CSIRO Australia Telescope National Facility will hold its 7th Synthesis Imaging School on 18 - 22 September 2006 at the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) near Narrabri NSW. The format will be similar to previous Schools with a special emphasis on millimetre interferometry. There will be lectures by radio astronomers and engineers as well as practical sessions involving ATCA observing and data reduction. The intended audience is postgraduate students and other interested researchers. No prior experience with radio astronomy is required. Participants are encouraged to present a poster describing their research.

Key topics:

• Fundamentals of a radio interferometer
• Synthesis Imaging
• Australia Telescope Compact Array
• Specialized Observing Modes
• Atmospheric Effects and Data Calibration
• Techniques for millimetre wavelength observations
• Recent science results with radio intereferometers
• Practical Sessions: Observing and Data Reduction
• Future ATCA developments
• The next generation of interferometers - SKA and ALMA

Scientific organising committee:

Ilana Klamer (Chair), Kate Brooks, Enno Middelberg, Michael Dahlem, Tim Cornwell, Maxim Voronkov, Katherine Newton-McGee

Venue:

Australia Telescope Compact Array, Narrabri, NSW Australia

Date:

18 - 22 September 2006

Website:

http://www.atnf.csiro.au/synthesis2006

Enquiries:

For any questions, please send an email to . To stay tuned, please subscribe to our mailing list. Instructions on how to do this can be found two paragraphs further down, under "Expression of interest".

Registration:

The registration fee is $250 ($200 for students) and covers all lunches as well as two dinner events. Registration opens around May 2006 and closes in July.

Expression of interest:

If you would like to receive further information via e-mail please send an email to with only the word "subscribe" IN THE BODY; the subject of this email will be ignored by our system. For ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, please refer to the email address given under "Enquiries" two paragraphs up on this page.

Poster contributions:

All participants are encouraged to bring a poster (A0 format) describing their research. The posters will be on display in the Visitors Centre during the school. There will be a special session in the lecture program devoted to viewing the posters. The best poster (in terms of design and presentation as well as scientific content) will be awarded a prize.

Important dates:

• Mar 2006: First announcement
• 29 May 2006: Second announcement + registration opens
• 10 July: Third announcement
• 28 July 2006: Registration closes
• 18 September 2006: School commences

Student assistance:

Students will be able to request assistance to attend the school if they are not supported by their home institutions. The assistance will include a contribution towards the "cabins"-style accommodation during the school. For students from outside NSW/ACT, the equivalent of a return bus or airfare (depending on distances involved) from your city/town to Sydney may be available.

Travel and accommodation:

Narrabri is 530km north-west of Sydney, an 8 hour drive. It can be reached by air (QantasLink) and rail (CountryLink) from Sydney. See the travel page for details.

Accommodation will be in Narrabri motels as well as economical "cabins" in a Narrabri caravan park. If necessary, transport will be provided each day between the township and the ATCA site. Although accomodation will be organised for attendees, you will be responsible for paying the motel or caravan park directly.

Promotional Materials

Please bring this school to the attention of anyone else who may be interested. A poster for displaying on departmental notices is available as PDF file from here.