Goonhilly: a new site for e-MERLIN and the EVN

TL;DR

The paper discusses the advantages of establishing a new antenna site at Goonhilly for e-MERLIN and EVN, which will significantly improve angular resolution, sensitivity, and baseline coverage for radio astronomy observations.

Contribution

It introduces Goonhilly as a new site for radio telescopes, enhancing baseline distribution and observational capabilities for e-MERLIN and EVN arrays.

Findings

Goonhilly provides nearly equal east-west and north-south baselines.

Angular resolution of e-MERLIN will double with Goonhilly.

Baseline extension improves sensitivity and imaging of equatorial sources.

Abstract

The benefits for the e-MERLIN and EVN arrays of using antennae at the satellite communication station at Goonhilly in Cornwall are discussed. The location of this site - new to astronomy - will provide an almost equal distribution of long baselines in the east-west- and north-south directions, and opens up the possibility to get significantly improved observations of equatorial fields with e-MERLIN. These additional baselines will improve the sensitivity on a set of critical spatial scales and will increase the angular resolution of e-MERLIN by a factor of two. e-MERLIN observations, including many allocated under the e-MERLIN Legacy programme, will benefit from the enhanced angular resolution and imaging capability especially for sources close to or below the celestial equator (where ESO facilities such as ALMA will operate) of including the Goonhilly telescopes. Furthermore, the baselines formed between Goonhilly and the existing stations will close the gap between the baselines of e-MERLIN and those of the European VLBI Network (EVN) and therefore enhance the legacy value of e-MERLIN datasets.