Dr A. J. Beasley (California Institute of Technology/CARMA)

CARMA - The First Heterogeneous Millimeter Interferometer - Dr A. J. Beasley Colloquium

ATNF Marsfield Lecture Theatre

Abstract

The Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy (CARMA) is a
23-antenna heterogenous millimeter array under construction in the Inyo
Mountains of eastern California. CARMA will merge the existing Owens Valley
and Berkeley-Illinois-Maryland Association arrays into a single instrument
focusing on pure research, technology development and student training. A
new high-altitude site will enable routine 205-265 GHz observing, and may
allow observations in the 345 GHz window. Eight additional 3.5-m antennas
from the University of Chicago will also be integrated into CARMA when not
imaging the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect towards clusters of galaxies.

At first light, the array will observe at 12, 3 and 1.3 mm using a mix of
SIS and MMIC-based receivers. A new, highly-flexible correlator
incorporating reprogrammable FPGA technology will process configurable
subsets of the antennas specified according to the science objectives.
Leading-edge water vapor radiometers will be used to correct for
atmospheric opacity and signal phase fluctuations. CARMA will be capable of
both high resolution and wide-field imaging, covering a range of angular
scales unmatched by any current or planned millimeter-wave instrument. The
high sensitivity, sub-arcsecond angular resolution and excellent
uv-coverage of CARMA will ensure major advances in studies of the universe.
The array will provide high-fidelity resolved images of solar-system
objects, protostars, protoplanetary disks, and galaxies both nearby and at
high redshift - directly addressing many key research areas in astronomy
and astrophysics.