Blast from the Past Caught in Episodes Due to Gravitational Lensing

Roman is set to help researchers detect more kilonovae, helping us learn significantly more about these “all-star” smashups.

Last Saturday, October 29, at 6:14 AM CLT, the ALMA observatory in Chile suffered a cyberattack on its computer systems, forcing the suspension of astronomical observations and the public website. There are limited email services at the observatory. The threat has been contained, and our specialists are working hard to restore affected systems. The attack did not compromise the ALMA antennas or any scientific data. Given the nature of the episode, it is not yet possible to estimate a timeline for a return to regular activities. We are thankful for the support and understanding across the ALMA partnership and apologize for any inconveniences resulting from the recovery efforts.

Contact:

Nicolas Lira Turpaud
Education and Public Outreach Coordinator
ALMA Observatory in Chile
+56 9 94 45 77 26 (WhatsApp)

Amy C. Oliver
Public Information and News Manager, National Radio Astronomy Observatory
Public Information Officer, ALMA North America
+ 1 434 242 9584
+1 801 783 9067 (WhatsApp)
aoliver@nrao.edu

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Servicios de ALMA afectados por ciberataque

El pasado sábado 29 de octubre, a las 06:14 horas CLT, el observatorio ALMA en Chile sufrió un ciberataque a sus sistemas informáticos, lo que obligó a suspender las observaciones astronómicas y su sitio web. Los servicios de correo electrónico del observatorio se encuentran funcionando de manera limitada. La amenaza ha sido contenida y nuestros especialistas están trabajando arduamente para restaurar los sistemas afectados. El ataque no comprometió las antenas de ALMA ni ningún dato científico. Dada la naturaleza del episodio, aún no es posible estimar un plazo para el regreso a las actividades regulares. Estamos agradecidos por el apoyo y la comprensión de todos los socios de ALMA y nos disculpamos por cualquier inconveniente que resulte de los esfuerzos de recuperación.

Contacto:

Nicolas Lira Turpaud
El observatorio ALMA en Chile
+56 9 94 45 77 26 (WhatsApp)

Amy C. Oliver
El observatorio ALMA en América del norte
+ 1 434 242 9584
+1 801 783 9067 (WhatsApp)
aoliver@nrao.edu

The post ALMA Services Affected by Cyberattack appeared first on National Radio Astronomy Observatory.

In the center of the Milky Way there is a black hole more massive than 4 million Suns. It’s known as Sagittarius A*, or Sgr A*, and it’s hidden behind the dust of our galactic center. So how can astronomers see it? Join our host Summer Ash of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory as she talks about how radio astronomers captured the first direct image of the monster black hole in our backyard.

The post Baseline #13 – Sagittarius A*: Monster in the Milky Way appeared first on National Radio Astronomy Observatory.

Astronomers using the National Science Foundation’s Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) have discovered an important new clue about how galaxies put the brakes on vigorous episodes of star formation. Their new study of the neighboring galaxy M33 indicates that fast-moving cosmic ray electrons can drive winds that blow away the gas needed to form new stars.

Such winds are responsible for slowing the rate of star formation as galaxies evolve over time. However, shock waves from supernova explosions and energetic, black hole-powered jets of material coming from galactic cores have been considered the primary drivers of those winds. Cosmic rays were thought to be minor contributors, particularly in galaxies like M33 that have regions of prolific star formation.

“We have seen galactic winds driven by cosmic rays in our own Milky Way and the Andromeda galaxy, which have much weaker rates of star formation, but not before in a galaxy such as M33,” said Fatemah Tabatabaei, of the Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences in Iran.

Tabatabaei and an international team of scientists made detailed, multi-wavelength VLA observations of M33, a spiral galaxy nearly 3 million light-years away and part of the Local Group of galaxies that includes the Milky Way. They also used data from previous observations with the VLA, the Effelsberg radio telescope in Germany, and millimeter-wave, visible-light, and infrared telescopes.

Stars much more massive than our Sun speed through their life cycles, ultimately exploding as supernovae. The explosive shock waves can accelerate particles to nearly the speed of light, creating cosmic rays. Enough of these cosmic rays can build pressure that drives winds carrying away the gas needed to continue forming stars.

“The VLA observations indicated that cosmic rays in M33 are escaping the regions where they are born, making them able to drive more extensive winds,” said William Cotton, of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory.

Based on their observations, the astronomers concluded that the numerous supernova explosions and supernova remnants in M33’s giant complexes of prolific star formation made such cosmic ray-driven winds more likely.

“This means that cosmic rays probably are a more general cause of galactic winds, particularly at earlier times in the universe’s history, when star formation was happening at a much higher rate,” Tabatabaei said. She added, “This mechanism thus becomes a more important factor in understanding the evolution of galaxies over time.”

Tabatabaei, Cotton and their colleagues are reporting their findings in the 25 October issue of the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation, operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

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Media Contact:
Dave Finley, Public Information Officer
(505) 241-9210
dfinley@nrao.edu

The post VLA Finds Cosmic Rays Driving Galaxy’s Winds appeared first on National Radio Astronomy Observatory.

Aftermath of First-of-Its-Kind Test Intrigues Astronomers

Titanic Stellar Collision Rattles Space and Time

First Time Webb, Hubble Make Simultaneous Observations of the Same Target

Scientists confirm the existence of the elusive Magellanic Corona, a protective halo of hot, ionized gas previously known only in theory.

The European Microwave Association (EuMA) has announced Marian Pospieszalski— a senior research engineer at the National Science Foundation’s National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO)— as the recipient of its 2022 Pioneer Award. The EuMA Pioneer Award recognizes individuals responsible for noteworthy advances in the field of microwaves that have had a lasting and significant impact on the microwave community.

Pospieszalski has worked as an engineer for NRAO’s Central Development Laboratory since 1984. Since 1990 he has led the design and development of low-noise amplifiers and receivers. His early work resulted in the development of the lowest noise field effect transistor (FET) amplifiers and receivers ever reported. Pospieszalski’s noise model, for which he was selected for the Pioneer Award, revolutionized low noise cryogenic amplifier design and development. Pospieszalski has guided the microwave community’s understanding of the noise properties of FETs for over thirty years.

“I was lucky enough to be the first to take a different look at the modeling of noise parameters of cryogenic radio receivers in 1988,” said Pospieszalski. “The original work in 1988/89 was met with disbelief throughout the microwave community. It wasn’t until the 1990s that it gained wide acceptance and strong support for this new approach. It is especially gratifying to see this work be recognized now just before my retirement.”

Pospieszalski’s noise model has come into widespread use throughout the microwave community and has led to the development of wideband cryogenic receivers with optimal noise performance. All cryogenic amplifiers used in radio astronomy observatories and research institutions around the world including the National Science Foundation’s Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA), the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) were developed using Pospieszalski’s model.

“All of our receivers at NRAO rely on Marian’s noise model. In particular, ALMA’s Band 6 receivers, which were developed at CDL, are widely regarded as some of the most productive radio receivers in the world. They were critical in supporting ALMA’s groundbreaking images of HL Tau’s protoplanetary disk, and the Event Horizon Telescope’s images of the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy, SgrA* earlier this year, and of M87* in 2019. Without Marian’s work, none of this would be possible,” said Bert Hawkins, Director of CDL. “We are proud of the discoveries Marian has made and thrilled to see his contributions to the microwave community recognized with such a prestigious honor.”

With the award, EuMA recognizes more than three decades of microwave community achievements made possible in part by Pospieszalski’s innovative approach to low-noise amplification.

“Some 33 years ago, Marian suggested a different approach to modeling of noise properties of field effect transistors. For those working on radio astronomy instrumentation at the time in the 1980s, it had become quite obvious that cryogenically cooled III-V HEMTs would open new experimental frontiers both on the ground and in space, providing they could learn how to design cryogenic amplifiers with optimal noise performance over large relative RF bandwidths,” said EuMA President Frank van den Bogaart. “The introduction of this noise model was a simple answer to that need and is a fantastic contribution to our field which has had a significant and lasting impact on successive generations of radio astronomy.”

The Pioneer Award was presented on September 27, 2022 at the opening session of European Microwave Conference held in Milan, Italy.

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) is a facility of the National Science Foundation, operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

Media contact
Amy C. Oliver, FRAS
Public Information & News Manager, NRAO
aoliver@nrao.edu

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