The potential use of the 20-meter radio telescope planned at the Timau National Observatory

Abstract

"The importance of radio telescopes for astronomy, geodesy, and other disciplines has been demonstrated by the growing number of radio telescopes worldwide, including in South-East Asia. Timau National Observatory has also considered a radiotelescope development program, which is expected to contribute both on a national and global scale. The diameter for the single dish is planned to be around 20-meter with a frequency range of 1-50 GHz. This paper outlines potential research for the planned radio telescope as a single dish as well as a part of future interferometer/VLBI collaboration. We collected several studies conducted with single antenna with a diameter of around 20-meter as a comparison to study its potential use as a single dish. As it is also essential to consider using an interferometer network, we also examined its capability as a part of VLBI, including the UV coverage and object simulation. Finally, it can be concluded that many studies can be conducted using the 20-m radio telescope as a single dish. Its location slightly below the equator can also play an important role in completing the global VLBI network."