Using ASKAP
ASKAP provides Australian and international astronomers with a world-leading radio astronomy instrument. It is operated by CSIRO as part of the Australia Telescope National Facility along with Murriyang, the 64-metre Parkes radio telescope, the Australia Telescope Compact Array near Narrabri, the 22-metre Mopra telescope near Coonabarabran in NSW, and the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex in the ACT. ASKAP may also form part of Australia's Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) network in the future.
ASKAP is an SKA-precursor telescope, and its technologies and research discoveries have helped us realise and outline plans for the development of the SKA both in Australia and South Africa. Currently, those using ASKAP are restricted to the nine survey science projects. Papers relating to these projects and ASKAP technologies are available on the ASKAP Publications page, with research data available on CASDA. The information below is a list of references and resources for people who are using ASKAP in their research.
Visit ASKAP News for headline announcements and related media. Make sure to follow @CSIRO_ATNF on Twitter for exciting astronomy content. You can even see what the telescope is up to on our ASKAP Live page.
Much of this information, with up-to-the-minute content, documents and community discussion is available on the ASKAP Confluence page.
User Information
Sites, resources and newsletters have been set up to support the ASKAP and broader astronomy community. Here is a useful list of resources:
- A system description is available in full detail in the paper, Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder: I. system description, published in Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia, 2021.
- The ASKAP User Policy outlining principles, project, management and more is available online.
- While the majority of ASKAP observing time will be used for approved large Survey Science Projects, some time is available for Guest Science Projects (GSPs) - scientifically-interesting projects of a modest scale that do not fit easily within the large surveys. As of May 2023 GSP proposals may be submitted as for the other ATNF facilities, using the OPAL online submission system. Requests for modest amounts of time may also be considered under the Target of Opportunity mechanism for time-critical observations or for commissioning tests. Refer to the ASKAP Guidelines for requesting non-SSP observing time and the links therein for further information.
- The monthly newsletter on developments at ASKAP, plus information on how to subscribe, can be found on the ASKAP Updates page.
- The ACES memo series (ASKAP Commissioning & Early Science) documents key technical developments from construction and commissioning through to survey science. It provides further details on topics introduced in the system description paper.
- Technical specifications and sensitivities of the ASKAP telescope are available online or in the system description paper.
- The array configuration of ASKAP is similarly available online or via the system description paper.
Please note, that CASS (CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science) is now known as S&A (Space and Astronomy). As such, the old name may still be visible in some files, however S&A will be used going forward.
Publishing and getting your research noticed
The ASKAP Publication Policy (revised June 2021) provides CSIRO staff and ASKAP science users with guidelines on the publication of design information, performance measurements and scientific results from the ASKAP telescope. This document outlines the publication policy for ASKAP. This policy applies to all stages of the ASKAP project, from commissioning up to and including the completion of the full-scope ASKAP array. It will continue to apply during ongoing operations of ASKAP as a part of ATNF.
Publication Acknowledgements
Publications that use data from ASKAP or the Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, CSIRO's Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory should include the text:
This scientific work uses data obtained from Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara / the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory. We acknowledge the Wajarri Yamaji People as the Traditional Owners and native title holders of the Observatory site. CSIRO’s ASKAP radio telescope is part of the Australia Telescope National Facility (https://ror.org/05qajvd42). Operation of ASKAP is funded by the Australian Government with support from the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy. ASKAP uses the resources of the Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre. Establishment of ASKAP, Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, the CSIRO Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory and the Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre are initiatives of the Australian Government, with support from the Government of Western Australia and the Science and Industry Endowment Fund.
The abridged form is also permissible:
This scientific work uses data obtained from the Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara / the CSIRO Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory. We acknowledge the Wajarri Yamaji people as the traditional owners of the Observatory site.
Acknowledgments for other telescopes in the ATNF network are available on the Publication acknowledgement statements page.
Promoting your research
The ASKAP Science Promotion Guidelines (July 2021) provides CSIRO staff and ASKAP science users and partner institutions with guidelines on the promotion of ASKAP-related results or news to the broader community, in order to reach the widest possible audience with the greatest impact.
Visit ASKAP News to read about ASKAP research that has been promoted through CSIRO or other channels.
ASKAP is an SKA-precursor telescope situated on Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, the CSIRO Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory in Western Australia.
We acknowledge the Wajarri Yamaji as the Traditional Owners and native title holders of the Observatory site.