Seminars
The UHH Research Park includes the headquarters for the East Asian Observatory, the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory, Subaru, Gemini, UKIRT, the Smithsonian Submillimeter Array and the Institute for Astronomy, plus the astronomers at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. We are one of the major centres for astronomy in the world and encourage all visitors to the JCMT to take advantage of the proximity of these institutes, and give a seminar while in Hilo. Your talk will be advertised at each of the above institutes.
Upcoming Seminar:
Title: MUSCAT, a versatile mm-wave Camera build upon MKID technology
Speaker: Simon Doyle (School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University)
Abstract:
The development of Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detectors (MKIDs) has provided a step change in the future ambitions of mm-wave and sub-mm instruments. With high multiplexing ratios, excellent sensitivity and relatively simple fabrication, the next generation of instruments will move towards megapixel arrays operating close to the photon noise limit. MKIDs have also proven to be robust detectors that can work in busy pubic spaces such as airports while still providing excellent sensitivity operating from modest cryogen free, sub-Kelvin platforms. In this talk I will introduce the fundamental physics behind Kinetic Inductance Detectors drawing on simple concepts of classical physics to illustrate the working principles. I will then move on to discuss the MUSCAT instrument which is a 1.1mm photometric receiver installed on the LMT and our ambitions to install MUSCAT on the JCMT. I will finally present some example of MKID technology used in other areas of astronomy and security imaging.
Date:
Hawaii: Tuesday, Dec 2 at 4:00 PM
Vietnam & Thailand: Wednesday, Dec 3 at 9:00 AM
Taiwan & China: Wednesday, Dec 3 at 10:00 AM
Japan & Korea: Wednesday, Dec 3 at 11:00 AM
Please use this
link to mark this event on your calendar:
Please use the Zoom link to join this seminar:
Meeting ID: 899 6666 4294
Passcode: 397691
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Joint Talk of
Title: Next-Generation Heterodyne Instrumentation for the JCMT: From HARP Upgrades to Multi-Band Receiver Concepts
Speaker: Boon-Kok Tan (Department of Physics, University of Oxford)
Abstract:
In this talk, I will outline our proposed strategy for the next generation of heterodyne instrumentation at the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT), beginning with a staged upgrade of the existing HARP system. I will start by sharing our recent progress in expanding the RF and IF bandwidths of the next-generation SIS mixer targeting the requirement of the ALMA–WSU program. This effort, focused on the Band 6+7 range and incorporating sideband-separating technology, lays the groundwork for compact architecture and broader spectral coverage. Building on this foundation, I will introduce our design concept for a compact, dual-polarization, sideband-separating focal-plane array, envisioned as the next-generation heterodyne array instrument for JCMT. Finally, I will discuss our development plan for a multi-band heterodyne receiver enabling simultaneous observations across multiple frequency bands, with a view toward a potential tri-band receiver for the next-generation Event Horizon Telescope (EHT).
Title: Advancing Radio Astronomy Through Technology Development: GPU Backends and Direct Digitization
Speaker: Alexander Pollak (Hat Creek Radio Observatory
Abstract:
The Hat Creek Radio Observatory (HCRO) in Northern California provides the testbed for a new generation of radio astronomy instrumentation
and high-performance digital signal processing systems. Building on the existing 43-antenna Allen Telescope Array (ATA),
our current work centers on two major technology development efforts that aim to expand the scientific and engineering capabilities of modern interferometric arrays.
We are currently pursuing two major development efforts aimed at advancing the ATA’s capabilities. The first focuses on the development of a new GPU-based backend leveraging NVIDIA’s Holoscan. By combining the Breakthrough Listen Accelerated DSP Engine (BLADE) with Holoscan SDK, we are building a next-generation data processing pipeline that leverages the full power of the underlying hardware by using Remote Direct Access Memory (RDMA) to facilitate data transfers between the network interface, graphics card and high-speed NVMe storage.
The second development effort focuses on direct digitization, initially trialing Mercury’s 64 Gsps EB-RFS1140 digitizer evaluation board. We are aiming to develop a system capable of directly digitizing the telescope’s RF signal at each antenna, providing dual-polarization over a 12.8 GHz instantaneous bandwidth at 8 – 14 bits.
Together, these developments demonstrate a forward-looking engineering program aimed at building flexible, high-bandwidth DSP systems for radio astronomy and technosignature searches.
Date:
Hawaii: Wednesday, Dec 3 at 4:00 PM
Vietnam & Thailand: Thursday, Dec 4 at 9:00 AM
Taiwan & China: Thursday, Dec 4 at 10:00 AM
Japan & Korea: Thursday, Dec 4 at 11:00 AM
Please use this
link to mark this event on your calendar:
Please use the Zoom link to join this seminar:
Meeting ID: 834 6530 2808
Passcode: 190264
Where and How:
EAO seminars are (usually) held in the second floor conference room at the East Asia Observatory, 660 N. A’ohoku Place, Hilo, Hawaii. Please note that access to EAO is possible only through the main entrance (through the side doors facing Subaru). However since COVID we encourage astronomers to join via zoom.
We stream all of our seminars through the Zoom video conferencing application. If you would like to view the seminar via Zoom, links are sent out on the seminar mailing list (see below) or you may contact the helpdesk in advance of the talk and we will make sure that the option is available to you.
A full list of past seminar speakers can be found below for the current and previous years. These pages also contain links to PDF copies of the seminar slides, video recordings of the seminars, and other materials, when available.
To join the Seminar e-mail list:
EAO Seminars are sent out via eaoseminar@eaobservatory.org. If you wish to join this seminar list please send an e-mail to helpdesk@eaobservatory.org.
