The Digital Research Alliance of Canada (the Alliance) has signed a $34.7M contribution agreement with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) to deliver critical astronomy research infrastructure through the expansion (Ex) of the Canadian Advanced Network for Astronomy Research (CANFAR). By leveraging our strong relationships with regional partners and technical expertise, the Alliance is favourably situated in the Canadian DRI ecosystem for facilitating this expansion.
From 2024 through 2031, the NRC and the Alliance will work together with hosting sites across Canada to elevate domestic and international astronomy research, with specific attention on enabling Canada’s participation in the SKA Observatory (SKAO) and facilitating the establishment of a Canadian SKA Regional Centre (SRC).
“Being a part of SKAO is an incredible opportunity for Canada and researchers in Canada. Our commitment to facilitating the establishment of the Canadian SRC is not only perfectly aligned with the purpose of the Alliance, but also a privilege to work directly on this project with our NRC and Arbutus colleagues." - CJ Woodford, Project Manager on ExCANFAR, Digital Research Alliance of Canada
Read our news release.
Enabling research with SKAO
The SKA project is a long-term, international initiative to build and operate the largest radio telescopes in the world. The SKAO will consist of two complementary arrays of radio telescopes located in South Africa and Australia. Both arrays will use interferometry to provide unprecedent detail about the universe, enabling research into previously inaccessible areas such as the inner workings of galaxies and extreme environments around black holes. Construction of both SKA-Mid in South Africa and SKA-Low in Australia are underway, with first images and fringes already reported. Read more about the SKAO telescopes.
Canada has been involved with the SKA project for over 20 years, being one of the six founding nations of the initial SKA consortium. Researchers in Canada have played a crucial role in the design of the SKAO telescopes and in the development of key technologies for the pan-national array. Canada announced the intention to proceed with a membership in the SKAO in January 2023, and announced its membership in June 3rd, 2024. Read more about Canada’s involvement with SKAO.
Why SKA Regional Centres?
The volume and rate of data generated by the SKA project will be enormous. While raw data processing will occur onsite in South Africa and Australia, the scientific data processing needs will exceed the storage, computing, and user support capabilities of any single nation. The solution is a federated network of SKA Regional Centres (SRCs), hosted by SKAO member nations. Canada is committed to creating and hosting an SRC, which will manage approximately 6% of the global SKA science processing needs and serve as a gateway to the larger SRC network. Read more about SRCs and the Canadian SRC positioning paper.
Building Canada’s SRC
The NRC’s Canadian Astronomy Data Centre (CADC) will be home to the SRC in Canada via the Canadian Advanced Network for Astronomy Research (CANFAR). Major infrastructure upgrades are necessary, and through the contribution agreement with the NRC, the Alliance will support the expansion of CANFAR to create an SRC and enhance overall astronomy research capacity in Canada. This multi-year initiative with the NRC and CANFAR hosting sites is called “Expanding CANFAR,” or “ExCANFAR.”
Canada is in a uniquely advantageous position to develop and deploy an SRC, thanks to over 10 years of partnership and close collaboration among the NRC and Alliance technical teams, alongside ongoing cooperation with our partners at CANARIE and regional network providers.
Current status
The first hosting site for the expansion of CANFAR to create a Canadian SRC is the Arbutus system at the University of Victoria. Currently, the NRC, the Alliance, and the Arbutus team at the University of Victoria are working together to establish essential processes and mobilize the initial deployments of computing, storage, and networking equipment ahead of the SRCNet V0.1 operational tests.
Stay in the know
There’s more to achieving SKA than the SRCNet, and many individuals across Canadian federal organizations and research institutions are working together to make it all happen. Check out the high-level overview of Canada’s involvement with SKAO on the NRC website.