Urgent replacement of e-MERLIN components

e-MERLIN is the UK's national facility for radio astronomy imaging. With 7 telescopes across the UK, linked by a dedicated optical fibre network to a powerful correlattion hub at Jodrell Bank Observatory, the array provides radio imaging at centimetre wavelengths with similar resolution to the optical images produced by the Hubble Space Telescope. It is used by a broad range of the UK astrophysics community as well as scientists across the world, for projects from planet and start-formation to galaxy evolution and cosmology, including experiments in dark matter and dark energy. Key to its performance, are the ultra-low noise receivers at the focus of each telescope which collect and amplify the extremely weak signals from these objects. These specialised receivers, designed and built at Jodrell Bank are cooled to approx 13K (13 degrees above Absolute Zero, or -260 degrees Centigrade). This request is for urgent replacement of the crycoolers and compressors needed to operate these cryogenic receivers.

Scientific and technical research and development in radio astronomy has a broad impact on society as well as scientific advance in many of the Science Challenges outlined by STFC. e-MERLIN research projects will have impact in all four of the key STFC science areas: work on pulsars and gravitational waves allow precise tests of gravity and fundamental physics (STFC Science Challenges C2, D1, D2, D3); searching for fast radio bursts, transients and potential signals from extra-terrestrial intelligence (B3, C4); observations of planet and star-formation probe some of the crucial and poorly understood phases in these processes (B1, A6); studies of galaxy formation and evolution will allow significant advance in understanding how when and where galaxies formed the bulk of their stars (A4, A5) and experiments in cosmic shear and gravitational lensing probe dark matter and dark energy (A3, C4, C5). All these observations require the sensitivity provided by the cryogenic receivers, whose components are requested here.

The wider impact of radio astronomy research is a key part of activities at Jodrell Bank Observatory and the Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, which now has over 160,000 visitors/year and a dedicated schools programme reaching more than 10,000 pupils/yr. e-MERLIN science and technology form an important part those exhibits and activities and e-MERLIN staff gives talks and presentations at various levels at many events in the Discovery Centre and elsewhere, including music and science festivals attended by up to 20,000 visitors.

Radio astronomy technology developed as part of e-MERLIN has had a major impact on the UK participation in the Square Kilometre Array project: the UK leads ths signal and data transport consortium for SKA, based on its experience and expertise from e-MERLIN and e-VLBI. Radio astronomy technology has had a wide impact in general, from the development of low noise amplifiers, large parabolic antennas, algorithms for image processing and medical imaging; wi-fi technology was developed by radio astronomers in Australia, following the experiments with dedicated hardware for radio astronomy signal processing.