Optimization of Positioning of Interferometric Array Antennas Using Division Algorithm for Radio Astronomy Applications

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) ushers in the new generation of large radio telescopes that will work at wavelengths between meters and centimeters. In order to competitively design interferometric antenna arrays such as SKA, it is crucial to focus on the optimization of system performance. In this paper, we contribute to the solution by introducing a new optimization algorithm called Division Algorithm (DA). This algorithm finds the optimal positions of antennas to simultaneously maximize u–v coverage and decrease sidelobe level (SLL). The DA is able to optimize the configuration of the interferometric array in both snapshot and Earth rotation synthesis observations. To demonstrate its efficiency, the DA is applied to configure an optimum 30-element array for the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope. The proposed algorithm is able to improve the overlapped samples parameter by about 4% and the unsampled cells parameter by about 12%, at snapshot observation, compared to the Genetic Algorithm (GA). DA is able to improve these two parameters for a 6-hr tracking observation as well. Finally, the proposed algorithm is compared with the GA for different source declination. Results show that the DA is able to decrease the SLL better than the GA.