MeerKAT Radio Telescope Research Articles

Kliko—The scientific compute container format

Abstract Kliko is a Docker-based container specification for running one or multiple related compute jobs. The key concepts of Kliko are the encapsulation of data processing software into a container and the formalization of the input, output and task parameters. By formalizing the parameters, the software is represented as abstract building blocks with an uniform and consistent interface. The main advantage is enhanced scriptability and empowering pipeline composition. Formalization is realized by bundling a container with a Kliko file, which describes the IO and task parameters. This Kliko container can then be opened and run by a Kliko runner. The Kliko runner will parse the Kliko definition and gather the values for these parameters, for example by requesting user input or retrieving pre-defined values from disk. Parameters can be various primitive types, for example: float, int or the path to a file. This paper will also discuss the implementation of a support library named Kliko which can be used to create Kliko containers, parse Kliko definitions, andchain Kliko containers in workflows using a workflow manager library such as Luigi. The Kliko library can be used inside the container to interact with the Kliko runner. Finally to illustrate the applicability of the Kliko definition, this paper will discuss two reference implementations based on the Kliko library: RODRIGUES, a web-based Kliko container scheduler and output visualizer specifically for astronomical data, and VerMeerKAT, a multi-container workflow data reduction pipeline which is being used as a prototype pipeline for the commissioning of the MeerKAT radio telescope. The Kliko library is open source. The documentation and source code can be found on the main website. 1 .

Probing the formation history of the nuclear star cluster at the Galactic Centre with millisecond pulsars

The origin of the Nuclear Star Cluster in the centre of our Galaxy is still unknown. One possibility is that it formed after the disruption of stellar clusters that spiralled into the Galactic Centre due to dynamical friction. We trace the formation of the Nuclear Star Cluster around the central black hole, using state-of-the-art N-body simulations, and follow the dynamics of the neutron stars born in the clusters. We then estimate the number of Millisecond Pulsars (MSPs) that are released in the Nuclear Star Cluster, during its formation. The assembly and tidal dismemberment of globular clusters lead to a population of MSPs distributed over a radius of about 20 pc, with a peak near 3 pc. No clustering is found on the sub-parsec scale. We simulate the detectability of this population with future radio telescopes like the MeerKAT radio telescope and SKA1, and find that about of order ten MSPs can be observed over this large volume, with a paucity of MSPs within the central parsec. This helps discriminating this scenario from the in-situ formation model for the Nuclear Star Cluster that would predict an over abundance of MSPs closer to the black hole. We then discuss the potential contribution of our MSP population to the gamma-ray excess at the Galactic Centre.

MeerTRAP: A pulsar and fast transients survey with MeerKAT

AbstractWe present a brief overview of MeerTRAP, a real-time, fully commensal survey for pulsars and fast transients with the MeerKAT radio telescope in South Africa. MeerTRAP will combine the excellent sensitivity of MeerKAT with an unprecedented amount of on-sky time in order to significantly extend the parameter space covered by similar, previous or ongoing, surveys with other radio telescopes. Here, we will give a brief overview of the project.

Cheap 0.36 dB NF broadband multipath LNA

A two-path low-noise amplifier (LNA) designed for the planned MeerKAT radio telescope is presented. The LNA has a noise figure (NF) of less than 0.36 dB and input return loss of less than 12 dB from 0.7 to 1.8 GHz. It consumes 100 mW of power and costs about $10 to manufacture.

MeerKAT and its potential for Cosmic MASER Research

AbstractThe MeerKAT radio telescope array is the South African precursor instrument for the proposed Square Kilometer Array's mid-band frequency range. It will be the most sensitive centimetre-wavelength telescope in the southern hemisphere until the SKA is built. It will cover a broad range of astronomical science from the evolution of galaxies to tests of Einstein's theory of General Relativity, using Pulsars. The chosen frequency bands will enable sensitive southern Galactic maser surveys in the main lines of hydroxyl, 12 GHz methanol and perhaps 14.5 GHz formaldehyde lines as well as searches for redshifted water masers from red-shifts greater than about 0.5. Proposals for Large Surveys using MeerKAT were solicited in late 2009 and resulted in some 20 proposals from teams comprising 500 scientists, world-wide. The successful proposals relevant to maser research will be discussed below.