Ian Heywood (CASS)

Ian Heywood Colloquium: Down the rabbit hole with an 8.4 GHz JVLA observation

Abstract

The high resolution afforded by radio interferometer observations offers a tried and tested method for identifying the counterparts of bright sub-mm sources at other wavebands. X-band (8.4 GHz) JVLA observations were performed to investigate the nature of strong 870-micron LABOCA detections in the William Herschel Deep Field (WHDF), with a particular interest in two X-ray absorbed quasars.

A particular feature of the WHDF at these radio wavelengths required the application of some non-standard calibration techniques. For the curious (or possibly masochistic) interferometry enthusiast these observations offer substantial food for thought.

I will cover the astrophysical outcome of the project, and with reference to the data and parallel simulations discuss the following burning issues: (i) why didn't my CASA recipe work? (ii) how can I put my phase calibrator in the worst possible place and live to tell the tale? (iii) can we really trust the outcome of interferometric image stacking experiments?