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DoctorLucia McCallum

Senior Lecturer in Geodetic VLBI

Physics

Orcid identifier0000-0002-7563-9488 (opens in a new tab)⁠
  • Senior Lecturer in Geodetic VLBI
    Physics
  • +61 3 6226 2446 (Work)
  • School of Natural Sciences, Physics, 464 School of Natural Sciences, Sandy Bay Campus, TAS

RESEARCH SUMMARy

The goals of the VLBI group at UTAS are to guarantee best possible performance of our telescopes in global observations and to develop new methods to implement the next generation VLBI global observing system (VGOS). VGOS will be able to measure global distances to the level of a few millimetres, a necessity for important scientific and societal questions in geosciences, as for example the prediction of sea level rise of a few mm per year.


Some of the specific areas that Dr McCallum has published in are:
VLBI scheduling, source structure, VLBI satellite tracking and space ties. She also has several publications about the Australian geodetic VLBI observations, concentrating on observing programs, new observing techniques and results.


Current projects:
Achieving millimetre geodesy with space tie satellites - ARC DECRA (2018-2025)

AuScope VLBI project: Research collaboration with Geoscience Australia as part of the Positioning Australia Project. Managing operations of the Australian contribution to the global geodetic VLBI observations.

Past projects
'Sibling Radio Telescopes for Geodesy (2015-2017) – Optimising the use of co-located VLBI telescopes in the southern hemisphere' - Schrödinger Fellowship of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF). www.fwf.ac.at

FUNDED PROJECTS

  • CONSULTANCY/CONTRACT RESEARCH
    VLBI spectrum protection work
    16 Feb 2026 - 16 Jun 2026
    People funded by this grant:
    • McCallum L,
    • Schunck D
    Project Total: $25,000; contract research over 6 months, equiv some weeks of post-doc work. Supporting the AuScope VLBI project. Funded by: Geoscience Australia ($25,000); University of Tasmania.
  • CONSULTANCY/CONTRACT RESEARCH
    VLBI Communication and value proposition
    Geoscience Australia1 Jun 2025 - 30 Jun 2025
    People funded by this grant:
    • McCallum L
    Project Total: $27,500; Geoscience Australia is seeking contract research to create VLBI communication pieces supporting the value proposition of VLBI. Funded by: Geoscience Australia ($25,000); University of Tasmania.
  • CONSULTANCY/CONTRACT RESEARCH
    AuScope Very Long Baseline Interferometry Research Collaboration
    1 Jan 2023 - 30 Jun 2028
    People funded by this grant:
    • McCallum J,
    • McCallum L,
    • Hankey W
    Project Total: $4,730,000; This project funds the operation of the AuScope geodetic very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) array, as part of a global network. VLBI is a key-technique to measure the terrestrial and celestial reference frames as well as the Earths orientation in space, as defined in the United Nations Global Geodetic Reference Frame (GGRF) initiative. Using four of UTAS radio telescopes, located in Hobart, Katherine and Yarragadee this project manages Australias contribution to the International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry (IVS). Funded by: Geoscience Australia ($4,730,000); University of Tasmania.
  • CONSULTANCY/CONTRACT RESEARCH
    Signal power calibration for GNSS satellites
    FrontierSI1 Jan 2021 - 31 Dec 2021
    People funded by this grant:
    • McCallum L,
    • Molera Calves G,
    • McCarthy T
    Project Total: $38,900; measuring the transmitted power from various satellites of the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) using UTAS radio telescopes. GNSS systems such as the GPS, Galileo or Beidou use different generations of satellites and the transmitted power is variable and not exactly known, causing unpredictable orbit errors. This project aims to measure and calibrate this effect, and hence assist to improve the accuracy of the GNSS systems. The project is a neat combination between original and exciting basic research and actual application in measuring and providing real values for each satellite. The work perfectly fits the research profiles of the included staff. It is basically one application that I was hoping for when writing my DECRA. Funded by: FrontierSI ($38,900); University of Tasmania.
  • CONSULTANCY/CONTRACT RESEARCH
    Very Long Baseline Interferometry Research Collaboration
    Geoscience Australia15 Dec 2018 - 31 Dec 2023
    People funded by this grant:
    • McCallum J,
    • McCallum L,
    • Ellingsen S,
    • Zhou B
    Project Total: $4,760,000; This project will support the operation of the AuScope geodetic very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) array, as part of a global network. The 4 radio telescopes of the array are all owned by UTAS, located in Hobart, Katherine and Yarragadee. VLBI operations are highly specialised and need constant research and troubleshooting from skilled scientist. Having reliable and accurate observations as their main aim, Geoscience Australia funds this project including dedicated research towards improved operations and better results. This project is also the basis for maintaining our unique telescope facilities across the continent. Funded by: Geoscience Australia ($4,760,000); University of Tasmania.
  • GRANT
    Achieving millimetre geodesy with space tie satellites
    1 Jun 2018 - 7 Dec 2025
    People funded by this grant:
    • McCallum L
    Project Total: $386,500; Understanding Earth's changing shape requires measurements with a stability of 0.1 mm per year. Today geodetic Earth observations are used to realise reference points with a precision of five to ten times larger. This project aims to implement the completely new concept of observing artificial satellites with radio telescopes, realising a so-called space tie. Using the unique Australian ground infrastructure, current observational and operational problems shall be overcome. The intended outcome is to improve the coordinate system of the Earth, which is the basis for a better understanding of our planet Earth serving to fulfil scientific as well as societal demands. Funded by: Australian Research Council - Fellowship-Discovery Early Career Researcher Award ($386,500); University of Tasmania ($45,000).
  • NON-UTAS AFFILIATED
    Sibling Radio Telescopes for Geodesy
    Austrian Science Fund (FWF)1 Jan 2015 - 31 Dec 2017
    People funded by this grant:
    • McCallum L
    Project Total: $250,000; Funded by: Austrian Science Fund (FWF)