NRAO SKA Working Group

NRAO SKA Working Group

Goals

  • SKA is an umbrella program for cm/m wave instrument and telescope development over the next 25 years; this ultimately may result in several telescopes under the SKA Program.
  • The primary instrument to be proposed to the next decadal survey represents the "SKA-mid" science, nominally the Radio Synoptic Survey Telescope. NRAO will play a significant role in drafting the decadal case, including development of engineering design and cost estimates, with the instrument to be built in Australia or South Africa. Decadal proposal will include a funding request that may amount to less than 1/3 the total cost of SKA-mid. Open skies will be required, and include the assumption that US may contribute more than 1/3 to SKA-high. The exact staging of the full SKA-mid vs. the Phase I (~10%) SKA-mid will be determined as part of the proposal preparation.
  • NRAO separately will participate in a plan to develop technology for the high-frequency SKA in the next decade, and will exploit our new telescopes as scientific pathfinders for SKA-high. The goal of this plan will be to be prepared to propose SKA-high to the 2020 decadal survey, not necessarily at the same site as SKA-mid, and perhaps as a build-out from EVLA.
  • NRAO will seek opportunities for technical collaborations (including hardware, software, data-handling, algorithms, etc.) that advance the above goals. These technical collaborations may include, but are not limited to, TDP and PrepSKA.

Membership

  • Bryan Butler, member of International Science Working Group
  • Chris Carilli, former International SKA Project Scientist
  • Bill Cotton, member of International Simulations Working Group
  • Rick Fisher, head of NRAO Research and Development
  • Ken Kellermann, chair of International Operations Working Group, vice-chair of International SKA Steering Committee, NRAO representative to US SKA Consortium
  • Steve Myers, member of US SKA Decadal Survey Group
  • Roger Norrod, US Technology Development Program participant
  • Rick Perley, EVLA Project Scientist
  • Scott Ransom, member of International Science Working Group
  • Dick Thompson, member of International Engineering Working Group
  • Jim Ulvestad, member of International SKA Steering Committee, NRAO representative to US SKA Consortium
  • Craig Walker, member of International Simulations Working Group

Meeting Minutes

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