************************************************** European VLBI Network Call for Proposals Deadline 1st October 2013 ************************************************** This text is also available on the web at http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/vlbi/EVN/call-oct13.txt Observing proposals are invited for the EVN, a VLBI network of radio telescopes spread throughout Europe and beyond, operated by an international consortium of institutes (http://www.evlbi.org/). The observations may be conducted with disk recording (standard EVN) or in real-time (e-VLBI). The EVN facility is open to all astronomers. Use of the Network by astronomers not specialised in the VLBI technique is encouraged. The Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe (JIVE) can provide support and advice on project preparation, scheduling, correlation and analysis. See EVN User Support at http://www.jive.nl. Future Standard EVN Observing Sessions (disk recording) ------------------------------------------------------- 2014 Session 1 Feb 20 - Mar 13 18/21cm, 6cm ... 2014 Session 2 May 29 - Jun 19 18/21cm, 6cm ... 2014 Session 3 Oct 16 - Nov 06 18/21cm, 6cm ... Proposals received by 1st October 2013 will be considered for scheduling in Session 1, 2014 or later. Finalisation of the planned observing wavelengths will depend on proposal pressure. Future e-VLBI Observing Sessions (real-time correlation) ------------------------------------------------------- 2013 Nov 12 - Nov 13 (start at 13 UTC) 18/21cm, 6cm, 5cm or 1.3cm 2013 Dec 03 - Dec 04 (start 1t 13 UTC) 18/21cm, 6cm, 5cm or 1.3cm 2014 Jan 14 - Jan 15 (start at 13 UTC) 18/21cm, 6cm, 5cm or 1.3cm 2014 Feb 18 - Feb 19 (start at 13 UTC) 18/21cm, 6cm, 5cm or 1.3cm Please consult the e-VLBI web page at http://www.evlbi.org/evlbi/e-vlbi_status.html to check for possible updates, and for the available array. Successful proposals with an e-VLBI component submitted by the June 1st deadline will be considered for scheduling in the above e-VLBI sessions starting from December 3rd 2013. Note that only one wavelength will be run in each e-session, depending on proposal priorities. See http://www.e-merlin.ac.uk/vlbi/evn_docs/guidelines.html for details concerning the e-VLBI observation classes and observing modes Features for the next regular EVN and e-VLBI sessions ----------------------------------------------------- * Both Jb1 and Jb2 will be available for EVN recording, as will simultaneous EVN+e-MERLIN operations with home-station EVN recording. For such simultaneous EVN+e-MERLIN operations, VLBI data from Cm will be made available at up to 512Mbps (e.g. 64MHz in both hands of circular polarization) on a best efforts basis. For updated information please consult the web at: http://www.e-merlin.ac.uk/vlbi/ * Please consult http://www.evlbi.org/evlbi/e-vlbi_status.html and the EVN User Guide http://www.evlbi.org/user_guide/user_guide.html for updates on the current EVN and e-VLBI array, availability of different stations per observing band and for the dates of the e-VLBI observing sessions. Global VLBI Proposals --------------------- * From Session 3 2013, the Global recording modes that used the legacy VLBA recording system will no longer be available. Tests are planned to establish Global standard recording modes and frequencies with the replacement VLBA Roach Digital Backend (RDBE), which will allow successful observations with both NRAO and EVN telescopes at 512 and 1024 Mbps under the new system. These will involve 'Hybrid-mode' correlation of 16 MHz sub-bands recorded with the EVN against 32 or 64 MHz sub-bands recorded with NRAO systems. Access to observing at 256 Mbps and lower rates (which will also use the VLBA RDBE but do not require Hybrid modes) should remain unaffected. Users may propose Global observations utilizing 512 and 1024 Mbps (with these standard modes only - see 'How to submit' section below) but should note that scheduling Global observations at these data rates will await the successful outcome of the tests. Observations using these modes will be correlated at the SFXC correlator at JIVE (default) or at the DiFX correlator in Bonn (if appropriate justification is given in the proposal). A description of the VLBA RDBE can be found at: https://science.nrao.edu/facilities/vlba/docs/manuals/oss2013b/sig-path/rdbe Large EVN projects ------------------ Most proposals request 12-48hrs observing time. The EVN Program Committee (PC) also encourages larger projects (>48 hrs); these will be subject to more detailed scrutiny, and the EVN PC may, in some cases, attach conditions on the release of the data. How to submit ------------- All EVN, and Global proposals (except ToO proposals) must be submitted using the NorthStar on-line proposal submission tool. Global proposals will be forwarded to NRAO automatically and should not be submitted to NRAO separately. When specifying your "Recording format" for Global modes in the EVN proposal tool, select 32. 64. 128, 256, 512, or 1024 Mbps from the "Specify aggregate bitrate (use network defaults)" menu New proposers should register at http://proposal.jive.nl. The SCIENTIFIC JUSTIFICATION MUST BE LIMITED TO 2 PAGES in length. Up to 2 additional pages with diagrams may be included. The deadline for submission is 23:59:59 UTC on 1 October 2013. Additional information ----------------------- Further information on Global VLBI, EVN+MERLIN and e-VLBI observations, and guidelines for proposal submission are available at: http://www.e-merlin.ac.uk/vlbi/evn_docs/guidelines.html The EVN User Guide (http://www.evlbi.org/user_guide/user_guide.html) describes the network and provides general information on its capabilities. The current antenna capabilities can be found in the status tables. For the standard EVN see http://www.evlbi.org/user_guide/EVNstatus.txt For the e-EVN array see http://www.evlbi.org/evlbi/e-vlbi_status.html The On-line VLBI catalogue (http://db.ira.inaf.it/evn//) lists sources observed by the EVN and Global VLBI.