The Australian Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) telescope creates a new atlas of the universe. Credit: CSIRO
The world’s leading CSIRO radio telescope has conducted the first survey of the entire southern sky in record south and in detail, creating a new atlas of the universe.
The Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder (ASKAP), developed and operated by CSIRO, Australia’s National Science Agency, maps about 30 million galaxies in about 300 hours.
The Continuous Survey is like a Google map of the universe where millions of star-like points on the map are distant galaxies – about a million of which we have never seen before.
CSIRO’s Chief Executive Dr. Lar. Larry Marshall said ASKAP combined world-class infrastructure with scientific and engineering expertise to unlock the deepest mysteries of the universe.
Dr. AS Marshall said that ASKAP is making very advanced use of science and technology to equip astronauts around the world with old questions about the mysteries of the universe and their challenges.
“It is all enabled by innovative receivers developed by CSIRO that feature phased array feed technology, which sees Australia generate more raw data at a faster rate than Australia’s entire Internet traffic.
“At a time when we have access to more data than ever before, ASKAP and the supercomputers that support it are delivering unparalleled insights and giving everyone the tools to advance our data-driven future to make life better. “
In the day Australian Australian SKA. Pathfinder Radio Telescope. Credit: CSIRO
ASKAP is another excellent example of AS Australia’s world-leading radio astronomy capabilities, said Karen Andrews, Minister of Industry, Science and Technology.
“ASKAP is a major technological development that puts our scientists, engineers and industry in the driver’s seat leading to deeper space exploration for the next generation. This new survey proves that we are ready to take a huge leap forward in the field of radio astronomy, “said Minister Andrews.
The main feature of the telescope is its direct extended view, created by the new CSIRO-designed receivers, enabling the escape to take beautiful pictures of the sky in astonishing detail.
Using ASKAP at CSIRO’s Murchison Radio-Astronomy Observatory (MRO) in Outbound Western Australia, the survey team observed 83 percent of the entire sky.
Preliminary results were published on November 30, 2020 The Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia.
This record-breaking result proves that an all-sky survey can be done in weeks rather than years, opening up new opportunities for discovery.
The new data will enable astronomers to perform a statistical analysis of a large population of galaxies, just as social researchers use data from a national census.
At night Australian Australian SKA. Pathfinder Radio Telescope. Credit: CSIRO
“This census of the universe will be used by astronomers around the world to explore the unknown and to study everything from the formation of stars to how galaxies and their super-black holes develop and interact with each other,” said CSIRO astronomer Dr. Said David McConnell.
With ASKAP’s advanced receivers, the RACS team needed to collect only 903 images to create a complete map of the sky, significantly less than the thousands of images required for previous sky-radio surveys performed by the main world telescope.
“For the first time, ASKAP has mapped the universe in more detail and at a record speed than ever before, with its full muscles hanging. We expect to find millions of new galaxies in future surveys, ”said Dr. Said McConnell.
13.5 xbits of raw data generated by ASKAP was processed by CSIRO using custom built hardware and software.
Paws Supercomputing Centre’s ‘Galaxy’ supercomputer converted data into 2D radio with a total of 70 billion pixels.
The final 903 images and supporting information amount to 26 terabytes of data.
Pavsena executive director Mark Stickel said supercompaning capability is a key part of ASKAP’s design.
“Paws Supercomputing Center has worked closely with a team from CSIRO and SKPR and we are proud to provide the necessary infrastructure that has a great impact on science.”
Images and catalogs of the survey will be made publicly available through the CSIRO Data Access Portal and hosted at Pawse.
ASKAP’s state-of-the-art technology, an international mega-science project to build the world’s largest radio telescope, is providing insights into the development of the Square Kilometer Array (SKA).
CSIRO will host a low-frequency SKA telescope on MRO.
CSIRO recognizes Vajari Yamji as the traditional owners of the MRO site.
Reference: d. McConnell, C.L. Haley, E. Lank, J.K. Benfield, George Held, A.W. Houghton, James K. Lang, Vanessa a. “The Rapid ASKAP Continuum Survey I: Design and First Results” by Moss, Tara Murphy, Andrew O’Brien [Opens in a new window], Joshua Pritchard, Wasim Raja, Elaine M. Sadler, Adam Stewart, Alec JM Thomson, m. Whiting, James R. Allison, SW Amy, c. Anderson, Lewis Ball, Keith W. Bannister, Martin Bell, Douglas c. J. Bock, Rush Bolton, JD Bunton, AP Chipndale, JD Collier, FR Currey, TJ Cornwell, PJ Diamond, PG Edwards, n. Gupta, Douglas b. Heyman, Ian Haywood, CA Jackson, Barbal S. Koribalski, Karen Lee-Waddell and NM McClure-Griffiths, November 30, 2020. The Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia.
DOI: 10.1017 / pasa.2020.41
