The 3rd ATNF Astronomical Synthesis Imaging Workshop
VENUE: CSIRO Radiophysics Laboratory, Marsfield, Australia
DATES: 26 – 30 September 1994
The ATNF held successful workshops on synthesis imaging in 1989 and 1991 and the AT user community, particularly the graduate students, recently requested another. Accordingly, the ATNF held its third Astronomical Synthesis Imaging Workshop at the Radiophysics Laboratory over 26-30 September.
It was attended by 70 astronomers and engineers (including 30 postgraduate students) from all parts of the Australian astronomical community. The workshop was run as a series of lectures, followed by tutorials and some demonstrations and ‘hands-on’ data analysis. It covered the fundamental concepts of interferometry and synthesis imaging, with particular emphasis on their use in radio astronomy, and touched on more advanced aspects of synthesis imaging and related fields. Feedback from the participants was very positive, and the AT user community has now asked the ATNF to run such workshops every two years, as they provide unique education both for graduate students and for astronomers new to synthesis techniques.
Scope
The workshop aims to teach the fundamental concepts of interferometry and synthesis imaging, with particular emphasis on their application to radio astronomy. More advanced topics in synthesis imaging and related fields will be covered as well. Practical demonstrations and examples will emphasise the operation of the Australia Telescope Compact Array.
The format of the workshop will be a series of lectures, followed by tutorials, very similar to the previous workshop in 1991.
Graduate level students are particularly encouraged to attend. University students can apply for assistance with college-type accommodation and bus travel to Sydney.
Details
Registration
The registration cost is $60 which covers all lunches and tea/coffee for the week of the workshop.
Textbook
The recommended textbook is “Synthesis Imaging in Radio Astronomy”, from the 3rd NRAO workshop. This textbook was used in the previous ATNF workshops as well.
The textbook has been out of print but ASP has agreed to a special reprint in time for the workshop. The price of the textbook to workshop participants is $40.00. (The full price from the publisher is
US$40 + US$15 shipping i.e. about A$75). Anyone unable to attend the workshop can also order the book for $55. Books must be ordered by mid-August. Please email synthesis@atnf.csiro.au or get in touch with the organising committee at the address below.
Preregistration
Intending participants can register their interest with the organising committee via email to: synthesis@atnf.csiro.au .
Workshop Program
(Version as of 21 Sep – Mike Kesteven)
Also available in PDF format here.
| up to 09:00 | Registration | |||
| 9:15 – 10:00 | a. Introduction/overview | R.Ekers | ||
| 10:00 – 10:30 | Coffee | |||
| 10:30 – 11:30 | b. Basics | J. Uson | ||
| 11:30 – 12:30 | Tutorials – Analogies and other disciplines – Basics – Special interests (*) | |||
| 12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch | |||
| 13:30 – 14:30 | c. Interferometry | D. McConnell | ||
| 14:30 – 14:45 | Coffee | |||
| 14:45 – 15:30 | Tutorials – Interferometry – Special lecture – Building the AT (J.Brooks) | |||
| 15:30 – 16:30 | d. Monochromatic imaging | J. Reynolds | ||
| 16:30 – 17:00 | Tutorials – Imaging – Basics – Special Interests (*) | |||
| 17:00 | Reception |
Tuesday 27th Sep
| 09:00 – 10:00 | a. Correlators | M. Kesteven | ||
| 10:00 – 10:30 | Coffee | |||
| 10:30 – 11:30 | b. Primary elements | A. Wright | ||
| 11:30 – 12:30 | Tutorials – Correlator – Antennas – Special interests (*) | |||
| 12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch | |||
| 13:30 – 14:30 | c. Deconvolution | R. Sault | ||
| 14:30 – 14:45 | Coffee | |||
| 14:45 – 15:30 | Tutorials – Deconvolution – Deconvolution movie – Basics | |||
| 15:30 – 15:50 | d. Synthesis software (Miriad) | N. Killeen | ||
| 15:50 – 16:20 | e. MOST | D. Bock | ||
| 17:00 | SAFA Lecture: Jupiter Impacts (Sydney University) | D. Crisp |
Wednesday 28th Sep
| 09:00 – 10:00 | a. Calibration/self-cal | M. Wieringa | ||
| 10:00 – 10:30 | Coffee | |||
| 10:30 – 11:30 | b. Spectral Line + Cal | T. Osterloo | ||
| 11:30 – 12:30 | Tutorials – Self-cal – Spectral imaging – Special interests (*) | |||
| 12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch | |||
| 13:30 – 14:30 | c. Multifrequency synthesis | R. Sault | ||
| 14:30 – 15:30 | Coffee | |||
| 15:30 – 16:30 | d. Polarisation | N. Killeen | ||
| 16:30 – 17:30 | Tutorials – Multifrequency synthesis – Polarisation – Basics | |||
| BBQ | ||||
| Evening lecture: “Is There Anybody Out There” | R. Norris |
Thursday 29th Sep
| 09:00 – 10:00 | a. Spectral Line (II) | J. Uson | ||
| 10:00 – 10:30 | Coffee | |||
| 10:30 – 11:30 | b. Mosaicing | W. Brouw | ||
| 11:30 – 12:30 | Tutorials – Spectral line – Mosaicing – Coordinates – Special Interests (*) | |||
| 12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch | |||
| 13:30 – 14:30 | c. Image analysis | R. Ekers | ||
| 14:30 – 15:30 | Tutorials – Image analysis – Basics – Special interests (*) | |||
| 15:30 – 16:00 | Coffee | |||
| 16:00 – 16:30 | d. Millimetre astronomy | P. Hall | ||
| 16:30 – 17:00 | e. SUSI – Sydney University Stellar Interferometer | J. Davis |
Friday 30th Sep
| 09:00 – 10:00 | a. VLBI | A. Tzioumis |
| 10:00 – 10:15 | Coffee | |
| 10:15 – 11:30 | Tutorial | |
| 11:30 – 11:50 | b. MAPPIT | R. Marson |
| 11:50 – 12:20 | c. Ultrasonics | G. Kossoff |
| 12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch | |
| 13:30 – 14:00 | d. Holography | M. Kesteven |
| 14:00- 14:30 | e. SMC case study | L. Staveley-Smith |
| 14:30 – 15:00 | f. Case Study (AT/Penticton) | Gray |
| 14:30 – 15:00 | Coffee/Tutorial |
(*) “Special Interest” tutorials will be offered in response to popular demand expressed at the time. Some possible topics:
- Coordinates
- Real-Time (Remote Observing) with the ATCA
- Career prospects in astronomy
- Observing proposals
Page created by JER, 22 Mar 2026
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