Colloquium Abstract - Polisensky - 2024Mar01
March 1, 2024
11:00am Mountain
Emil Polisensky (NRL)
The VLITE View of the Dynamic Radio Sky
Abstract
For over nine years, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and National Radio Astronomy Observatory have run a pioneering experiment called VLITE - a commensal observing mode that harnesses the power of the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) to capture an additional 6000 hours of low-frequency data each year. Operating at 340 MHz through the prime focus receivers alongside standard VLA operations between 1-50 GHz, VLITE now boasts over 57,000 hours of data and 600,000 images teeming with millions of radio emitters. These resources allow probing of variable and transient phenomena spanning minutes to decades across roughly 80% of the sky. However, unlocking the full scientific value of this vast trove faced unique challenges due to the VLA's dynamic array configurations and intricate optical path. I will present an overview of the workings of the VLITE system, explore the data analysis challenges encountered along the way, and share highlights of its scientific achievements and current research directions.
Local Host: Lilia Tremou
