By Erik Rosolowsky (U Alberta), Joan Wrobel (NRAO)
(Cassiopeia – Winter 2022)
The ngVLA project is making great developmental progress with continued support from the NSF and emerging international interest. After the strong endorsement from the US Decadal process, the project transitioned into a new phase focused on a strong formal proposal to the NSF. The Canadian community has several opportunities to participate in shaping this project.
The ngVLA Science Working Groups (SWGs) were restructured to better align their topics with the science priorities identified by the Astro2020 Decadal Survey. The current SWGs are:
- SWG1: Stars, Planetary Systems, and their Origins
- SWG2: Astrochemistry and the Molecular Emergence of Life
- SWG3: Galaxies and Galaxy Evolution
- SWG4: Pulsars, Cosmology, and Fundamental Physics
- SWG5: Exploring the Dynamic Universe
If you would like to learn more about the SWGs and join their efforts please visit the SWG webpage.
Canada also welcomes the ngVLA community alongside the SKA science group to a major science meeting in May 2023:
New Eyes on the Universe: SKA & ngVLA Conference
This conference will review, discuss, and extend the cutting-edge science opportunities enabled by the unprecedented SKA–ngVLA coverage across three decades of radio frequency. The conference will be held 1-5 May 2023 in Vancouver, Canada at the Pan Pacific Hotel. It will primarily be in person with online participation available. Details are at the meeting website.
If you are travelling the AAS meeting in Seattle, visit the Chemical Probes of Astrophysical Systems session. The NRAO and the ngVLA will convene a Special Session on January 11 at the American
Astronomical Society meeting in Seattle, WA. The science program is located here.
Finally the project has seen substantial developed in the past three months. As we write, NRAO is conducting a preliminary design review of the prototype 18m ngVLA antenna. See the post-review report here. International interest in the project is also growing. The NRAO and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) have signed a memorandum of understanding establishing their collaboration on ngVLA development. See the press release here.