Associated Universities, Inc
About AUI
Associated Universities, Inc., (AUI) is a not-for-profit science management corporation that currently operates the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) under a Cooperative Agreement with the National Science Foundation (NSF) and is the North American executive for the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA), an international astronomy facility under construction in Chile. Corporate headquarters are located in Washington, DC. The President is its Chief Executive Officer.
The National Radio
Astronomy observatory
The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO)
is operated by the Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI) under a
Cooperative Agreement with the National Science Foundation. NRAO
is one of the world's premier research facilities for radio astronomy.
NRAO operates powerful, advanced radio telescopes spanning the western
hemisphere. Scientists from around the world use these instruments
to probe fundamental questions in astronomy and physics.
Visit www.nrao.edu.
Associated Universities, Inc. unites the resources of universities, research organizations and the Federal Government in the planning, construction, and operation of forefront scientific facilities that promote discovery and education while expanding our knowledge of the physical world.
News
March 20, 2008
Increasing Cooperation in Astronomy
This is a time of great promise for astronomy, with major new facilities like EVLA, ALMA and JWST under construction, others like LSST and ATST in advanced stages of design, several concepts for extremely large ground based optical/IR telescopes are well along, and many other projects like SKA and CCAT are the focus of international planning teams and technology development. It is more important than ever to maintain coordination and cooperation across the astronomy community, as astronomy becomes ever more dependent on facilities covering the full frequency spectrum, and as forefront facilities increasingly require funding from multiple sources and multiple countries. It is especially appropriate to coordinate advocacy for astronomy in the face of continuing budget constraints.
Eugene Levy, Chair of the Board of Trustees of Associate Universities, recalls that the United States’ strong federal support for scientific research was propelled in the aftermath of World War II by... More...
Featured Science
April 23, 2008
Radio Telescope Reveals Secrets of Massive Black Hole
At the cores of many galaxies, supermassive black holes expel powerful jets of particles at nearly the speed of light. Just how they perform this feat has long been one of the mysteries of astrophysics. The leading theory says the particles are accelerated by tightly-twisted magnetic fields close to the black hole, but confirming that idea required an elusive close-up view of the jet's inner throat. Now, using the unrivaled resolution of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory's Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), astronomers have watched material winding a corkscrew outward path and behaving exactly as predicted by the theory.
"We have gotten the clearest look yet at the innermost portion of the jet, where the particles actually are accelerated, and everything we see supports the idea that twisted, coiled magnetic fields are propelling the material outward," said Alan Marsche... More...
Technology & innovation
Founded in 1946, AUI has been at the forefront of technology and innovation for over 50 years. Since its inception, AUI has been leading the way in the design, construction, and operation of complex, cutting edge, user-oriented facilities, which carry out basic and applied research. More...