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====== 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