e-MERLIN / VLBI National Radio Astronomy Facility

e-MERLIN

e-MERLIN/VLBI National Facility

CALL FOR e-MERLIN PROPOSALS - Cycle-5

e-MERLIN requests proposals from the international astronomical community for observations to be made during Cycle-5. Proposals are competitively peer-reviewed under standard STFC rules by the PATT e-MERLIN Time Allocation Committee. Allocation will be made on the basis of scientific merit and technical feasibility alone. During e-MERLIN operations ~50% of observing time has been allocated to large legacy projects and most of the remaining time will be allocated via PATT to standard proposals solicited prior to each observing semester.

e-MERLIN provides high resolution (12-150mas) and high sensitivity (~[7]-14 microJy [inc. Lovell Telescope] in Cycle-5) imaging at cm wavelengths as well as polarimetry, spectroscopy and astrometry. Cycle-5 observations will commence in April 2017.

Developments during Cycle-5:Following testing and commissioning, the introduction of the full 2GHz bandwidth at C and K-Band is scheduled for delivery during the Cycle-5 observing period*. PATT observations made after this development may benefit from this extra bandwidth once it becomes available, however, this will be offered initially on a shared-risk basis. All proposals should be justified assuming the current available bandwidth of 512MHz. K-Band observations are also offered on a best-efforts basis. New C- and K-Band receivers with improved sensitivity are being installed during Cycle 5.

Cycle-5 e-MERLIN Observations : April 2017 - September 2017
Deadline for Receipt of Proposals - 23:59:59 UT on 16th March 2017

Observing frequencies available:-
L-Band: 1.23GHz to 1.74GHz
C-Band: 4.5GHz to 7.5GHz
K-Band: 21GHz to24GHz

The system parameters for observation of a continuum source in optimum conditions are:-

1.23-1.74 GHz
(L-band)
4.3-7.5 GHz
(C-band)
21-24 GHz
(K-band)
Maximum angular resolution ~150 ~40 ~12 (milliarcsec)
RMS level for 12 hr on source ~14/7** ~13/7** ~55 (uJy/bm)
Maximum bandwidth/polarization 512 512* 512* (MHz)

More extensive technical details are available at e-MERLIN cycle-5 capabilities.

Proposals should be submitted via the e-MERLIN Web-based Northstar Proposal Tool. The proposal tool will be open for proposal submissions from 23rd January 2017.

http://www.e-merlin.ac.uk/observe/northstar.html

See notes below:


e-MERLIN/VLBI National Facility, The University of Manchester,
Jodrell Bank Observatory,
Macclesfield,
Cheshire SK11 9DL,
United Kingdom

Telephone: +44 (0)161 306 9400,
Facsimile: +44 (0)1477 571618,
Email:emerlin@jb.man.ac.uk