JIVE
Encyclopedia
The Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe (JIVE) was formed in 1993 by the European Consortium for VLBI and is a member of the European VLBI Network
(EVN). Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) is a type of astronomical interferometry used in radio astronomy
. It allows observations of an object that are made simultaneously by many telescopes to be combined, emulating a telescope with a size equal to the maximum separation between the telescopes.
Normally the participating radio telescopes function individually, working on their own specific projects. In the case of VLBI, they all observe the same source at the same time, allowing much higher spatial resolution. There are many complex and challenging hurdles that need to be overcome to enable this effort. One challenge is the data processing requirement. JIVE operates the "EVN Data Processor" - a special-purpose supercomputer
for astronomical VLBI data correlation. In a recent demonstration of JIVE 14 telescopes from in Australia, Chile, China, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Puerto Rico
, Spain, Sweden and the UK participated in joint observations of the active galaxy 3C120. The participating telescopes included:
The observations of the European VLBI Network are now carried out in real-time, thus earning the name of e-VLBI, or real-time, electronic Very Long Baseline Interferometry. The telescopes are then linked via high-speed national research and education networks (NRENs) which overcome some of the performance drawbacks of TCP/IP and UDP/IP (networking protocols) to allow sharing large volumes of data for immediate use. Such high-speed networks eliminate the shipping of disks of data from separate observations for correlation, thus allowing astronomers to respond to events as they happen in real time. The VLBI data are streamed to the JIVE
, where they are correlated and the final, high-resolution image created.
JIVE is funded by the following national research councils and national facilities.
European VLBI Network
The European VLBI Network was formed in 1980 by a consortium of five of the major radio astronomy institutes in Europe . Since 1980, the EVN and the Consortium has grown to include 9 institutes with 12 radio telescopes in 8 western European countries as well as associated institutes with...
(EVN). Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) is a type of astronomical interferometry used in radio astronomy
Radio astronomy
Radio astronomy is a subfield of astronomy that studies celestial objects at radio frequencies. The initial detection of radio waves from an astronomical object was made in the 1930s, when Karl Jansky observed radiation coming from the Milky Way. Subsequent observations have identified a number of...
. It allows observations of an object that are made simultaneously by many telescopes to be combined, emulating a telescope with a size equal to the maximum separation between the telescopes.
Normally the participating radio telescopes function individually, working on their own specific projects. In the case of VLBI, they all observe the same source at the same time, allowing much higher spatial resolution. There are many complex and challenging hurdles that need to be overcome to enable this effort. One challenge is the data processing requirement. JIVE operates the "EVN Data Processor" - a special-purpose supercomputer
Supercomputer
A supercomputer is a computer at the frontline of current processing capacity, particularly speed of calculation.Supercomputers are used for highly calculation-intensive tasks such as problems including quantum physics, weather forecasting, climate research, molecular modeling A supercomputer is a...
for astronomical VLBI data correlation. In a recent demonstration of JIVE 14 telescopes from in Australia, Chile, China, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, Spain, Sweden and the UK participated in joint observations of the active galaxy 3C120. The participating telescopes included:
- the 26 meter telescope at HobartHobartHobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
, operated by the University of TasmaniaUniversity of TasmaniaThe University of Tasmania is a medium-sized public Australian university based in Tasmania, Australia. Officially founded on 1 January 1890, it was the fourth university to be established in nineteenth-century Australia...
; - the 22m dish of Mopra, part of the Long Baseline Array, operated by CSIRO;
- the 25m dish of SheshanSheshanSheshan may refer to:*Sheshan Island, island in Shanghai, China*She Shan Hill, hill in Shanghai, China**She Shan Basilica**Sheshan Golf Club**Sheshan...
near ShanghaiShanghaiShanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, operated by the Shanghai Astronomical ObservatoryShanghai Astronomical ObservatoryShanghai Astronomical Observatory , is an astronomical observatory located in Shanghai, China. It has a long history of astrometry, and also operates the Sheshan 25m radio telescope as part of the Chinese VLBI array and the EVN. It was formed in 1962 from the merger of the Xujiahui and Sheshan ...
, Chinese Academy of SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesThe Chinese Academy of Sciences , formerly known as Academia Sinica, is the national academy for the natural sciences of the People's Republic of China. It is an institution of the State Council of China. It is headquartered in Beijing, with institutes all over the People's Republic of China...
; - the 14m Metsähovi dish, operated by the Helsinki University of TechnologyHelsinki University of TechnologyAalto University School of Science and Technology , was the temporary name for Helsinki University of Technology during the process of forming the Aalto University...
; - the 32m telescope of ToruńTorunToruń is an ancient city in northern Poland, on the Vistula River. Its population is more than 205,934 as of June 2009. Toruń is one of the oldest cities in Poland. The medieval old town of Toruń is the birthplace of the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus....
; - the 32m telescope at MedicinaMedicinaMedicina is an Italian comune with c. 16,000 inhabitants in the province of Bologna, part of the region of Emilia-Romagna.-Name:The origins of its name are quite uncertain and many hypotheses have been made on it...
, operated by the Instituto Nazionale di Astrofisica; - the 25m telescope at the Onsala Space ObservatoryOnsala Space ObservatoryOnsala Space Observatory , the Swedish National Facility for Radio Astronomy, provides scientists with equipment to study the Earth and the rest of the Universe. The observatory operates two radio telescopes in Onsala, 45 km south of Göteborg, and takes part in several international projects...
; - the Westerbork Synthesis Radio TelescopeWesterbork Synthesis Radio TelescopeThe Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope is an aperture synthesis interferometer near camp Westerbork, north of the village of Westerbork, Midden-Drenthe, in the northeastern Netherlands. It consists of a linear array of 14 antennas with a diameter of 25 metres arranged on a 2.7 km East-West line...
; - the YebesYebesYebes is a municipality located in the province of Guadalajara, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 235 inhabitants....
40m, operated by the Observatorio Astronomico Nacional; - the 300m dish of AreciboAreciboArecibo may refer to:*Arecibo, Puerto Rico, a municipality located by the Atlantic Ocean*Arecibo Observatory, a very sensitive radio telescope located approximately south-southwest from the city of Arecibo...
, located in Puerto RicoPuerto RicoPuerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
; - the 6m dish of TIGO, operated by the Geodätisches Observatorium Wettzell.
The observations of the European VLBI Network are now carried out in real-time, thus earning the name of e-VLBI, or real-time, electronic Very Long Baseline Interferometry. The telescopes are then linked via high-speed national research and education networks (NRENs) which overcome some of the performance drawbacks of TCP/IP and UDP/IP (networking protocols) to allow sharing large volumes of data for immediate use. Such high-speed networks eliminate the shipping of disks of data from separate observations for correlation, thus allowing astronomers to respond to events as they happen in real time. The VLBI data are streamed to the JIVE
JIVE
The Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe was formed in 1993 by the European Consortium for VLBI and is a member of the European VLBI Network . Very Long Baseline Interferometry is a type of astronomical interferometry used in radio astronomy...
, where they are correlated and the final, high-resolution image created.
JIVE is funded by the following national research councils and national facilities.
- Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWONWONWO may refer to:*Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, the Dutch Organisation for Scientific Research, a scientific research organisation in the Netherlands*New World Order...
) - Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFCSTFCSTFC can stand for:* Science and Technology Facilities Council, a UK research council created by the merger of the Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils and the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council on 1 April 2007* Star Trek: First Contact, a 1996 filmSTFC may...
) - National Institute for Astrophysics (INAFINAFThe Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica , or INAF for short, is the most important Italian institution conducting scientific research in astronomy and astrophysics. Researches performed by the scientific staff of the Institute go from the study of the planets and minor bodies of the solar system up...
) - National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOCNational Astronomical Observatory of ChinaThe National Astronomy Observatory of China ' was founded on April 25, 2001 through the merging of four CAS observatories, three CAS observing stations and one CAS research centre...
) - Onsala Space Observatory (OSOOso-Places:* Oso, California* Oso, Ontario, a community Central Frontenac Township, Ontario, Canada* Oso, Washington, a census-designated place in Snohomish County, Washington-Other:* Oakville Symphony Orchestra* Ose * Onsala Space Observatory...
) - National Geographical Institute (IGNIGNIGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
) - Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy (MPIfR)
- Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRONASTRONASTRON is the Netherlands Foundation for Research in Astronomy. ASTRON is an abbreviation of the Dutch Stichting ASTRonomisch Onderzoek in Nederland. This translates to NFRA in English, which is sometimes used to refer to ASTRON in English texts. Its main offices are in Dwingeloo at the site of the...
) - National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS)