://www.aoc.nrao.edu/events/xraydio/meetingcont/6.3_fomalont.pdf]]: First read 5.1, then all of 5, then skip the rest. * [[http://pulsar.sternwarte.uni-erlangen.de/black-hole/1stschool/coursematerial/proposals.pdf]] After page 22, "Tips and Tricks" * [[http://summerschool2011.oa-cagliari.inaf.it/SSS2011/lectures/110916_01_Casu.pdf]] First page 21 and following, then rest. ===== References ===== ==== Links to other classes ==== * NRAO Essential Radio Astronomy (Condon & Ransom): http://www.cv.nrao.edu/course/astr534/ERA.shtml * NJIT Radio Astronomy Course (Gary): http://web.njit.edu/~gary/728/ * Leiden Radio Astronomy Course (Garrett): http://www.astron.nl/~mag/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=radio_astronomy_course_description * Leiden Radio Astronomy Course (Schilizzi): http://home.strw.leidenuniv.nl/~intema/ra2006.htm * Glasgow Radio Astronomy Course (Woan): http://radio.astro.gla.ac.uk/ralectures/ * UvA Interferometry (Jaffe): http://home.strw.leidenuniv.nl/~jaffe/interferometry/AMS2/ * UvA Radio Astronomy (Strom): http://www.astron.nl/~leeuwen/course/RadioAstronomy_2013/Strom/ * NRAO Synthesis Imaging Summer School: http://www.aoc.nrao.edu/events/synthesis/2012/lectures.shtml * U. Calgary radio telescope project: http://www.ras.ucalgary.ca/radiotel/ ==== Reference books ==== * An introdution to Radio Astronomy * Radio Astronomy * High Energy Astrophysics * Tools of Radio Astronomy * Antennas * Interferometry and Synthesis in Radio Astronomy