Science Working Group

In the very near future, major further steps are expected in radio astronomy. The Atacama Large Millimeter Array will deliver first science results in a few months from now, opening up our knowledge of astrophysics in the high frequency (hundreds of GHz) end of the radio spectrum; LOFAR is in the commissioning stage, and is soon expected to unveil astrophysical phenomena at the other extreme of the radio spectrum, i.e. the tens/few hundred MHz end. The upgrade to e-MERLIN is soon to be completed, allowing a sensitivity boost in the classic radio window (1.4 - 22 GHz) on the unique sub-arcsecond scale. Inclusion of new large telescopes in the European VLBI Network will further improve the sensitivity of VLBI in Europe and across the world. All this is remarkable in itself, and even more considering that such new generation instruments represent an intermediate step towards the advent of SKA, which is further prepared by the forthcoming interferometers such as ASKAP, MeerKAT and Apertif.

This golden age in radio astronomy that will dramatically increase the need to share expertise, knowledge and discoveries is bound to increase during the period of RadioNet3. The SWG will coordinate and organise the activity within the radio community.

The leader of this activity is Tiziana Venturi.