************************************************** European VLBI Network Call for Proposals Deadline 1st October 2014 ************************************************** This text is also available on the web at http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/~vlbi/EVN/call-oct14.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) ------------------------------------------------------- 2015 Session 1 Feb 26 - Mar 19 18/21cm, 6cm ... 2015 Session 2 May 28 - Jun 18 18/21cm, 6cm ... 2015 Session 3 Oct 15 - Nov 05 18/21cm, 6cm ... Proposals received by 1st October 2014 will be considered for scheduling in Session 1, 2015 or later. Finalisation of the planned observing wavelengths will depend on proposal pressure. Future e-VLBI Observing Sessions (real-time correlation) ------------------------------------------------------- 2014 Nov 18 - Nov 19 (start at 13 UTC) 18/21cm, 6cm, 5cm or 1.3cm 2014 Dec 02 - Dec 03 (start at 13 UTC) 18/21cm, 6cm, 5cm or 1.3cm 2015 Jan 13 - Jan 14 (start at 13 UTC) 18/21cm, 6cm, 5cm or 1.3cm 2015 Feb 10 - Feb 11 (start at 13 UTC) 18/21cm, 6cm, 5cm or 1.3cm 2015 Mar 24 - Mar 25 (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 October 1st deadline will be considered for scheduling in the above e-VLBI sessions starting from Nov 18th 2014. Note that only one wavelength will be run in each e-VLBI 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 512 Mbps (e.g. 64 MHz 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 --------------------- * Global proposals can be proposed up to 1 Gb/s including VLBA,GBT,JVLA * Some modes may require different bandwidth channels from EVN & NRAO telescopes; correlation at JIVE can handle this * JIVE support staff and Amy Mioduszewski at Socorro will assist during the scheduling process of such observations * Global observations 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). RadioAstron Observations ------------------------ * Proposals requesting the EVN as ground array support for RadioAstron proposals for the latter part of the AO2 period (1 July 2014 - 30 June 2015) may still be submitted at this deadline. 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. Availability of EVN Antennas ---------------------------- * Medicina and Urumqi should return to the EVN from Session 1, 2015 onwards. The Sardinia 64m telescope (SRT) remains in a commissioning phase but is available on a "best efforts" basis from Session 1, 2015. Robledo 70m telescope is occasionally available for EVN observations. From Session 1, 2015, the availability of WSRT as a phased array is not certain and WSRT may be participating with a single telescope. ---------------------------- * The new 65m Tianma (Shanghai) telescope will become available for EVN operations from Session 1 2015. See the EVN Status Table for details. Use of Korean VLBI Network Antennas -------------------------------------- * The Korean VLBI Network (KVN) has now become an Associate Member of the EVN (as from January 2014). KVN telescopes may be requested for EVN observations at 1.3cm and 7mm wavelengths. For more details regarding the KVN, see: http://kvn-web.kasi.re.kr/en/en_normal_info.php Use of Australian VLBI Network Antennas --------------------------------------- * It is planned that starting in Session 1 2015, some Australian Long Baseline Array (LBA) time will be made available for simultaneous scheduling with the EVN, thus enabling the possibility of joint LBA/EVN observations in that and future disc sessions. The easternmost stations of the EVN are in a similar longitude range to the LBA telescopes, and for sources in equatorial regions, baselines to western European stations are also achievable. Joint LBA time is likely to be heavily oversubscribed, and authors are requested to note whether they are prepared to accept scheduling without LBA antennas being present. Proposals for joint LBA/EVN observations in session 2/2015 must be submitted separately to both the LBA and EVN: LBA in their 15 Dec 2014 deadline. EVN in either their 1 Oct 2014 or 1 Feb 2015 deadlines. For more details regarding proposing time on the LBA, see: http://www.atnf.csiro.au/observers/apply/avail.html & http://www.atnf.csiro.au/vlbi/index.html EVN+LBA observations should be possible at all principal EVN wavebands from  21 cm to 1.3 cm.: See: (http://www.evlbi.org/user_guide/freq_cov.html). Out of Session Observing ------------------------ *Out-of-Session observing time (up to a maximum of 144 hours/year), is now available to all proposals. Proposals requesting Out-of- Session observing time must provide full scientific (and technical if appropriate) justification as to why observations must be made outside regular sessions. Out-of-Session observing blocks should be no less than 12 hours in duration (although individual observations can be shorter), and occur no more than 10 times per year (up to a maximum of 144 hours). Proposals should specify which dates/GST ranges are being requested and indicate the minimum requirement in terms of numbers of telescopes (and any particular telescopes). Proposals will only be considered for dates occurring after the regular EVN session that follows the proposal deadline. Observations requiring much shorter lead times should be submitted as "Target-of-Opportunity" proposals. 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. When specifying requested antennas from the LBA, please specify 'LBA' under the "other" row in the telescope-selection box – this selects all that are available for joint observations.‘ The deadline for submission is 23:59:59 UTC on 1st October 2014. 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.