Introduction

Under the National Research Foundation (NRF, 한국연구재단) G-Hub Program ("Overseas Excellent Research Institution Cooperation Hub"; 해외우수연구기관 협력허브 구축사업, 2025–2030), KAIST and the CSIRO Australia Telescope National Facility (ATNF) have established the KAIST–ATNF Joint Research Centre for Low-Frequency VLBI ("KAIST-ATNF 저주파 초장기선간섭계 공동연구센터").

The centre's primary objective is to develop and deploy a low-frequency very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) station in Korea, enabling VLBI at meter wavelengths. In the long term, this initiative aims to position Korea as a key partner in SKA-Low VLBI science, engineering, and global operations.

This effort builds upon the Low-frequency Australian Megametre Baseline Demonstrator Array (LAMBDA) project, a major ATNF-led initiative designed to extend the capabilities of SKA-Low, which is currently under construction in Western Australia. LAMBDA serves as a pathfinder for establishing SKA-Low as a VLBI-ready instrument within global interferometric networks.

• PI: Junhan Kim (KAIST)

• Foreign PI: Tessa Vernstrom (CSIRO/University of Western Australia)

• Co-Is: Bong Won Sohn (KASI), Kyungjin Ahn (Chosun University), Se-Heon Oh & Jeff Hodgson (Sejong University)

News

• 2026/06 - Junhan Kim and Jiwon Jang visited CSIRO Narrabri, where the first LAMBDA station has been installed and is now in operation. During the visit, Jiwon also attended the ATNF Radio School 2026 at CSIRO Narrabri as part of ongoing training and research exchange activities. They also visited CSIRO Marsfield to work with collaborators on preparations for the first LAMBDA station installation in Korea.

• 2026/02 - Junhan Kim, Eunchan Lee, and Jiwon Jang visited KASI for the inaugural KASI–KAIST SKA-VLBI Meeting with Bong Won Sohn's group, including Min-Ji Kim and Sieun Go, to strengthen collaboration toward the SKA-VLBI initiative within the KAIST–ATNF G-HUB Program.

• 2026/02 - The KAIST–ATNF Joint Research Center for Low-Frequency VLBI, together with the Korea-Australia partnership within the LAMBDA project, was introduced during the Asian-Pacific SKA Science Meeting 2026 through Tessa Vernstrom’s presentation, "Demonstrating Low-Frequency VLBI in the Southern Hemisphere for SKA-Low".

• 2025/11 - Junhan Kim, Bong Won Sohn, Jeff Hodgson, Cormac Reynolds, and Chris Phillips held a discussion during the 16th East Asian VLBI Workshop 2025 (EAVW 2025).

• 2025/10 - Junhan Kim visited the CSIRO Radiophysics Laboratory (Marsfield) to review the current status of the LAMBDA project and to define immediate engineering goals.

• 2025/09 - The KAIST-ATNF Joint Research Center for Low-frequency VLBI (KAIST-ATNF 저주파 초장기선간섭계 공동연구센터) has been established under the KAIST College of Natural Sciences.

• 2025/07 - The project was officially approved and awarded funding through the NRF G-Hub Program.