JIV-ERIC
Joint Institute for Very Long Baseline Interferometry European Research Infrastructure Consortium
The Joint Institute for VLBI ERIC (JIV-ERIC) is a research infrastructure that provides central support to the European VLBI Network (EVN). Its mission is to promote and implement the use of Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) and other radio astronomical techniques. JIV-ERIC provides the core data processing and user services that transform the distributed EVN telescopes—located across Europe, South Africa, China, and South Korea—into a single, high-resolution observatory for studying the radio sky at the highest possible angular resolution. JIVE was founded in 1993 and has been a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC) since December 2014. JIV-ERIC is hosted in the Netherlands at ASTRON, the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy.
Infrastructure and User Services
JIV-ERIC supports the European VLBI Network by providing state-of-the-art equipment, facilities, and services. The infrastructure includes the JIV-ERIC Software Correlator (SFXC) for advanced science and real-time VLBI capabilities, VLBI scheduling software, and various VLBI tools. It features software for high-speed data recording and transfer, storage servers, computer clusters, and data transfer servers. Additionally, JIV-ERIC has maintained an extensive archive of EVN data since 1998.
JIV-ERIC ensures comprehensive support for EVN users throughout the VLBI process, from experiment design and proposal writing to execution, correlation, data analysis, and archival. Moreover, JIV-ERIC actively supports EVN institutions by developing new observing modes, ensuring quality control, calibration, and diagnosing faults, thus enhancing network operations and scientific capabilities. JIV-ERIC also conducts test observations to help new telescopes aiming to join the EVN, as well as to validate new equipment at the telescopes. JIV-ERIC plays also a leading role in advancing near-VLBI techniques.
The EVN issues calls for proposals that are open to all astronomers (Open-Sky policy). JIV-ERIC processes the EVN data and provides expert user support during each step of the process, from the first idea to a successful observation and science-ready data products. JIVE maintains an open and searchable online archive of EVN data that have passed their 12-month proprietary period.
Examples/description of the type of research
JIV-ERIC facilitates cutting-edge research in the field of radio astronomy, leveraging the VLBI technique. JIV-ERIC supports the European VLBI Network (EVN), enabling high-resolution studies of the radio sky by combining data from distributed telescopes worldwide. The research facilitated by JIV-ERIC spans a wide range of topics, including galactic and extragalactic radio astronomy, as well as planetary science. JIV-ERIC also fosters innovation in VLBI-related technologies, such as advanced data processing and applications in radio astronomy.
Real-time VLBI correlation developed at JIV-ERIC has enabled a wealth of cutting-edge investigations of transient phenomena. By providing state-of-the-art correlation facilities, user tools, and direct support throughout the research process, JIV-ERIC enables scientists to conduct impactful studies. Additionally, JIV-ERIC contributes to global collaborations and capacity building, ensuring the continued advancement of VLBI science and techniques.
How to access the infrastructure?
The EVN is a proposal-driven, open-skies astronomical infrastructure. JIV-ERIC processes projects that have been approved and observed by the EVN. While support is primarily provided as a direct result of EVN observations, JIV-ERIC also assists the broader scientific community in conducting VLBI science, helping to lower the entry barrier for inexperienced users. This support can be offered either in person or remotely. The EVN archive, maintained by JIV-ERIC, is remotely accessible and becomes fully public once a project’s proprietary period has expired.