Abstract

Invited Talk - Splinter SKA   (MW-1050)

The MPIfR-MeerKAT Galactic Plane Survey: unprecedented insight into the ISM

Aritra Basu (on behalf of the MMGPS team)
Deutsches Zentrum für Astrophysik

The MPIfR-MeerKAT Galactic Plane Survey (MMGPS) is a unique 3000-hr survey of the inner Galactic plane in the fourth quadrant being performed with the MeerKAT radio telescope. MMGPS is unique in the sense that it simultaneously records high time-resolution beamforming data, thanks to the additional backends developed for MeerKAT by the MPIfR, along with high spectral-resolution radio continuum data covering 0.58 to 2.8 GHz. This commensal observation mode allows us to search for pulsars, perform broadband spectropolarimetry and study spectral lines. In this talk I will discuss the status of MMGPS, and some of the early results. The incredible sensitivity of MeerKAT, and the versatility of MMGPS, is providing an unprecedented view of the Galactic magneto-ionic medium, massive starformation and supernova remnants that shed meaningful insight into the Galactic baryonic cycle.