Project description
Europe’s largest ground-based collaborative astronomy network
Our knowledge of the universe is growing, and astronomers need more and better techniques to analyse astronomical phenomena. Europe’s largest astronomy network will assist in this area. The EU-funded Opticon RadioNet Pilot (ORP) will develop seamless access to radio and optical facilities in an efficient, coordinated and future-looking programme. ORP will offer access to an unrivalled set of major and specialised observatories across Europe (and around the world) covering the optical, infrared, sub-mm and radio wavebands to open the way to new discoveries. According to the project, this will represent the largest and most comprehensive suite of facilities to be brought together and offered to the European scientific community through a single programme.
Objective
For more than two decades, the EU has been supporting free transnational access (TA) to existing national research infrastructures (RI). In particular, the optical/infrared and the advanced radio astronomy communities are now recognised as TA flagship communities. Their telescopes and instrumentation complement each other with respect to wavelength coverage, as well as spectral, spatial and time resolution, and therefore together form a cohesive suite of RIs that made ground breaking discoveries possible and thus strengthened Europe's leading role in international science. While scientists more and more rely on multi-wavelength and multi-disciplinary access to the best RIs, there is a quest by the RI providers for a sustainable funding scheme for TA, since establishing and maintaining outstanding RIs requires considerable resources. In this pilot, the best research institutions from both communities will combine their efforts to further improve and harmonize their services and to make best use of their RIs, allowing mutual and TA to telescopes, telescope networks, and data archives. This will facilitate multi-wavelengths and time-domain studies. TA shall be simplified by the development of a common proposal submission tool. Improved instruments, adaptive optics, and software to deliver science ready data products will boost the performance of our RIs. This pilot will address imminent threats to astronomical research from satellite mega constellations and commercial radio emitters, and finally, it will develop plans for a long-term mutual relationship and for a continued funding of TA beyond this pilot.
Fields of science
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
75794 Paris
France
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Participants (39)
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
96743 Kamuela
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Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
31062 Toulouse Cedex 9
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Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
75014 Paris
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CB2 1TN Cambridge
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80539 Munchen
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00136 Roma
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SN2 1FL Swindon
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28006 Madrid
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85748 Garching
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2311 EZ Leiden
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M13 9PL Manchester
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7991 PD Dwingeloo
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3526 KV Utrecht
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38400 SAINT MARTIN D'HERES
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7991 PD Dwingeloo
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412 96 GOTEBORG
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28003 Madrid
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87100 Torun
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LV-3601 Ventspils
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02150 Espoo
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8000 Aarhus C
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04550 Almeria
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L3 5UX Liverpool
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38205 San Cristobal De La Laguna
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11810 Athina
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KY16 9AJ St Andrews
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DH1 3LE Durham
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4099-002 Porto
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00-927 WARSZAWA
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1121 Budapest
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91120 Palaiseau
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EX4 4QJ Exeter
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3000 Leuven
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38712 Brena Baja
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0200 Canberra
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91120 Palaiseau
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SK11 9DL Macclesfield
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7925 Cape Town
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70013 Irakleio
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