High-resolution radio astronomy: an outlook for Africa

Abstract

Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) offers unrivalled resolution in studies of celestial radio sources. The subjects of interest of the current IAU Symposium, the Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) of all types, constitute the major observing sample of modern VLBI networks. At present, the largest in the world in terms of the number of telescopes and geographical coverage is the European VLBI Network (EVN), which operates under the"open sky" policy via peer-reviewed observing proposals. Recent EVN observations cover a broad range of science themes from high-sensitivity monitoring of structural changes in inner AGN areas to observations of tidal eruptions in AGN cores and investigation of redshift-dependent properties of parsec-scale radio structures of AGN. All the topics above should be considered as potentially rewarding scientific activities of the prospective African VLBI Network (AVN), a natural "scientific ally of EVN. This contribution briefly describes the status and near-term strategy for the AVN development as a southern extension of the EVN-AVN alliance and as an eventual bridge to the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) with its midfrequency core in South Africa.

Radio astronomy and Space science in Azores: Enhancing the Atlantic VLBI infrastructure cluster

“…The Azores antenna location also enables observation of sources below the celestial equator up to ∼ -52 • and therefore contributes to the exploration of Southern sky deep fields and sources explored by ESO facilities, ALMA and SKA. A more detailed analysis of an observational strategy considering different source declinations shall be performed in a follow up study using the methods outlined in Atemkeng et al (2020); Gurvits et al (2020); Heywood et al (2011); Kloeckner et al (2011).…”

Radio astronomy and Space science in Azores: enhancing the Atlantic VLBI infrastructure cluster

“…The Azores antenna location also enables observation of sources below the celestial equator up to ∼ -52 • and therefore contributes to the exploration of Southern sky deep fields and sources explored by ESO facilities, ALMA and SKA. A more detailed analysis of an observational strategy considering different source declinations shall be performed in a follow up study using the methods outlined in Atemkeng et al (2020); Gurvits et al (2020); Heywood et al (2011); Kloeckner et al (2011).…”