The Square Kilometre Array Dr Minh Huynh International

The Square Kilometre Array Dr. Minh Huynh (International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research and SKA Program Development Office) Deputy International SKA Project Scientist

A Global Collaboration 67 institutes from 20 countries participating

The SKA concept a large radio telescope for transformational science • • up to 1 million m 2 collecting area distributed over a distance of 3000+ km (<0. 1 arcsec resolution) an interferometer at frequencies from 70 MHz to 10 GHz with two or more detector technologies fast survey speed: field of view ~100 s of sq. deg (70 to 400 MHz), >30 sq. deg (. 4 to 2 GHz) and ~1 sq. deg. (2 to 10 GHz) connected to fast signal transport network and high performance computing system Providing: • ~40 x sensitivity of EVLA and up to 10000 x survey speed of today’s facilities

SKA Key Science Drivers ORIGINS ØProbing the Dark Ages and the Epoch of Reionization - Eo. R, first galaxies and active galactic nuclei (black holes) ØGalaxy Evolution, Cosmology, and Dark Energy - When did the first stars and galaxies form? - How did galaxies evolve? - Dark Energy, Dark Matter ØCradle of Life - Organic molecules in interstellar space and protoplanetary disks - Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) FUNDAMENTAL FORCES ØPulsars, General Relativity & Gravitational Waves ØOrigin & evolution of cosmic magnetism EXPLORATION OF THE UNKNOWN ØTransients and new phenomena Science with the Square Kilometre Array (2004, eds. C. Carilli & S. Rawlings, New Astron. Rev. , 48)

SKA: project updates • April 2011: Australia, China, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa, and the UK sign a Letter of Intent declaring their common ambition to see the SKA built • SKA Project Office (SPO) will be located at Jodrell Bank Observatory, near Manchester, England • Financial commitments of about 15 M€ for SPO itself and about 81 M€ for overall pre-construction phase – Many of the commitments are in kind or in effort, rather than in cash

Site Selection Two candidates shortlisted in 2006 Western Australia and South Africa Physical Requirements • Extremely radio quiet environment • At least 3000 km in extent • Low ionospheric and tropospheric turbulence Timeline: • Information from sites submitted Sep 2011 • SKA Site Advisory Committee (SSAC), independent panel of experts, make evaluation and recommend a site by Dec 2011 • Governing Board of SKA to make site selection by end of Feb 2012

Australia and New Zealand Credit: Ant Schinckel (CSIRO)

South Africa + 8 countries

Top level schedule for the SKA Technical 2008 -2012 telescope system design and cost (preparatory phase) 2013 -15 detailed design & pre-construction phase 2016 -19 Phase 1 construction 2016 Advanced Instrumentation Program decision 2018 -23 Phase 2 construction 2020+ full science operations with Phase 1 2024 -2050+ full science operations with Phase 2 Programmatic 2011 establish SKA organisation as a legal entity 2012 SKA site selection 2014 construction funding approval for Phase 1 (350 M€, 2007) 2017 construction funding approval for Phase 2 (1. 2 B€, 2007)

Non-Astronomy Benefits of SKA • Driver of innovation in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) – Communications infrastructure – Development of low noise amplifiers and analogue-to-digital converters (communications, commercial applications) • A global model for 100% renewable energy – Development of concentrated thermal and/or photovoltaic solar power • A model for improved global science-industry-government linkages – Mega-project management and effective global research collaborations • Human capital investment – Train new scientists and engineers – Inspire new generation to study science and maths – Employment of admin, support, outreach and construction staff

Great Observatories for the coming decades ALMA E-ELT SKA JWST IXO www. skatelescope. org