Smal Radio Telescopes for meter and centimeter range

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Smal Radio Telescopes for meter and centimeter
range

• L. Ilchev, B. Deshev, T. Georgiev, I. Parov

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Radio Astronomy in Bulgaria?

• Development of low budgetary instrumentation for
  Radio Astronomy.
• University programs in Radio Astronomy.
• Cooperation with international organizations with
  significant experience in Radio Astronomy and
  participation in European RD projects in this
  area and other interdisciplinary fields.

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Perspective Co-operation

• RadioNet is an Integrated Infrastructure
  Initiative (I3), funded under the European
  Commission's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6),
  that has pulled together all of Europe's leading
  astronomy facilities to produce a focused,
  coherent and integrated project that will
  significantly enhance the quality and quantity of
  science performed by European astronomers.
  RadioNet has 20 partners. They range from
  operators of radio telescope facilities to
  laboratories that specialize in
  micro-electronics, MMIC design and
  superconducting component fabrication.1

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SRT

• Haystack Observatory has developed a small radio
  telescope capable of continuum and spectral line
  observations in the L-band (1.42 GHz). This
  inexpensive radio astronomy kit provides
  everything needed to introduce students and
  amateur astronomers to the field of radio
  astronomy. A radio telescope is an excellent
  teaching tool as it involves the combined
  technologies of microwave engineering and digital
  computing. Its use involves astronomy, digital
  signal processing, software development, and
  analysis. 2

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SRT Photos
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Low Budgetary Telescopes
Antenna, Downconvertor, ADC, Computer
Off-the-shelf
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(No Transcript)
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Solar Radio Flux
(1) 75 Ohm resistor at the input of the
receiver (2) Etalon noise generator (3) Solar
radio flux _at_ 300 MHz
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• FUTURE RD in Radio Astronomy in Bulgaria
• Large diameter antennas and better surface
  accuracy
• Dicke radiometers
• Receivers
• Horns
• Filter banks
• Interferometers
• Correlators
• FFT Spectrometers / for example Acqiris, etc.
• Software / for example Radio Eyes, XS, etc.

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CHALLENGES

• Lack of decent measurement equipment
• Lack of money
• Lack of students specializing in Radio Astronomy
  and RD in this and other interdisciplinary areas.

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References

• 1 http//www.radionet-eu.org/
• 2 http//web.haystack.mit.edu/SRT/