2014 VLASS Science Planning Workshop

VLASS workshop at AAS Jan 2014
Event: NRAO Very Large Array Sky Survey Science Planning Workshop

Date/Time: Sunday, 5 January 2014, 10:00am - 4:30pm
Location: Annapolis 1 (Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center)
Organizer: Mark T. Adams
Chair(s): Stefi Alison Baum, Steven T. Myers

It has been 20 years since the initial observations were made for the NRAO Very Large Array Sky Survey (NVSS) and the Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters (FIRST). These pioneering programs have defined the state-of-the-art in centimeter radio sky surveys and produced a steady stream of excellent science. Given the enhanced capabilities of the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA), now is an appropriate time to discuss the scientific potential of new centimeter-wavelength sky surveys. High priority science goals of the 2010 decadal survey New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics can be addressed by a new VLA sky survey, and many scientists have expressed their keen interest in employing the VLA to conduct new, wide-area synoptic surveys in support of multi-wavelength sky surveys using existing and future facilities, such as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope. Thus, we are launching a NRAO VLA Sky Survey (VLASS) initiative that will explore the science and technical opportunities of a new centimeter-wavelength survey. A community-led Science Survey Group (SSG) will define the science program and key components of VLASS, and NRAO will support its technical definition and implementation. All VLASS data will be available immediately to the astronomical community.  In this workshop at the January 2014 American Astronomical Society meeting at National Harbor, MD, all are welcome to attend, learn about the VLA and its survey capabilities, participate in discussion of survey science priorities, and provide input on survey planning. This workshop will also be a forum for the presentation and discussion of the white papers, and a prelude to the establishment of the SSG.

No registration is required to attend the Workshop. All interested community members are welcome to attend; bring collaborators, students, and colleagues from across the multi-wavelength spectrum! A number of white papers and abstracts have already been received and are posted covering diverse topics ranging from transients to lensing to polarization, covering our Galaxy to the far reaches of the Universe and everything in between. These will provide critical input to the SSG and NRAO regarding survey science goals, techniques, technical and software development, and design.

The VLASS Workshop will be an exciting opportunity to learn about the power of large surveys with the Jansky Very Large Array, to consider how they fit into the broader multi-wavelength astronomical survey framework, and to help shape (and name) the future Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array Sky Survey.

Also, at the AAS meeting at National Harbor, Steve Myers will also give a talk (236.01) on the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array Sky Survey in the Surveys and Large Programs II Session on Tuesday, 7 January at 2:00 p.m., in Maryland Ballroom D. Update: The talk is posted online at the AAS223 Extras Page (QR Code), and also available at this location.

 

 

Workshop SOC:

The Science Organizing Committee (SOC) for this workshop include: Stefi Baum (RIT, Chair), Shami Chatterjee (Cornell), Tracy Clarke (NRL), Jim Condon (NRAO), Jackie Hodge (NRAO), Karl Menten (MPIfR), Eric Murphy (IPAC), Steve Myers (NRAO, ex-officio), Aneta Siemiginowska (CXC/SAO), Vernesa Smolcic (U. Zagreb), Alicia Soderberg (Harvard), Michael Strauss (Princeton), and Rick White (STScI).

 

Final Agenda (last updated 14 January 2014):

9:00 am - 5:00 pm, Sunday January 5NRAO VLASS Science Planning Workshop
9:00 - 10:00 Poster Set Up & Meet and Greet (9:30am coffee arrives :-)
Poster 1 Steve Myers (NRAO) VLASS (PDF 6.7MB)
Poster 2 Namir Kassim (NRL) VLITE (PDF 7.0MB)
Poster 3 S. A. Mao (UWisc) M51 Polarization (PDF 2.8MB)
10:00 - 10:05 Tony Beasley (NRAO Director) - Welcome
10:05 - 11:35

Talks to Set the Stage - The Radio Wavelengths
(All Talks 12 minutes + 3 for questions)
10:05 - 10:20 Jim Condon (NRAO) - Nature of the Radio Sky (PDF 3.3MB)
10:20 - 10:35 Rick White (STSCI) - Radio Surveys 101: How VLA Radio Surveys Differ from other Wavelength Surveys (PDF 1.1MB)
10:35 - 10:50 Gregg Hallinan (Caltech) - Radio Transients (PDF 1.9MB)
10:50 - 11:05 Jeroen Stil (Calgary) - Polarization of the Radio Sky (PDF 5.3MB)
11:05 - 11:20 Anish Roshi (NRAO) - Spectral Lines in the Radio Sky (PDF 2.1MB)
11:20 - 11:35 Joe Lazio (JPL) - Past and Planned Radio Surveys: A Census (PDF 25MB)
11:35 - 11:45 Break
11:45 - 12:30 Talks to Set the Stage - Surveys in the Multi-Wavelength Sky
11:45 - 12:00 Karl Menten (MPIfR) - MidIR/FIR/SubMM (PDF 23MB)
12:00 - 12:15 Zeljko Ivezic (U Wash) - NIR/Optical/UV (PDF 11MB)
12:15 - 12:30 Francesca Civano (Dartmouth/SAO) - Xray/Gamma Ray (PDF 2.4MB)
12:30 - 2:00 VLASS White Paper SMASH (Stefi Baum, coordinator) (Agenda PDF)
(Maximum Two Power Point Slides, 3 minutes per White Paper)
Paper Speaker - Title (alphabetical by White Paper author)
Bastian T. Bastian - Stars (PDF 296KB)
Bhatnagar A. Roshi - Galactic Plane (PDF 824KB)
Brown M. Jarvis - Weak Lensing (PDF 520KB)
Chambers* K. Chambers - PanSTARRS & VLASS (PDF 1.9MB)
Chatterjee S. Chatterjee - Exotic Pulsars (PDF 1.2MB)
Clarke T. Clarke - Radio Clusters (PDF 6.5MB)
Edge T. Clarke - Cluster Cores (PDF 2.9MB)
Hales not presented (lost file) - Deep Fields (PDF 180KB)
Hallinan K. Mooley - Transients (PDF 572KB)
Jarvis M. Jarvis - 10 deg2 L-band Survey (PDF 316 KB)
Kamble P. Williams - Radio Supernovae (PDF 48KB)
Law S.B. Spolaor - Fast Sampling for Transients (PDF 124KB)
Mao A. Mao - Polarization (PDF 804KB)
Mills E. Mills - VLASSICK Gal. Center (PDF 300KB)
Myers not presented - VLASS Prospectus (PDF 296KB)
Richards G. Richards - S-Band Sky Survey (PDF 240KB)
Sjouwerman E. Mills - GUTS Gal. Plane (PDF 264KB)
Spolaor S.B. Spolaor - Dual AGN (PDF 792KB)
Spuck T. Spuck - EPO & Citizen Science (PDF 6.7MB)
Wilson T. Wilson - VLITE (PDF 1.5MB)
* no white paper yet submitted, stay tuned!
2:00 - 3:30 Lunch + Science Discussion Groups (PDF 5.6MB) (2:30 afternoon coffee arrives)
3:30 - 4:30

Report Out from Science Discussion Groups (10 minutes each)

Jim Condon (NRAO) - A "Skeptic's View" on VLASS Options

Rick White (STSCI) - Rebuttal: Why Do Surveys? (PDF 56KB)
4:30 - 5:00

Jim Cordes (Cornell) - Unifying Themes, Guided Discussion and Workshop Summary (PDF 520KB)

Steve Myers (NRAO) - Questions and Discussion Points (PDF 200KB)

Claire Chandler (NRAO) - What Comes Next? (PDF 1.5MB)
5:00 - 5:30

Lingering Discussions
*followed by retreat to bar, dinner, AAS reception at 7pm...*

There is a printable version of the agenda here.

There is a tarball of all the talks available here.

Note (2014-01-14): The talks from the workshop are now posted to this page. I think I got the names of the presenters right for the SMASH session.

Connect with NRAO

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory and Green Bank Observatory are facilities of the U.S. National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

Founded in 1956, the NRAO provides state-of-the-art radio telescope facilities for use by the international scientific community. NRAO telescopes are open to all astronomers regardless of institutional or national affiliation. Observing time on NRAO telescopes is available on a competitive basis to qualified scientists after evaluation of research proposals on the basis of scientific merit, the capability of the instruments to do the work, and the availability of the telescope during the requested time. NRAO also provides both formal and informal programs in education and public outreach for teachers, students, the general public, and the media.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense..."

AUI collaborates with the scientific community and research sponsors to plan, build, and operate cutting-edge facilities. We cultivate excellence, deliver value, enhance education, and engage the public.