Interferometry meets the third and fourth dimensions in galaxies. Issue Volume 10:Issue S309(2014) (9th February 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Trimble, Virginia
• Editors: Ziegler, Bodo L.; Combes, Françoise; Dannerbauer, Helmut; Verdugo, Miguel
• Is Part Of: Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union. Volume 10:Issue S309(2014)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 10
• Publication Date: 2015-02-09
• Subjects: Interferometry, -- Radio Astronomy, -- Superluminal Velocities, -- VLA, -- ALMA; Astronomy -- Congresses; Astronomy -- Periodicals; 520
• DOI: 10.1017/S1743921314009211
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1743-9213

Abstract

Abstract: Radio astronomy began with one array (Jansky's) and one paraboloid of revolution (Reber's) as collecting areas and has now reached the point where a large number of facilities are arrays of paraboloids, each of which would have looked enormous to Reber in 1932. In the process, interferometry has contributed to the counting of radio sources, establishing superluminal velocities in AGN jets, mapping of sources from the bipolar cow shape on up to full grey-scale and colored images, determining spectral energy distributions requiring non-thermal emission processes, and much else. The process has not been free of competition and controversy, at least partly because it is just a little difficult to understand how earth-rotation, aperture-synthesis interferometry works. Some very important results, for instance the mapping of HI in the Milky Way to reveal spiral arms, warping, and flaring, actually came from single moderate-sized paraboloids. The entry of China into the radio astronomy community has given large (40-110 meter) paraboloids a new lease on life.