MeerGAL: the MeerKAT galactic plane survey

M. A. Thompson*, S. Goedhart, P. Benaglia, H. Beuther, R. Blomme, A. C. Chrysostomou, J. S. Clark, C. Dickinson, S. Ellingsen, D. Fenech, L. Hindson, H. J. van Langevelde, S. N. Longmore, G. MacLeod, S. Molinari, R. Prinja, C. R. Purcell, I. Stevens, G. Umana, J. S. UrquhartW. Vlemmings, A. J. Walsh, J. van der Walt, A. Y. Yang, A. Zijlstra

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalConference articlepeer-review

Abstract

Radio surveys of the Milky Way galaxy have transformed our understanding of star formation and stellar evolution. However, due to strong dependence of “survey cost” on frequency most large area surveys have so far been carried out at low frequencies (∼ a few GHz). These surveys select against dense plasma as the free-free turnover frequency scales directly with electron density which means that there are significant biases against the detection of the youngest and densest HII regions, Young Stellar Objects, jets, winds and Planetary Nebulae. Here we describe the MeerKAT Large Project MeerGAL, which aims to address this issue by making the first sensitive high frequency, high resolution multi-epoch survey of the Galactic Plane. Together with its Northern Hemisphere sister project KuGARS (the Ku-band Galactic Reconnaissance Survey), MeerGAL will revolutionise the study of massive star formation and stellar evolution, Galactic structure, and variability.

Original languageEnglish
JournalProceedings of Science
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2016
Event2016 MeerKAT Science: On the Pathway to the SKA, MeerKAT 2016 - Stellenbosch, South Africa
Duration: 25 May 201627 May 2016

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