Millimetre Astronomy Legacy Team 90 GHz Survey (MALT 90)

We request Mopra telescope time to complete MALT90, a new, international project to survey molecular line emission from 3,000 dense cores. MALT90 exploits Mopra's capability for fast mapping and simultaneous imaging of 16 molecular lines near 90 GHz. These molecular lines will probe the cores physical, chemical, and evolutionary state. The target cores are selected from the 870 um ATLASGAL survey to host the early stages of high-mass star formation and to span the complete range of evolutionary states from pre-stellar cores, to protostellar cores, and on to H II regions. Each core will be mapped at excellent angular (40'') and spectral (0.1 km/s) resolution. The survey data will be made available to the public via the internet. We require 875 hours per year for the next 4 winter seasons to complete the project, and request pre-graded (continuing) status. MALT90 will provide a key legacy database for the star-formation community and supply the definitive source list of high-mass dense cores for ALMA.