A High Time Resolution All-Sky Monitor for Fast Radio Bursts and Technosignatures
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Despite hundreds of Fast Radio Burst (FRB) detections at frequencies above 400 MHz, only a handful of FRBs have been observed at lower frequencies, hence the FRB rates at frequencies below 350 MHz remain highly uncertain. This paper describes our efforts to increase the observing bandwidth (to ∼40 MHz) and imaging time resolution (to ∼10 ms) of the Engineering Development Array 2 (EDA2), a prototype station of the low-frequency Square Kilometre Array (SKA-Low), which will increase its sensitivity to short, FRB-like, radio pulses by two orders of magnitude and convert it into a high-time resolution all-sky monitor for FRBs and signals from extraterrestrial intelligence (techno-signatures). Based on highly uncertain FRB rates at these frequencies and sensitivity of SKA-Low stations, we expect to detect up to hundreds of FRBs per year and firmly establish the FRB rates in this relatively under-explored parameter space.Keywords:
Fast radio burst
Radio Astronomy
Ranging
Low resolution
The study of celestial objects through radio astronomy has enhanced our understanding of a gamut of astronomical phenomena that are often invisible or faintly observable in other portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. A number of new sources of radio emission have been identified that include radio galaxies, quasars, pulsars, masers etc. Radio astronomy uses either single telescope or a number of telescopes that are linked together and utilizes the techniques of radio interferometry. Typically, the signals encountered in radio astronomy have very low signal-noise ratio, and hence radio telescopes usually tend to be very sensitive and large. As a result, they also have high angular resolution. The mechanical constraints of building even larger telescopes led to the use of radio interferometer to achieve higher resolution that can be achieved through a single telescope. Radio astronomy receivers use cryogenically cooled low-noise amplifiers and low-loss components in the RF path. High gain, low spillover, low crosspolarization, low far-out sidelobes, etc. are important features of a radio telescope.
Radio Astronomy
Very-long-baseline interferometry
Galactic astronomy
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Equations are derived for the number of sources which a radio telescope can detect and the number which it can resolve. Based on these relations curves for the number of sources which can be both detected and resolved, as a function of frequency and aperture, are presented. The need for large apertures in order that radio astronomy deal with significant numbers of sources is evident. It is also pointed out that there is a most economical frequency for radio astronomy in the vicinity of 300 mc. A design for a radio telescope which provides a large aperture at low cost is described. It consists of a fixed standing parabolic reflector with a tiltable flat-sheet reflector. The advantages of the design are pointed out and the results with a scale model are described.
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Aperture (computer memory)
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Radio Astronomy
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Directivity
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Very-long-baseline interferometry
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Various methods of radio frequency interference (RFI) mitigation methods at radio astronomy telescopes are being considered. Special attention is given to real-time processing algorithms. Computer simulations and observational results are used to describe the applicability of these methods. Best results can be achieved when the RFI mitigation procedures are adapted to the particular radio telescope, the type of observations, and the peculiarities of the RFI environment. A combination of different linear and non-linear methods in the temporal and frequency domains, with and without the use of reference antennas, may give considerable suppression of strong RFI.
Radio Astronomy
Observational astronomy
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A recent development in radio astronomy is to replace traditional dishes with many small antennas. The signals are combined to form one large, virtual telescope. The enormous data streams are cross-correlated to filter out noise. This is especially challenging, since the computational demands grow quadratically with the number of data streams. Moreover, the correlator is not only computationally intensive, but also very I/O intensive. The LOFAR telescope, for instance, will produce over 100 terabytes per day. The future SKA telescope will even require in the order of exaflops, and petabits/s of I/O. A recent trend is to correlate in software instead of dedicated hardware. This is done to increase flexibility and to reduce development efforts. Examples include e-VLBI and LOFAR.
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This paper serves as an introduction to the contributions in this Special Issue on ldquoAdvances in Radio Telescopes.rdquo After a very short historical view of the emergence of Radio Astronomy, we refer to earlier IEEE special issues on this subject and mention recent instruments in the domain of millimeter wavelength radio telescopes, developments in very long baseline interferometry and the planned Square Kilometre Array (SKA). After a short discussion of site selection aspects for the new telescopes we conclude with a summary of the major astronomical and astrophysical problems which will be studied by the new instruments described in the following papers.
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Very-long-baseline interferometry
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Methods of radio frequency interference suppression in radio astronomy are considered. Estimations of signal-to-noise ratio for temporal and frequency methods of RFI rejection are made. Implementation of these methods in real-time digital signal processing could be an effective mean for supporting radio astronomy observations in worsening radio ecology environment. Radio telescope RATAN-600 experience shows the advantages of such a processing.
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This work considers a combined structural-electromagnetic analysis of large dish reflector antennas typically used in radio astronomy. The effect of gravitational deformation on the radio telescope is quantified by a structural analysis conducted with a finite element solver. The deformed geometry is then analysed using a computational electromagnetic package from which the performance degradation can be assessed. This offers key insights into the operation of the radio telescope under the influence of external forces, such as gravity.
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