The Path to SKA-low Workshop

International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research

Perth, Western Australia

September 6-9, 2011

The Path to SKA-low Workshop will discuss the science, technical design, performance and implementation plan for low-frequency aperture arrays in Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the SKA. The achievable requirements for the low-frequency aperture array for SKA1 and the evolution to SKA2 will be emphasised. Discussion will be in the context of the SKA Aperture Array Verification Program (AAVP) and Project Execution Plan (PEP). Major topics include:

• The latest science and system results from low-frequency pathfinders (LOFAR, MWA, ...), the resulting impact on the SKA Design Reference Mission, and the role of increasingly-capable pathfinders in illuminating key design issues.
• The major system design challenges for SKA-low, a review of relevant AAVP milestones and deliverables, how to determine the technology down-select processes and inputs (including cost modelling) for the 2012 SKA-low system requirements review.
• The progress in pivotal SKA-low technologies and techniques, and results from AAVP and related prototyping.

Notes:

• SKA1: SKA phase 1, construction 2016 - 2019, science operation 2020
• SKA2: SKA phase 2, construction 2018 - 2023, science operation 2024

Attendees may wish to familiarise themselves with material presented at AAVP 2010 (available at http://www.mrao.cam.ac.uk/projects/aavp/index.html).

Key Dates

• June 1st
• • Registration and payments open
• July 1st 
• • Application for financial assistance (students and early career researchers) closes
• July 15th
• • Finalisation of program and notification of contributors
  • Decision on financial assistance advised to all applicants
• August 15
• • Registrations and payments close
• September 6-9
• • Workshop 

Registration

Please note that registration is now closed. Email any queries about registration to info@icrar.org. The registration fee will be waived for students. There will be a workshop dinner on the Wednesday evening (7th of September) which will be partially subsidised by ICRAR and will cost $70. Payments for registration and the workshop dinner will only be accepted via credit card online through our secure payment facilities.  

• $150 - Registration
• $220 - Registration & Workshop Dinner
• $70 - Workshop Dinner only (students) 

Workshop Dinner

The workshop dinner will be help on Wednesday the 7th of September at 6:30pm.  Dinner will be preceded by drinks from 6:30, then the meal at 7pm.  

Location: The Boatshed Restaurant, Coode St Jetty, South Perth

A map to the location can be found through Google maps.   

Contributions

Oral and poster contributions addressing workshop themes are invited.  Presentations will include a mix of invited and contributed material; cross-disciplinary (science, system design and engineering) contributions are especially welcome.  Contributors to posters will have the opportunity to highlight their work via short oral presentations.  Prizes will be awarded to the best student presenters in the oral and poster categories.  All workshop contributions will be available at the program page on-line following the meeting.

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