VLASS > Community > Science Working Groups

Science Working Groups

The categories for the SWG represent areas of interest or concern for the definition and implementation of the VLASS.

Science Working Groups:

  • Galactic - The Milky Way and close companions. Includes: stars, gas, dust, compact objects, galactic magnetic field and dynamo, galactic structure, astrochemistry, stellar and planetary system formation, molecular cloud dynamics, planetary nebulae, supernova remnants, galactic masers, etc.
  • Extragalactic - The Universe outside the Milky Way: Includes: cosmology, large scale structure, dark matter and dark energy, galaxy evolution, active galactic nuclei and supermassive black holes, cosmic magnetism.
  • Transients and Variability - Special issues for variable, bursting, and transient sources (galactic and extragalactic in origin) and discovery of new phenomena in the time domain. Includes: stellar flares, AGN variability, supernovae, gamma-ray bursts, tidal disruption events around black holes, compact object mergers and gravity-wave events, and other issues such as multiwavelength follow-up of transient events.
  • Survey Implementation Working Group - Issues and techniques for observing, the processing of the survey data, and production of data products. Includes: scheduling, observing, calibration, imaging, object identification and catalogs, error analysis and likelihood functions, optimal array configurations, simulations, and other issues like software and algorithms research and development.
  • Communication / Education / Outreach - Issues and initiatives for increasing the visibility and utility of the VLASS in the context of education and public awareness, and encouraging wider participation by a more diverse user base. Includes: links to other surveys and communities, communication opportunities, education at all levels, citizen science, outreach, social media, internet-enabled collaboratoria, events.

  • NRAO Data Products, Archiving and Enhanced Data Products working Group  - issues related to the definition, storage and distribution of both the NRAO Basic Data Products and the Enhanced Data Products to be produced by the community.

Working and Communicating with the Working Groups

We are using a Google Group to communicate within and between the Science Working Groups. New members are welcome to sign up by visiting the link.

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