STILES: Strengthening the Italian leadership in ELT and SKA
The programme aims to strengthen Italian leadership in the exploration of the Universe by developing laboratories and instruments for the two largest ground-based telescopes of the coming decades: the European Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) and the Square Kilometer Array (SKA).
NRRP intervention area: Mission 4 – Education and Research
Component: 2 - From research to business
Investment: 3.1 - Fund for the creation of an integrated system of research and innovation infrastructures
Duration: The project will end on 31/06/2025
Total project funding: € 69,999,999
Proposer: National Institute of Astrophysics
New steps towards exploring the universe
The objectives of the STILES project revolve around two of the largest ground-based telescopes of the coming decades, which are still in the planning stage: the European Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) and the Square Kilometer Array (SKA).
The first, planned to be built in Chile, has a primary mirror measuring around 39 metres, while the Square Kilometer Array is a radio telescope under construction in Australia and South Africa that is part of a radio wave detection project.
The objectives of STILES therefore include:
- the direct upgrade of observational capabilities of ELT and SKA ground-based telescopes
- investment in information technology, acquiring hardware and software infrastructure for the development of new tools and their data analysis
- development of laboratories for the study of 'exo-atmospheric' conditions, which will make it possible to study physical states never before observed on Earth
- development of R&D experiments and laboratories to invent and explore new technologies in various fields (adaptive optics, optical detectors and radio receivers) and apply them to astronomy
- development of national infrastructures for instrument verification, capable of providing general services and multi-purpose facilities for the characterisation of instruments and methods; these coordinated facilities will be available to all Italian and international technology groups.
- a unique, coordinated scientific and educational programme of PhDs and a nationwide post-doctoral programme explicitly focused on science with ELT, SKA and their synergies, aimed at promoting the careers of young astronomers
Project structure and participation
Foundation Composition
- Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna
- Università degli Studi di Catania
- Università degli Studi di Milano
- Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II
- Università degli Studi di Palermo
- Università di Roma “La Sapienza”
- Università di Roma Tor Vergata
Areas of action
- Work package 1000: Management
- Work package 3000: Information Technology
- Work package 4000: ExoLabs
- Work package 5000: Laboratories for R&D
- Work package 6000: National Testing Facilities
Project team
University of Bologna team
Scientific coordinator
Prof. Andrea Cimatti
Staff hired with project funds
Researchers
- Gabriele Umbriaco
PhD students
- Luca Rosignoli
- Letizia Scaloni
Departments involved
- Department of Physics and Astronomy "Augusto Righi" – DIFA
The activities carried out by the university research teams in this project concern:
One of the objectives of the project is to keep the various laboratories and observatories throughout the country up to date in terms of technological advancement. Bologna is home to the Observatory of Astrophysics and Space Science, which, thanks to this project, will be supplemented by two more laboratories, dedicated to optical and electronic activities. One of these two laboratories will therefore be coordinated by the University of Bologna, to conduct component and subsystem tests in a controlled environment, with the availability of specific equipment such as an optical bench, laser and oscilloscope.