Extending the SKA Across Africa: The Case for a Continental African VLBI Network

Abstract

The African continent holds the key to unlocking the full potential of global Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI). Strategic placement of radio telescopes across Africa provides the crucial north-south and intermediate baselines that are currently missing from the global VLBI network. This expansion will dramatically enhance imaging fidelity and resolution. In this chapter, we propose a vision for a continental African VLBI Network (AVN) that will operate in close synergy with SKA-Mid, enabling transformational science across all cosmic scales. While only the Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO) in South Africa and the Ghana Radio Astronomy Observatory (GRAO) are currently operational, several partner countries are in the process of refurbishing or converting existing antennas. Here, we advocate for the expansion of this network through the deployment of a limited number of SKA-Mid-type telescopes across the continent, creating an "African arm" of SKA-VLBI. With a maximum baseline of ~ 9000 km (from Rabat, Morocco to Cassis, Mauritius), the proposed continental facility will surpass for example, the resolution that will be achieved by the next generation Very Large Array (ngVLA) by ~ 10 % at similar observing frequencies and significantly enhance global VLBI coverage. Beyond the scientific and technical gains, the AVN represents a unique opportunity for sustainable growth in human capital, education, and innovation across Africa. Developing and operating a continental VLBI array will train the next generation of engineers, data scientists, and astronomers, stimulate local industry, and inspire public engagement in science and technology. We outline the current status, challenges, and potential roadmap towards realizing this vision, and we highlight how a continental African VLBI network will position Africa at the forefront of global radio astronomy.