Taiwan Astronomical Research Alliance

The Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA)

The Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA) is the largest ground-based astronomical observatory ever built. Located in the Chajnantor region of the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, ALMA is a collaborative project between ESO (representing its member states), NSF (USA), and NINS (Japan), along with NRC (Canada), NSTC and ASIAA (Taiwan), and KASI (Republic of Korea), in cooperation with the Republic of Chile. The Joint ALMA Observatory is operated by ESO, AUI/NRAO, and NAOJ.

ALMA is designed to observe wavelengths ranging from 0.3 to 9 mm, achieving an angular resolution as fine as 0.004". This remarkable capability is made possible by a main array of fifty 12-meter telescopes, a compact array of twelve 7-meter telescopes (ACA), and four 12-meter telescopes for total power observations (TP). The combination of an exceptional observing site and ALMA’s unparalleled sensitivity, angular resolution, and spectral resolution has already yielded groundbreaking scientific discoveries across various fields of astronomy.

ALMA Telescopes

Image credit: Wei-Hao Wang

By 2024, ALMA has contributed to over 4,000 peer-reviewed publications, with nearly 500 papers published in that year alone, showcasing its profound impact on the astronomy community. Among these, 147 (~4%) were led by researchers in Taiwan, highlighting Taiwan's contributions to this global scientific endeavor. In addition, the scientific contributions from the Taiwan community have evolved from being predominantly driven by the Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica (ASIAA), to now including significant contributions from various universities across Taiwan. This shift highlights the broadening of Taiwan's participation and impact in ALMA-related research.

ALMA Telescopes