The East-Asian VLBI Network

TL;DR

The East-Asian VLBI Network (EAVN) is a collaborative international radio astronomy facility in East Asia, combining multiple telescopes to enable high-resolution observations across a wide frequency range for studying astronomical phenomena.

Contribution

This paper introduces the EAVN, detailing its infrastructure, capabilities, and initial testing results, marking its readiness for scientific observations from late 2017.

Findings

Successful fringe tests at 8 and 22 GHz

First science observations of 6.7 GHz methanol masers

Operational plans for high-resolution astrophysical studies

Abstract

The East-Asian VLBI Network (EAVN) is the international VLBI facility in East Asia and is conducted in collaboration with China, Japan, and Korea. The EAVN consists of VLBI arrays operated in each East Asian country, containing 21 radio telescopes and three correlators. The EAVN will be mainly operated at 6.7 (C-band), 8 (X-band), 22 (K-band), and 43 GHz (Q-band), although the EAVN has an ability to conduct observations at 1.6 - 129 GHz. We have conducted fringe test observations eight times to date at 8 and 22 GHz and fringes have been successfully detected at both frequencies. We have also conducted science commissioning observations of 6.7 GHz methanol masers in massive star-forming regions. The EAVN will be operational from the second half of 2017, providing complementary results with the FAST on AGNs, massive star-forming regions, and evolved stars with high angular resolution at cm- to mm-wavelengths.