Millimeter Wavelength Array
The array consists of six 10-m Leighton telescopes. The array is used for aperture
synthesis mapping of millimeter
line and continuum emission in the 2.7 and 1.3 mm windows.
Major scientific investigations include imaging of molecules in the
atmosphere of Venus, in nearby star forming regions, spiral galaxies and
distant luminous infrared galaxies and high redshift protogalaxies.
40-m telescope
This telescope is equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation for
measurements of the cm wavelength continuum from extragalactic radio
sources and the cosmic background. Major programs incude Very Long
Baseline Interferometry observations of quasars and radio galaxies and
measurements of the Sunyaev-Zeldovitch effect in galaxy clusters.
5-m telescope
This telescope is being equipped with a large
bandwidth high sensitivity radiometer for 1 cm observations of
the cosmic background anisotropy. The observing program planned for the
next few years should provide by far the most sensitive measurements of the
anisotropy of scales > 6'.
Solar Interferometer
Two 27-m telescopes are used for high time resolution
radio monitoring of solar flare activity using a frequency-agile receiver
covering the 1 - 18 GHz band. The solar interferometer has not been augmented
with smaller dishes for large scale imaging of the sun.
Graduate student research with the instruments at Owens Valley has been extensive. Major long-term commitments of observing time have been available to students enabling more innovative and comprehensive projects than would have been possible at the national observatory. Typically 5-7 graduate students are supported with fellowships and have done a significant fraction of their Ph.D. research with the Observatory instruments. Projects have ranged from purely observational research with the existing instrumentation to the design, development, and use of new instrumentation.
Senior faculty associated with the Observatory include Geoff Blake (cosmochemistry), John Carlstrom (star formation, instrumentation, and S-Z effect), Dewey Muhleman (planetary sciences), Anneila Sargent (star and planet formation) and Nick Scoville (interstellar medium and galactic structure), all working with the millimeter wavelength array; Marshall Cohen (VLBI) and Tony Readhead (VLBI and cosmic background) working with the 40/5-m telescope systems; Shri Kulkarni (pulsars), Dale Gary and Hal Zirin (solar radio astronomy). The research staff includes 15 research associates, post-doctoral fellows, and research engineer/scientists. The resident staff at the Observatory is 20.
Senior Engineering/Astronomical Staff at the Observatory include Harry Hardebeck (cosmic background, VLBI, and cm-wave receivers), Mark Hodges (cosmic background, VLBI, and cm-wave receivers), Steve Padin (mm-wave electronics, correlators, mm VLBI, and low mass star formation), Steve Scott (mm-array computers, circumstellar molecules), and Dave Woody (mm receivers and telescopes, mm VLBI).