GBT15A-186

The Radio Ammonia Mid-Plane Survey

Abstract

This is a resubmission of a successful proposal, awarded time for a pilot survey. We propose the Radio Ammonia Mid-Plane Survey (RAMPS) which will map the Galactic plane in NH3 and H20 using the K-band Focal Plane Array on the GBT. RAMPS has three main goals: (1) to study the evolution of physical conditions in the dense gas forming high-mass protostars, (2) to use the dynamic state of filaments to understand both filament and cluster formation, and (3) to use H2O masers to understand the galactic distribution of star formation. The NH3 maps will isolate the dense star-forming gas and measure the temperatures, column densities, velocities (for kinematic distances), and dynamical state of this dense gas. H2O masers will pinpoint the presence of both low- and high-mass protostars. RAMPS will blindly map between 10<l<40 degrees and -1<b<+1 degrees in under 1400 hours; as a blind survey it will avoid the selection effects of a targeted survey and yet (due to efficiency gains) be as fast as a targeted survey. The RAMPS archive will be a legacy for all astronomers. We have conducted pilot observations which demonstrate that the RAMPS survey will meet the technical specifications and scientific goals.

Investigators

Name	Institution
Jim Jackson *	Green Bank Observatory
Taylor Hogge	Boston University
Ian Stephens	Boston University; Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of; Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian; Worcester State University
Scott Whitaker	Boston University
Matthew Camarata	Boston University
Patricio Sanhueza Nunez	National Astronomical Observatory of Japan
Jill Rathborne	Boston University; Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian; Australia Telescope National Facility
Larry Morgan	Green Bank Observatory
Melvin Hoare	Leeds, University of
Toby Moore	Liverpool John Moores University
Cormac Purcell	Leeds, University of
Claudia Cyganowski	Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian; St. Andrews, University of
Anish Roshi	National Radio Astronomy Observatory; National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center
James Di Francesco	Herzberg Institute
Yancy Shirley	Arizona, University of
Steven Longmore	Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian; European Southern Observatory; Liverpool John Moores University
James Urquhart	Australia Telescope National Facility ; Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie; Kent, University of
Andrew Walsh	Curtin University of Technology
Jonathan Foster	Yale University

* indicates the PI