First scientific VLBI observations using New Zealand 30 metre radio telescope WARK30M

TL;DR

This paper reports the first successful VLBI observations using New Zealand's WARK30M telescope, demonstrating its capability for high-precision geodesy and astrophysics, including detection of radio sources and gamma-ray associations.

Contribution

It introduces WARK30M as a new scientific VLBI instrument and presents initial results validating its performance for geodesy and astrophysics.

Findings

WARK30M's geocentric position determined with 100 mm vertical and 10 mm horizontal accuracy.

Detected correlated flux densities for 175 radio sources at 6.7 GHz.

Established association between radio source 1031-837 and gamma-ray object 2FGL J1032.9-8401.

Abstract

We report the results of a successful 24 hour 6.7 GHz VLBI experiment using the 30 meter radio telescope WARK30M near Warkworth, New Zealand, recently converted from a radio telecommunications antenna, and two radio telescopes located in Australia: Hobart 26-m and Ceduna 30-m. The geocentric position of WARK30M is determined with a 100 mm uncertainty for the vertical component and 10 mm for the horizontal components. We report correlated flux densities at 6.7 GHz of 175 radio sources associated with Fermi gamma-ray sources. A parsec scale emission from the radio source 1031-837 is detected, and its association with the gamma-ray object 2FGL J1032.9-8401 is established with a high likelihood ratio. We conclude that the new Pacific area radio telescope WARK30M is ready to operate for scientific projects.