Canada Foundation for Innovation Invests $7.9 Million for CanadianRadio Astronomy Research/Starry-eyed astronomers eager for access to telescope(Forwarded)

Canada Foundation for Innovation
Ottawa, Canada

For more information:

Valérie Poulin
Coordinator, Media Relations
Canada Foundation for Innovation
(613) 996-3160
cell: (613) 447-1723

Mylène Dupéré
Press Secretary
Office of Allan Rock
Minister of Industry
(613) 995-9001

Daphne Guerrero
Communications Advisor
Office of Dr. Rey Pagtakhan
Minister of Veterans Affairs and Secretary of State
(Science, Research & Development)
(613) 995-1333

Joanne Meyer
Office of Stephen Owen
Secretary of State
(Western Economic Diversification)
(Indian Affairs and Northern Development)
(613) 952-7418

November 26, 2003

The CFI Invests $7.9 Million for Canadian Radio Astronomy Research

CALGARY -- Today, Carmen Charette, Senior Vice-President of the Canada
Foundation for Innovation (CFI) was joined by the Honourable Stephen Owen,
Secretary of State (Western Economic Diversification), on behalf of Allan Rock,
Minister of Industry, to announce an investment of $7.9 million to provide
Canadian researchers access to the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) in
Chile. ALMA is, by international consensus, the most important development in
radio astronomy in this decade.

Access to ALMA will help maintain Canada's position amongst the top three
nations in terms of academic research in radio astronomy and will be of great
importance to our understanding of the origins of stars and planetary systems.

"This investment represents an important step forward in supporting the highest
levels of research excellence," said Industry Minister Allan Rock. "It will
allow Canadian research institutions and their researchers access to the first
ever ‘world observatory.'"

"Today's investment will make it possible for Canadian researchers to witness
the formation of the earliest and most distant galaxies and to examine the
details of star and planet formation," said Mrs. Charette. "But ALMA will go far
beyond these main science drivers, and will have a major impact on virtually all
areas of astronomy."

"Canada's researchers have made outstanding contributions to the development of
science and innovation in Canada," said Dr. Rey Pagtakhan, Minister of Veteran
Affairs and Secretary of State (Science, Research and Development). "This
strategic investment in the knowledge-based economy will ultimately improve
Canada's economic performance in the global market."

ALMA represents the merger of a number of major millimeter array projects into
one global project. McMaster University will be working closely with the
project's administrative lead institution: the University of Calgary. This
15-country partnership includes all the leading research institutions in
astronomy for which this is the priority program. It is jointly led by the
National Radio Astronomy Observatory in the United States and the European
Southern Observatory. The project leader for the CFI is Russ Taylor, Professor
of Astronomy at the University of Calgary.

"These strategic, international partnerships will allow Canadian researchers to
be at the cutting-edge of scientific research," said Stephen Owen, Secretary of
State (Western Economic Diversification) (Indian Affairs and Northern
Development). "Through collaboration projects such as the one announced today,
we will without a doubt improve the quality of life for all Canadians."

This announcement is the fifth of nine large-scale international research
projects being funded under the CFI's two International Funds -- the
International Joint Ventures Fund and the International Access Fund. The
International Access Fund, which includes projects such as ALMA, provides access
for Canadian institutions and their best researchers to facilities in other
countries and major international collaborative programs. They will perform
innovative research through unique collaborative research opportunities that
will lead to significant benefits for Canada.

The CFI is an independent corporation established by the Government of Canada in
1997 to strengthen the capacity of Canadian universities, colleges, research
hospitals, and other non-profit research organizations to carry out world-class
research and technology development.

View the related video,
http://www.innovation.ca/video/alma.wmv [17MB]

Download backgrounder,
http://www.innovation.ca/media/26.11...lma/back_e.pdf [115KB]

*****

Media Relations
University of Calgary
Calgary, Alberta

November 26, 2003

Starry-eyed astronomers eager for access to telescope

Canadian astronomers say access to a new radio telescope under construction in
Chile will introduce a Golden Age of astronomy that answers fundamental
questions about the origins and structure of the universe.

The Canada Foundation for Innovation today provided $7.9 million to the
University of Calgary to guarantee Canadian access to the Atacama Large
Millimeter Array, or ALMA, which will be the world's largest submillimeter radio
telescope.

The U of C, on behalf of the Canadian astronomical community, led the drive to
fund Canadian participation in ALMA. The $1 billion radio telescope is being
built on a plain in the Chilean Andes and is supported by the contributions of
14 other nations.

"ALMA will allow us to observe the very earliest phases of the universe,
including the development of the first stars and galaxies," says Dr. Russ
Taylor, the University of Calgary astronomer who led the Canadian bid for ALMA
access. "Essentially, it will allow us to look back to the beginnings of starlight."

ALMA will consist of 64 high precision radio antennas -- each 12 meters in
diameter -- and provide imaging capabilities many times greater than existing
radio telescopes of the same type. At present, the world's largest submillimeter
array has only eight radio antennas. ALMA also offers nearly ideal atmospheric
conditions some 5,000 meters (16,500 feet) above sea level.

About $5 million of today's CFI funding will go directly toward construction
costs; the remainder will support the University of Calgary's development of the
computer software that international scientists will use to interpret the data
retrieved by ALMA. Other Canadian partners, such as the National Research
Council, have also provided funding for Canadian participation.

"We're very happy that the University of Calgary has been playing a major role
in formulating this project," says Dr. Dennis Salahub, the University of
Calgary's vice-president (research and international). "This is a very
interesting project, not only for what it will contribute to astronomy research,
but also for the hard business aspects -- our Canadian companies will now have
the right to compete for contracts in building ALMA."

Construction on the telescope is expected to be complete by 2011, although
scientific data should be available beginning in 2008. "Canadians are leading
the world in astronomy and in order to maintain that place it is vital for us to
be partners in this international collaboration," Taylor says.

For more information, see the CFI news release at www.innovation.ca . The U of
C's Dr. Russ Taylor can be reached at (403) 220-6633, or contact Greg Harris,
Media Relations, (403) 220-3506.

Backgrounders:

* Key contacts for the Atacama Large Millimeter Array
http://www.ucalgary.ca/news/nov03/alma-contacts.html
* ALMA: Imaging light from the cosmic dawn
http://www.ucalgary.ca/news/nov03/alma-background.html