Speaker
Description
Currently, SKA-Low baselines extend only ~70 km, and there are few low-frequency stations in the Southern Hemisphere to enable joint VLBI observations with SKA-Low. On its own, SKA-Low will not deliver the sub-arcsecond angular resolution required to maximise synergy with frontline optical/IR telescopes such as JWST. The planned tied-array mode will add the capability to participate in VLBI, but new stations or facilities are needed to take advantage of this mode.
CSIRO is taking the first steps toward establishing low-frequency VLBI capability in the Southern Hemisphere. A modest-scale project can demonstrate feasibility, establish a pathway for long-term technology development, and help build momentum toward the original vision of SKA-Low as a continent-scale telescope. Our initiative is LAMBDA: the Low-frequency Australian Megametre-Baseline Demonstrator Array.
A full array could comprise several (4–6) low-frequency aperture arrays co-located with existing LBA telescopes across Australia. In this talk, we will present an overview of the project, its current status and future plans, and the science opportunities that such an array will enable.
