MALT90: The Millimetre Astronomy Legacy Team 90 GHz Survey

Author(s)

J. M. Jackson, J. M. Rathborne, J. B. Foster, J. S. Whitaker, P. Sanhueza, C. Claysmith, J. L. Mascoop, M. Wienen, S. L. Breen, F. Herpin, A. Duarte-Cabral, T. Csengeri, S. N. Longmore, Y. Contreras, B. Indermuehle, P. J. Barnes, A. J. Walsh, Maria R. Cunningham, K. J. Brooks, T. R. Britton, M. A. Voronkov, J. S. Urquhart, J. Alves, C. H. Jordan, T. Hill, S. Hoq, S. C. Finn, I. Bains, S. Bontemps, L. Bronfman, J. L. Caswell, L. Deharveng, S. P. Ellingsen, G. A. Fuller, G. Garay, J. A. Green, L. Hindson, P. A. Jones, C. Lenfestey, N. Lo, V. Lowe, D. Mardones, K. M. Menten, V. Minier, L. K. Morgan, F. Motte, E. Muller, N. Peretto, C. R. Purcell, P. Schilke, Schneider-N. Bontemps, F. Schuller, A. Titmarsh, F. Wyrowski, A. Zavagno

Abstract

The Millimetre Astronomy Legacy Team 90 GHz (MALT90) survey aims to

characterise the physical and chemical evolution of high-mass

star-forming clumps. Exploiting the unique broad frequency range and

on-the-fly mapping capabilities of the Australia Telescope National

Facility Mopra 22 m single-dish telescope, MALT90 has obtained 3' x 3'

maps toward ~2000 dense molecular clumps identified in the ATLASGAL 870

um Galactic plane survey. The clumps were selected to host the early

stages of high-mass star formation and to span the complete range in

their evolutionary states (from prestellar, to protostellar, and on to

HII regions and photodissociation regions). Because MALT90 mapped 16

lines simultaneously with excellent spatial (38") and spectral (0.11

km/s) resolution, the data reveal a wealth of information about the

clump's morphologies, chemistry, and kinematics. In this paper we

outline the survey strategy, observing mode, data reduction procedure,

and highlight some early science results. All MALT90 raw and processed

data products are available to the community. With its unprecedented

large sample of clumps, MALT90 is the largest survey of its type ever

conducted and an excellent resource for identifying interesting

candidates for high resolution studies with ALMA.

Organisation(s)

Department of Astrophysics

External organisation(s)

Macquarie University, Universität zu Köln, Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Université Bordeaux, Joint ALMA Observatory, Boston University, University of Florida, Gainesville, University of New South Wales, Université Paris VII - Paris-Diderot, The University of Sydney, Yale University, European Southern Observatory (Germany), University of Manchester, Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), Curtin University, University of Hertfordshire, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), University of Tasmania, New England College of Optometry, Boston, University of Victoria, Universidad de Chile, Aix-Marseille Université, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Cardiff University

Journal

Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia

Volume

Pages

No. of pages

ISSN

1323-3580

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1017/pasa.2013.37

Publication date

10-2013

Peer reviewed

Yes

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

103004 Astrophysics, 103003 Astronomy

Keywords

Portal url

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/6fd10111-a7da-484a-b807-6038ee9f13e3