Rick Perley (NRAO)

Rick Perley Colloquium: The Jansky Very Large Array -- Present and Future Capabilities

Marsfield Lecture Theatre

Abstract

The Expanded Very Large Array Project, begun in 2001, was completed in
2012, and the upgraded array -- the Jansky Very Large Array -- is now
in full operation with most of the key observational modes working
well. The pace of implementing new observational modes has slowed as
the array moves into its science production mode. The major challenge
now is in the calibration and processing of the very large databases
now being produced daily.

With the science production phase of the Jansky VLA now well
established, the focus for the radio astronomical community will be on
the array's long-term future. The NRAO is now considering a 'next
generation' VLA -- to longer baselines and higher sensitivities. A
strawman concept would be an array offering ~5 times the current
resolution, and ~ 5 times the current sensitivity, up to a frequency
of 50 GHz, or perhaps higher. Such an array would necessarily
implement new antennas of modern design, super-wideband feeds and
receivers, and a requirement for minimal operational costs. To
establish the necessary science case, the NRAO has established
four science working groups. An all-day workshop, titled 'US Radio
Futures: Building from ALMA and the VLA' has been set for 04 January,
2015 in conjunction with the AAS meeting to encourage community-wide
discussion of this concept.

In this talk, I will review the current capabilities of the array, and
some of recent and ongoing programs, illustrated with some recent
results. I will then broadly discuss the potential future of the VLA
for 2020 and beyond.