SUGGESTIONS ON PROPOSING FOR VSOP OBSERVATIONS
- Many new proposals for HALCA will be associated with previous
VSOP and other VLBI observations, since we anticipate the continued
monitoring of many of the brightest radio sources. Results from these
previous observations will be important in determining the scientific
merit of additional VSOP observations. Please include references to
all previous VSOP and other VLBI observing codes. The list of all
successful AO1 and AO2 VSOP observations and those scheduled through
the middle of 2000 are given below. Please use this list to determine
the best continuation of VSOP monitoring observations as well as
proposing for other sources.
- Your proposal may also be associated with concurrent VLBI
proposals. For example, you may be proposing for ground VLBI
observations at 15 GHz to complement VSOP observations at 5 GHz.
Please indicate such connections clearly in your proposal since
refereeing of these ground and VSOP proposals should be made in a
coordinated way. All such complementary ground-only observations must
be proposed independently to the appropriate ground array, even if it
is intimately related to a VSOP proposal. As an example, if you
propose for a source at 5 GHz using HALCA, but also wish to observe at
15 GHz with a ground array (even during the VSOP observation
period), a separate proposal must be submitted to that ground array.
-
Although we anticipate that most proposals will be for active
galaxies, proposals for the OH line (all four lines), pulsars and the
brighter radio stellar objects are invited.
-
The specification of the ground resources for your experiment is
not necessary, but can be included especially for non-standard
experiments. It is important to specify the need for big ground
telescopes if the correlated flux density with the HALCA observations
is expected to be less than (or measured in previous experiments)
about 0.1 Jy, or if the science goals of the observation require the
additional sensitivity. The available time on these large telescopes
is limited and must be used judiciously.
-
You should concentrate on proposing for sources which are in those
regions of sky which can be observed during the January to May 2000
period. For some areas good (u,v) coverage may not occur again for
another year, or even two years. Proposals for all regions of the sky
will be accepted and reviewed. However, proposers should keep in mind
that proposals that are not scheduled within a year may have to be
reproposed.
The regions of sky which should be proposed for this deadline are
given below:
AREAS OF THE SKY WHICH CAN BE BEST OBSERVED
WITH HALCA BETWEEN JANUARY TO MAY 2000
Declination Range Right Ascension Range
(degrees) (hours)
65 to 90 09 to 15
45 to 65 07 to 17
5 to 45 05 to 17
-5 to 5 05 to 15
-15 to -5 03 to 15
-25 to -15 03 to 13
-35 to -25 03 to 09
-90 to -35 03 to 11
-
Inclusion of (u,v) coverage plots is not needed for your VSOP
proposal. The observations will be scheduled with the best (u,v)
(generally highest resolution with reasonable two-dimensional
coverage), consistent with the scientific rating and the allotment of
resources. However, recommendations of specific observing times,
(u,v) coverages, and ground resources will be used if possible. The
proposer should give some consideration of the changing (u,v) coverage
and source observation availability when asking for source monitoring
observations.
-
Use the plots of monthly (u,v) coverage available from the VSOP WWW
site. For more detailed analysis please use the latest version of one
of the simulation software packages. However, for most proposals the
tables of (u,v) coverage may be sufficient for planning of your
observation.