News

The first real-time EVN image was produced yesterday from observations carried out using three EVN telescopes (Onsala, Jodrell Bank and Westerbork). The data rate was 32Mb/s, this data being transferred from the stations directly into the EVN MkIV correlator at JIVE. The source observed was a double-image lens system, the expected structure being easily recovered in the map.

Today sees the launch, in Dublin, of a project to build a radio telescope in Ireland, "A Radio Telescope for Ireland" (ARTI). It is envisaged that this will have a 32-m diameter dish and participate in observations with both the EVN and MERLIN, as well as performing stand-alone observations.

The first European eVLBI image was produced Friday 16 January 2004 at JIVE, from data transferred only 24 hours earlier. The image, as well as more detailed information about this latest eVLBI success, can be found at the following EVN eVLBI map page.

Monday November 24 saw the correlation of data at JIVE (64 Mbps) from telescopes at Westerbork and Jodrell Bank that had been recorded directly at JIVE onto Mark5 units. Fringes were detected after only 15 minutes!

The European Commission have just released a preliminary version of a document entitled "Changing the way research is done - The user perspective on e-Infrastructure". This includes a contribution from JIVE Director Mike Garrett describing the use of the GÉANT network for real-time VLBI.

During a recent (November 7) experiment, a single scan of Westerbork data was sent directly to JIVE via the Wb-JIVE optical-fibre, where it was recorded on a Mark5 unit. The same data were also recorded on tape at Westerbork. Last week the tape and disk data were correlated, giving good confidence that the remote recording was good. Final confirmation was achieved when the Westerbork disk was correlated with Effelsberg data - FRINGE! The data recording rate was 256Mb/s.

The 2003 JIVE/ASTRON Open Day was held on October 19 in the main ASTRON/JIVE building near Dwingeloo. The day was a huge success.

DANTE (the operators of GÉANT) have produced a video which describes the network and its capabilities, with specific reference to several scientific research projects that intend to utilise its high-speed (10Gbps) pan-European connectivity. Prominent amongst these is eVLBI, with Mike Garrett (the director of JIVE) interviewed.

 

The EVN MkIV Data Processor at JIVE has achieved quarter-second integrations using the whole correlator. This improvement is the first step along the way to the Post-Correlator Integrator and recirculation.

The summer student BBQ was held this year on 15 Aug.