The Hydrogen Intensity and Real-time Analysis eXperiment (HIRAX) Collaboration met in Zurich, Switzerland recently at a meeting hosted by ETH Zurich. Team members from around the world participated in person and online.

HIRAX is an international radio astronomy project led by the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). Its telescope array is being built at Swartfontein in the Karoo, Northern Cape, with contributions from universities and research organisations in South Africa and abroad. HIRAX will detect radio signals from hydrogen in the southern skies. Researchers will use these signals to map the distribution of matter and investigate how the universe has evolved.

HIRAX will also enable researchers to study pulsars and fast radio bursts, which are brief, powerful bursts of radio emission from distant sources in space.

Professor Kavilan Moodley of UKZN, the project’s principal investigator, highlighted the importance of the meeting: “The HIRAX collaboration meeting demonstrates the importance of international collaboration and partnerships in advancing radio astronomy globally,” said Moodley.

At the meeting, collaboration members reviewed progress on the project and research undertaken by participating teams. Discussions covered the telescope dishes, electronic systems, software and data processing systems needed to operate the array.

Researchers discussed how to collect, process and analyse the large volumes of data HIRAX will generate. They also reviewed preparations for future observations and the project’s first scientific results, including milestones and work required to bring the telescope array into operation.

Postgraduate students and early-career researchers participated in discussions with researchers from international institutions. Their involvement reflected HIRAX’s contribution to training and skills development in radio astronomy.

Moodley added that: “By bringing together students, postdoctoral fellows, academics and technical experts, we are building the skills and capacity to further strengthen South Africa’s contribution to radio astronomy.”

Words: Prashina Ramcharan

Photograph: ETH Zurich

Original article: https://ndabaonline.ukzn.ac.za/UkzndabaStory/Vol14-Issue38/HIRAX%20Collaboration%20Meets%20in%20Switzerland%20to%20Discuss%20Scientific%20Progress