Name: Tzioumis Anastasios
E-mail: tasso.tzioumis@csiro.au
Affiliation: CASS
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: Intoduction
Abstract: Introduction to the meeting.
Name: Ken Kellermann
E-mail: kkellerm@nrao.edu
Affiliation: NRAO
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: The Gold Effect aka The Buffalo Syndrome
Abstract: In 1984, Tommy Gold pointed out how peer review, enhanced by biased judgments can lead to a consensus, but incorrect, understanding that hinder the progress of science. Some examples of how the Gold Effect has impacted radio astronomy include a) the reluctance by Bolton et al. to accept the evidence for radio galaxies (1949); the inability of Kellermann (1965) to recognize evidence for the rotation of Mercury; and the unwillingness of Greenstein, Bolton, and others to accept the large redshift of quasars. We speculate on how cosmology might have evolved differently if the acceleration of the Universe (predicted by the SS theory) had been discovered before the CMB and what, if any, current paradigms in radio astronomy are based on the Gold Effect.
Name: Ravi, Vikram
E-mail: v.vikram.ravi@gmail.com
Affiliation: Caltech
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: The brightest FRBs: a class distinct from the repeater(s)?
Abstract: Central to the mystery of FRBs is their wide range of phenomenologies. Some FRBs, like the repeater, are broad, faint and exhibit intrinsic temporal structure. Others are demonstrably scattered, likely intrinsically narrow, and luminous. I will argue that, based on intrinsic properties, propagation effects and localizations, some FRBs are repeaters and some (likely the brighter ones) are not. I will also present the first results from Caltech's Deep Synoptic Array 10-element prototype (DSA-10): an array designed to localize bright FRBs to <3-arcsecond accuracy at a rate of better than one event every month.
Name: Cimo, Giuseppe
E-mail: cimo@jive.eu
Affiliation: JIVE and ASTRON
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: Radio Astronomy and Space Science: VLBI observations of orbiters and landers
Abstract: Radio astronomy and space science get together in the Planetary Radio Interferometry and Doppler Experiment (PRIDE), which provides precise determination of the lateral position of spacecraft on the celestial sphere by means of phase referencing near-field VLBI observations.
These measurements can be used for a variety of scientific applications, including planetary science, improvement of ephemerides, ultra-precise celestial mechanics of planetary systems, gravimetry, spacecraft orbit determination, and fundamental physics. This technique, complementary to radio science experiments, addresses those areas of spacecraft mission science objectives that require accurate estimation of spacecraft state vector. Indeed, the European Space Agency has selected PRIDE as an experiment of the JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE), the forthcoming ESA's flagship mission to the Jupiter system.
We will describe our approach to spacecraft observations and data processing by showing the results of a VLBI campaign involving 35 radio telescopes to observe the closest Phobos flyby by the ESA's spacecraft Mars Express and we will discuss the challenges of joining radio astronomy and space science.
Name: Cimo, Giuseppe
E-mail: cimo@jive.eu
Affiliation: JIVE and ASTRON
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: Supporting multi-wavelength and multi-messenger astronomy with ASTERICS
Abstract: Astronomy ESFRI and Research Infrastructure Cluster, ASTERICS, brings together astronomers and astroparticle physicists to help world-leading facilities, such as SKA, CTA, KM3NeT, and E-ELT, work together to find common solutions to their Big Data challenges, their interoperability and scheduling, and their data access.
ASTERICS develops common solutions for streaming data processing and extremely large databases by creating of an open innovation environment and by establishing open standards for multi-wavelength/multi-messenger data. Cross-facility coordination is crucial in terms of response to multi-messenger transient alerts. Therefore, ASTERICS is also developing innovative methods for relaying alerts. Finally ASTERICS aims to open up multi-wavelength and multi messenger astronomy to scientists, through the Virtual Observatory, and to the general public, by means of citizen science mass participation experiments.
Name: Horesh Assaf
E-mail: assafh@mail.huji.ac.il
Affiliation: Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: Lessons from the last decade of time-domain astronomy
Abstract: Over the last few decades, the field of time-domain astronomy has provided us with several surprising discoveries. Some of the discoveries are a result of unveiling new details about known phenomena while others are the discoveries of new types of transients. A key factor, leading to these findings, is the many new phase spaces that time-domain projects have been exploring. Several examples come to mind, such as the discovery of super luminous supernovae, the first detection of the onset of a relativistic tidal disruption event, the unveiling of a new population of fast radio bursts, and last but not least, the first discovery of a gravitational wave event from a coalescence of binary black holes. In my talk, I will present some of the key results from time-domain experiments, which include panchromatic studies of various transient phenomena, and discuss the lessons we have learned in preparation for future experiments.
Name: Keith Bannister
E-mail: keith.bannister@csiro.au
Affiliation: CSIRO ATNF
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: Fast Radio Bursts detections with ASKAP
Abstract: ASKAP's high-time-resolution mode is just coming online at the time of writing. We expect to have a a number of FRB candidates by the time of the conference. I will summarise ASKAP FRB search system, which has a number of innovative elements, and the results of this FRB search.
Name: Ray Norris
E-mail: raypnorris@gmail.com
Affiliation: WSU/CSIRO
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: Building Machine Astronomers to Discover the Unexpected in Astronomical Surveys
Abstract: Most major discoveries in astronomy are unplanned, and result from surveying the Universe in a new way, rather than by testing a hypothesis or conducting an investigation with planned outcomes. Next-generation astronomical survey telescopes will significantly expand the volume of observational parameter space, and should in principle discover unexpected new phenomena and new types of object. However, the complexity of the telescopes and the large data volumes mean that these discoveries are unlikely to be found by chance, or by humans. Instead, we have to build tools to discover the unexpected. Here I discuss specific using machine learning techniques that we are developing, largely based on machine learning algorithms, to discover the unexpected in the EMU survey.
Name: greg hellbourg
E-mail: greg.hellbourg@gmail.com
Affiliation: UC Berkeley
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: SETI & RFI
Abstract: Lots of evidence of intelligent communicative beings are found every day in radio astronomical data. Some are terrestrial, some are extra-terrestrial, but most of them have human origins. Recent advances in signal processing addressed the problem of signal characterization and mitigation in the context of spectrum sharing. Is our current instrumentation and data processing close to an optimum for detecting an extraterrestrial intelligence? Can we reliably separate radio frequency interference and extraterrestrial transmissions? We will investigate in this talk a possible way to combine telecommunication and astronomy to answer those questions.
Name: Zsolt Paragi
E-mail: zparagi@jive.eu
Affiliation: JIVE
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: Localizing fast transients with the e-EVN
Abstract: Very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) is a powerful technique to localize and study radio transients on milliarcsecond (mas) scales. In the past few years we have been working on a technique to search for and localize dispersed signals from fast radio transients. Following our success with test observations of a rotating radio transient (RRAT) J1819-1458, we started an e-EVN monitoring programme of the repeating fast radio burst FRB121102 in 2016. I will talk about the various steps needed for FRB pulse detection with the e-EVN, as well as our initial campaign to localize FRB121102 that resulted in the detection of a persistent radio source compact on mas scales. The follow-up experiments and mas-scale localization of FRB121102 bursts will be presented by Benito Marcote in a related talk.
Name: Marcote, Benito
E-mail: marcote@jive.eu
Affiliation: Joint Institute for VLBI ERIC (JIVE)
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: Localizing a Fast Radio Burst on milliarcsecond angular scales
Abstract: Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are radio transient sources that emit a single pulse with a duration of only a few milliseconds. They were firstly discovered in 2007, and nowadays we have detected tens of these events using single-dish radio observatories. However, their physical origin remains completely unknown mainly due to the limited resolution of these instruments.
Early this year we reported the first unambiguous localization of a Fast Radio Burst, the repeating FRB 121102. In this talk I will focus on the results obtained with the European VLBI Network (EVN), which allowed us to localize the bursts on milliarcsecond angular scales. We show that the bursts are coincident with a persistent and compact radio source with a projected separation of less than 40 pc. Additionally to this, we put constraints in the size of the persistent radio source to be less than 0.7 pc, and further support to its extragalactic origin from the observed scintillation effects and scatter broadening.
These results, together with the VLA and optical data, represent the first detailed studies on the counterpart of a Fast Radio Burst. Most of the models proposed in the past cannot explain the observed properties of FRB 121102. We argue that a burst source associated with a massive black hole or a neutron star energizing a young superluminous supernova are the two scenarios that best match the observed data of FRB 121102.
Name: Maccone Claudio
E-mail: clmaccon@libero.it
Affiliation: Int'l Academy of Astronautics (IAA) & INAF (Italy)
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: Relativistic eigenfunctions for uniformly-accelerated spaceflight
Abstract: This author has calculated the KLT eigenfunctions for electromagnetic waves between a planet and a spacecraft moving away at a uniform acceleration, like solar sails pushed by lasers (StarShot). They are Bessel functions of the first kind and order zero. The time is ripe to apply them, as recently suggested by Avi Loeb and others.
Name: Lindqvist Michael
E-mail: michael.lindqvist@chalmers.se
Affiliation: Onsala Space Observatory
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: Present status and future directions of the EVN
Abstract: The European VLBI Network (EVN) is the most sensitive VLBI array in the word and as a result it is producing excellent science. This is of course of fundamental importance and the main driver for further developments. During the coming decade, the capabilities of the EVN is expected to expand even further with the inclusion of new large elements (including the Chinese FAST, and MeerKAT and the phased SKA1-mid in South Africa). In addition, the observing bandwidth will continue to increase, further improving continuum sensitivity. We will describe the present status of the array and outline some of the planned future technical directions. We will also show scientific highlights focused on transient science that have been obtained using the EVN and illustrate possible related science areas in the future.
Name: Werthimer, Dan
E-mail: danw@ssl.berkeley.edu
Affiliation: University of California, Berkeley
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: When Will Earthlings Find ET?: Future SETI and Radio Astronomy Instrumentation
Abstract: How can Earthlings detect radio, infrared or visible signals from extraterrestrial civilizations?
Dan will describe current Berkeley SETI projects, including SERENDIP, SETI@home and Breakthrough Listen.
Dan will also present potential future SETI and Radio Astronomy technologies,
such as all-sky all-the-time radio and optical instruments,
as well as architectures for high bandwidth digitizers, beamformers, correlators, pulsar, FRB and SETI instrumentation.
Name: Peng,Bo
E-mail: pb@nao.cas.cn
Affiliation: NAOC
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: Unexpected outcome of the first RFI measurements for the SKA
Abstract: The first RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) measurements were carried out at potential candidate SKA sites in China late 1994, which have been continued to date. The RFI environment in Guizhou province was ranked as the top radio quiet zone among four SKA (Square Kilometre Array) site bidders, resulting the FAST (Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope) project to become a SKA forerunner, whose construction was completed in 2016. I will reveal the milestones behind the impossible giant radio telescope ever built, and forecast unforeseen outcomes the world’s largest single dish may deliver to the mankind.
Name: Garrett, Michael
E-mail: michael.garrett@manchester.ac.uk
Affiliation: University of Manchester, JBCA
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: All-sky Radio SETI
Abstract: Recent progress in conducting traditional SETI searches (e.g. Breakthrough Listen) focus on maximising sensitivity and wavelength coverage. If SETI events are bright but very rare, an important area of parameter space to consider is field-of-view. The
desire for an "all–sky” SETI capability can be traced back to Arthur C.
Clarke’s novel Imperial Earth – as digital processing and computing continue
to improve, it will soon be possible to build serious prototypes at cm
wavelengths. These can be seen as precursors to SKA Phase 2.
Name: Maccone Claudio
E-mail: clmaccon@libero.it
Affiliation: Int'l Academy of Astronautics (IAA) & INAF (Italy)
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: Lifetime Gap among ET Civilizations quantified by Evo-SETI
Abstract: Stars and ET Civilizations may differ in lifetime by millions or billions of years (call it the “Lifetime-Gap”). The Evo-SETI statistical theory, developed by this author since 2012, quantifies this Lifetime Gap in terms of EvoEntropy, i.e. Shannon Entropy of lognormal distributions representing Civilizations in time. We prove that the Exponential Growth (Singularity Growth) is the upper limit of Polynomial Growth exemplified by the Markov-Korotayev (2007) Cubic Growth model.
REFERENCE (Open Source): Life, 2017, 7, 18.
Name: Antonietti, Nicolò
E-mail: nicolo.antonietti@gmail.com
Affiliation: Antonietti, Nicolò
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: KLT for transient signal analysis
Abstract: Two types of signals exist:
1) Stationary and narrow-band intentional signals suitable to be detected by the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT).
2) Non-stationary (transient) leakage signals over wide bands that cannot be detected by the FFT.
The KLT (Karhunen-Loève Transform) is a mathematical tool able to reconstruct a signal with no prior assumptions on its properties:
1) The KLT can filter signals out of noise of any kind over both wide and narrow bands. That is in sharp contrast to the FFT that rigorously applies to narrow-band signals embedded in white noise only.
2) The KLT can detect signals embedded in noise to notable small values of the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR), like 10-3 or so: it all depends on how much computational power you have.
We start from the definition of transient signals and investigate the extents to which the KLT is more suitable to their analysis with respect to the FFT. Numerical simulations will be provided.
Name: Sotiris Sanidas
E-mail: sotiris.sanidas@gmail.com
Affiliation: API, UvA / JBCA, U. of Manchester
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: Searching for pulsars and fast transients with LOFAR
Abstract: After the discovery of pulsars in 1967, various surveys to unveil their galactic population have taken place by all major radio telescopes worldwide. Although the first pulsar was discovered at 81.5MHz, the majority of the pulsar surveys so far have been conducted at much higher frequencies. However, the rise of low-frequency radio astronomy in the recent years through the technological advancements that enabled the construction of advanced phased-array radio telescopes, signified the return of such surveys to their roots in terms of observing frequency.
In this talk I will present the LOFAR Tied-Array All-Sky Survey, the ongoing pulsar and fast transients survey of LOFAR. LOTAAS is the most sensitive low-frequency pulsar survey ever performed in the Northern sky, and the very first with a new generation phased-array telescope. Through the description of its observing strategy (forming 222 beams simultaneously), data management/processing (performed at the Dutch national supercomputer), candidate selection (employing machine learning algorithms), and first discoveries, I will demonstrate why LOTAAS is a unique archetype for all future similar pulsar surveys, like the ones expected by SKA Low. Finally, I will report on DRAGNET, a powerful GPU backend used with LOFAR for targeted searches for millisecond pulsars and some of its most exciting discoveries.
Name: Galluzzi, Vincenzo
E-mail: vincenzo.galluzzi@unibo.it
Affiliation: Dept. of Physics and Astronomy (University of Bologna); INAF-IRA (Bologna)
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: Multi-frequency polarimetry of a complete sample of faint PACO sources
Abstract: Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) inner regions, poorly characterized so far at
frequencies above 20 GHz, can now be studied through their emission and
magnetic field properties by means of multi-frequency and multi-epoch
polarimetry at centimetric and millimetric wavelengths. AGNs also
constitute a relevant foreground for cosmic microwave background (CMB)
radiation on scales smaller than 30 arcmin up to 100 GHz: their
polarimetric description is essential for the detection and the
characterization of the power spectrum of the primordial B-modes
associated with the stochastic background of gravitational waves, the most
ambitious goal of current and future CMB projects.
We present the analysis of high sensitivity (σ ~ 0.7 mJy)
polarimetric observations for a complete sample of 104 compact
extragalactic radio sources drawn from the faint (> 200 mJy at 20 GHz in
total intensity) Planck-ATCA Coeval Observations (PACO) catalogue,
performed with the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) at 7
frequencies, over the 1.1-39 GHz frequency range. An ALMA project observed
in cycle 3 extends the analysis up to 100 GHz for a (complete) sub-sample
of 32 objects. Polarization spectra of single sources cannot be simply
inferred from total intensity ones, as different source components
dominate the different emissions, but all the spectra (both in total
intensity and polarization) can be fitted by a double power law in over
than 90% of the cases. On average, spectra steepen at frequencies > 30 GHz
(again, both in total intensity and polarization). We distinguish three
spectral categories in total intensity (steep-, peaked- and flat-spectrum
objects), finding different behaviours in polarization fractions and
polarization position angles (PPA) among them. We produce differential
source counts for the sample observed. Multi-epoch variability analysis
(from 1.5 up to 12 yr time lags) is also presented, taking into account
past PACO and AT20G observations.
Name: Mickaliger, Mitchell
E-mail: mitch.mickaliger@gmail.com
Affiliation: University of Manchester
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: Pulsar and Fast Transient Search with the SKA
Abstract: When asked what their favourite pulsar is, some people might say "One that has yet to be discovered." This statement highlights the fact that, in order to find new, exciting things, we can't simply search a parameter space that has previously been searched; we need to extend the search to every corner of that parameter space. In fact, it's the corners of that parameter space that are the most interesting. In designing the pulsar and fast transient search for the SKA, there have been difficulties which could easily be overcome by narrowing the parameter space being searched. However, this would be a guarantee to miss new science. In this talk, I will give an overview of our SKA work and detail how we've overcome these issues in order to guarantee the flexibility to achieve the best science possible.
Name: Jauncey, David
E-mail: david.jauncey@csiro.au
Affiliation: CASS and RSAA, ANU
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: Inter-Stellar Scintillation; 50 Years from Discovery to Acceptance
Abstract: We use the discovery of inter-stellar scintillation as an example to show that some discoveries made in "impossible regions of phase space" are not necessarily readily and widely accepted. It can take considerable time, tenacity and effort to resolve the underlying physics. Here, as a specific case, we re-examine the evidence for and against inter-stellar scintillation being the principal mechanism responsible for the cm-wavelength intra-day variability, IDV, seen in many flat-spectrum AGN.
Name: Bailes, Matthew
E-mail: mbailes@swin.edu.au
Affiliation: Swinburne University of Technology
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: Serendipity and Fast Radio Bursts
Abstract:
Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are broadband impulsive flashes of radio emission that only last a few milliseconds. It is somewhat
remarkable that FRBs have very similar peak fluxes,
durations and dispersion measures to many radio pulsars in our own galaxy and yet are a million times further away - implying
unheralded luminosities. It is not surprising that they were once
considered theoretically impossible.
In this talk I will review how FRBs were discovered and what
we should learn from the scientific process that uncovered
them.
Name: Simon Johnston
E-mail: Simon.Johnston@csiro.au
Affiliation: CSIRO
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: Fast Radio Bursts, Perytons and the High Time Resolution Universe Survey
Abstract: The High Time Resolution Universe Survey has been the most successful survey for Fast Radio Bursts and millisecond pulsars to date. I'll give a short history of the survey, the strategies involved, the discovery of a large number of FRBs and the solving of the peryton mystery. Sociology played an important role in all these things and will form part of my talk.
Name: Foster, Griffin
E-mail: griffin.foster@gmail.com
Affiliation: University of Oxford
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: ALFABURST: A Commensal FRB Search with ALFA
Abstract: ALFABURST is an FRB search pipeline which runs in conjunction with the SERNEDIP6 system as a commensal observation instrument during ALFA observations at Arecibo. Since 2015 over 1000 hours have been observed. Automated event detection is based on initial RFI clipping and DM searching done in real time. Secondary processing is based on a wide-feature, learned model designed to limit type II errors. Model selection and results for the initial survey period will be discussed.
Name: Jaroenjittichai, Phrudth
E-mail: phrudth@narit.or.th
Affiliation: National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: Radio Astronomy Network and Geodesy for Development (RANGD) Project
Abstract: Since the first light of the 2.4-m Thai National Telescope in 2013, Thailand foresees another great leap forward in astronomy. A project known, as “Radio Astronomy Network and Geodesy for Development” (RANGD) by the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) has been approved for year 2017-2021, under the Ministry of Science and Technology’s call for STEM-education proposal. A 40-m radio telescope has been planned to operate up to 3-mm observation with prime-focus capability for low frequency and phased array feed receivers. The telescope’s first light is expected in late 2019 with a cryogenics K-band and L-band receivers. RFI environment at the site has been investigated and shown to be at reasonable level. Early single-dish science will focus on time domain observations, such as pulsars and transients, outbursts and variability of maser and AGN sources.
Name: Karastergiou, Aris
E-mail: aris.karastergiou@physics.ox.ac.uk
Affiliation: Oxford
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: The pulsar population, and MeerKAT PSR/FRB searches
Abstract: In this presentation, I will describe some ideas regarding the birth, evolution, true age, and population size of pulsars in our Galaxy. I will follow this with a description of the planned survey for transients and pulsars with MeerKAT.
Name: Marisa Geyer
E-mail: marisa.geyer@gmail.com
Affiliation: Oxford University
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: Anomalous pulsar scattering at LOFAR frequencies
Abstract: Scatter broadened pulsar signals carry information of their paths travelled through the ionized interstellar medium (ISM). These imprints are best studied at low frequencies where they are exaggerated. The LOFAR HBA band provides ideal datasets for such studies: offering broad bands at low frequencies. We introduce an improved forward fitting technique to analyse highly scatter broadened profiles. We study the scattering imprints of 13 pulsars with simple profile shapes, and find anomalously low scattering spectral indices (alpha values). Such low indices are likely due to either anisotropic scattering mechanisms or finite scattering screens. We discuss whether our data contains evidence for these. We revisit the empirical scattering time (tau) vs DM relation introduced by Bhat et al. 2004, showing how our results support a frequency dependence of alpha. Lastly we discuss ways of improving detailed ISM analysis at low frequencies.
Name: Seiradakis, John H.
E-mail: jhs@astro.auth.gr
Affiliation: Aristotle University, Department of Physics, Section of Astrophysics, Astronomy & Mechanics, Thessaloniki, Greece
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: Early Pulsar Searches
Abstract: Soon after the discovery of the first pulsar PSR 1919+21) at Cambridge, (UK) in 1967, several successful pulsar searches were undertaken between 1967 and 1973 at Jodrell Bank (UK – 40 pulsars), Mologlo (Australia – 32), Arecibo (Puerto Rico – 16), Parkes (Australia – 8), Cambridge, (UK – 6), NRAO (USA – 6), Bologna (Italy – 5), Ootacamund (India – 2) and Puschino (USSR – 1). In these early pulsar searches, three distinct search techniques were used: (a) periodicity searches (FFT or FFA), (b) dispersion searches and (c) single pulse searches. With a statistical sample exceeding 100 pulsars, first solid statistical distributions in galactic coordinates (indicating that pulsars z-distance from the galactic plane, follows an exponential distribution), dispersion measure (giving their galactocentric distance) and period (giving an average <P> = 0.7) were achieved.
Name: Macquart, Jean-Pierre
E-mail: J.Macquart@curtin.edu.au
Affiliation: ICRAR/Curtin
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: FRBs as cosmic weigh stations
Abstract: I will discuss some of the implications of recent FRB detections for our understanding of both the population as a whole and the ionized intergalactic medium.
Name: Petroff, Emily
E-mail: ebpetroff@gmail.com
Affiliation: ASTRON
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: FRBs, Perytons, and the hunts for their origins
Abstract: I will discuss some of the parallels between the searches for the origins of fast radio bursts (FRBs) and perytons, both of which were discovered at the Parkes telescope and have been met with excitement, curiosity, and disbelief at various points in their short history. I will mention some of the detail behind the eventual discovery of the source of perytons and how this search can inform future discoveries of unexpected sources in our data.
Name: McFadden, Rebecca
E-mail: rebeccajasmin@gmail.com
Affiliation: University of Oxford
Type of presentation: Poster
Title: Machine Learning for Radio Transient Detection
Abstract: The next generation of radio telescopes will have unprecedented sensitivity and time-resolution offering exciting new capabilities in time-domain science. However, this will result in very large numbers of potential pulsar and transient event candidates and the associated data rates will be technically challenging in terms of data storage and signal processing. Automated detection and classification techniques are therefore required and must be optimized to allow high-throughput data processing in real time.
Name: Obrocka, Monika
E-mail: mobrocka@ska.ac.za
Affiliation: SKA SA
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: Cognitive computing for the MeerKAT Integrated RFI Management System
Abstract: New radio astronomical arrays generate data at rates far higher than can be analyzed or stored affordably. Moreover, radio telescopes need to produce top science data while being burdened by man-made influences potentially diminishing the scientific return. The RFI is diverse in nature and originates from a broad range of activities. Traditionally, the various types of data, for example statistics of RFI scans or incident reports, have been scattered over various databases. The lack of centralised and easily accessible RFI repository, inevitably leads to duplication, contradiction, lack of traceability and incompleteness. To maximise the science goals we apply machine learning techniques to intelligently flag the data, schedule an observation and control the telescope. I will present an ongoing effort of the MeerKAT science and commissioning team on the data analytics and cognitive computing to fully exploit the MeerKAT Integrated RFI Management System.
Name: Bell Burnell, Jocelyn
E-mail: jocelyn@astro.ox.ac.uk
Affiliation: University of Oxford
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: Reflections on the discovery of pulsars and lessons for today
Abstract: I will give a short account of the discovery of pulsars, a discovery which happened in spite of un-optimised equipment and at un-optimised wavelengths. I will focus particularly on questions like: what were the key factors in the discovery and what lessons can be learnt to help us do un-optimised (or wrongly optimised) searches for unknown phenomena?
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Name: Tarter, Jill
E-mail: tarter@seti.aorg
Affiliation: SETI Institute
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: Clarke’s Third Law: Indistinguishable From Magic; Indistinguishable From Nature; or Indistinguishable From Paperclips?
Abstract: In 1962, Arthur C. Clarke published his famous Three Laws:
1. When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.
2. The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.
3. Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
Following A. C. Clarke’s dictum, scientific searches for extraterrestrial intelligence, (in reality, searches for extraterrestrial technologies) have presumed that an advanced technology will likely be inconceivable and therefore indistinguishable from magic. But philosopher Karl Schroeder has suggested that any advanced technology will be indistinguishable from nature. Finally philosopher Nick Bostrom has recently been worrying that a singleton superintelligence that has not been sufficiently boxed and constrained and has been given an improperly formulated goal e.g. to make a million paperclips, will convert every available resource into paper clips or paper clip manufacturing plants.
Which vision of advanced technology is likely to be correct? For SETI, what should the searches be optimized to detect?
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Name: Peter Winter
E-mail: winter@example.com
Affiliation: 555-555-0199@example.com
Type of presentation: Oral
Title: 555-555-0199@example.com
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