IRAM for astronomers

Science users

April 26, 2013
Galaxy Goes Green in Burning Stellar Fuel
Astronomers have spotted the most efficient maker of stars yet, a galaxy undergoing a rare phase of evolution.

April 24, 2013
Summer 2013 PC Ratings
The IRAM program committee convened in Grenoble on April 10 and 11 to evaluate the proposals submitted for the summer 2013 scheduling period. The discussions were organized in 2 panels which were chaired by Henrik Beuther (MPIA Heidelberg) and Eckhard Sturm (MPE Garching). As usual, the proposals were classified A (accepted), B (backup), and C (rejected).

April 17, 2013
Early star factory challenges galaxy evolution theory
Herschel has discovered a galaxy in the early universe making stars more than 2000 times faster than our own Milky Way. Located 28 billion light years from Earth, it is observed at a time when the Universe was less than a billion years old. Its mere existence challenges galaxy evolution theories.

April 5, 2013
IRAM new Director
As of 1st of April 2013, the new director of IRAM, Karl-Friedrich Schuster, and the new IRAM deputy director Frédéric Gueth have started their duties.

February 8, 2013
Call for Proposals, Summer 2013
Covering the period from June 2013 to November 2013, this year’s first proposal deadline for IRAM facilities will be on Thursday March 14, 2013 at 17:00 (UT + 1 hour). As usual, the submission facility will be opened about three weeks before the deadline.

January 29, 2013
Formamide, a key molecule in the life appearance, detected in the neighborhood of a sun-like forming star
A French team of scientists from the Institute of Planetology and of Astrophysics in Grenoble (IPAG, Joseph Fourier University / CNRS) and from the Research Institute in Astrophysics and Planetology (IRAP, University of Toulouse / CNRS) has just announced the presence of formamide in the gas surrounding IRAS 16293-2422, a sun-like forming star in the Rho Ophiuchi nebula. This discovery, published on January 16th, 2013 in the Astrophysical Journal Letter (ApJ 763, L38), could represent an important step in our understanding of the origin of life on Earth.

November 29, 2012
ALMA welcomes Pierre Cox as new Director
IRAM Director Pierre Cox has been appointed as the new Director of ALMA, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array based in the Chile. He will take up his duties as ALMA Director on April 01, 2013.

November 23, 2012
The discovery of a new interstellar molecule confirms the existence of a petroleum refinery in our galaxy
An international team of scientists has just detected a new interstellar molecule in our galaxy. This molecule, called the propynylidyne ion (C3H+), is part of the hydrocarbon family, which composes one of the major energy sources on Earth, petroleum and natural gas. The discovery of this molecule at the heart of the famous Horsehead Nebula in the Constellation of Orion confirms that this nebula is an active petroleum refinery for the interstellar medium.

November 14, 2012
Winter 2012/2013 PC ratings are online
The IRAM program committee convened in Grenoble on October 25 and 26 to evaluate the proposals submitted for the winter 2012/2013 scheduling period. The discussions were organized in 2 panels which were chaired by Henrik Beuther (MPIA Heidelberg) and Eckhard Sturm (MPE Garching). As usual, the proposals were classified A (accepted), B (backup), and C (rejected).

November 8, 2012
IRAM 7th 30m Summer School 2013 - News
The 7th IRAM 30m Summer School will be held on September 20-27, 2013 in Pradollano (Spain). The Summer School will combine lectures on millimeter astronomy with hands-on experience with the IRAM 30m telescope. Participants will form small work groups to observe a diverse set of objects of the local universe, ranging from distant galaxies...

October 9, 2012
First announcement: 7th IRAM 30m Summer School
The 7th IRAM 30m Summer School will be held on September 20-27, 2013 in Pradollano (Spain). The school is aimed at attracting new astrophysicists to current and future single-dish mm-, submm-, and far-infrared telescopes. More information will follow soon!

September 28, 2012
A la recherche des molécules complexes et prébiotiques dans les systèmes planétaires en formation
Une équipe internationale vient d’observer pour la première fois la molécule de cyanoacetylène (HC3N) dans des disques protoplanétaires. C’est dans ces disques de gaz et de poussières entourant des jeunes étoiles que les planètes naissent. HC3N est non seulement la molécule la plus complexe détectée à ce jour dans un disque protoplanétaire, mais elle est surtout l’un des précurseurs des molécules organiques complexes, nécessaire à l'apparition de la vie.

September 10, 2012
8th IRAM Interferometry School - Participants list and scientific program now online!
The participants list and the scientific program are now online! The 8th IRAM millimeter interferometry school will be held October 15th-19th 2012 at the IRAM headquarters (Grenoble, France). It is intended for students, post-docs and scientists who want to acquire a good knowledge of interferometry and data reduction techniques at millimeter wavelengths.

July 31, 2012
Call for Proposals winter semester 2012/2013
Covering the period from December 2012 to May 2013, this year’s second proposal deadline for IRAM facilities will be on Thursday September 13, 2012. As usual, the submission facility will be opened about three weeks before the deadline.

July 5, 2012
Les premiers pas d'une micro-étoile
Une équipe internationale vient de découvrir la toute première étape de la formation d'une naine brune. Plusieurs centaines de ces naines brunes sont aujourd'hui connues mais jusqu'ici jamais il n'avait été possible d'observer le début de la formation de ces micro-étoiles. Grâce à l'interféromètre du Plateau de Bure, les scientifiques ont pu localiser une condensation de gaz et de poussières dont la température est à peine 10 degrés au-dessus du zéro absolu et la masse seulement 2% de celle du Soleil...

June 14, 2012
Mystery of galaxy HDF850.1 finally resolved
Astronomers pinpoint elusive galaxy in the young universe after decade-long hunt – and find it's not alone! An international team of astronomers has managed for the first time to determine the distance of the galaxy HDF850.1, well-known among astronomers as being one of the most productive star-forming galaxies in the observable universe.

May 8, 2012
Summer 2012 PC ratings are now online!
The IRAM program committee convened in Granada on April 24 and 25 to evaluate the proposals submitted for the summer 2012 scheduling period. The discussions were organized in 2 panels which were chaired by Henrik Beuther (MPIA Heidelberg) and Eckhard Sturm (MPE Garching). As usual, the proposals were classified A (accepted), B (backup), and C (rejected).