Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “RADIO ASTRONOMY”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 199 records · Page 11

Acousto-optic spectrometer for radio astronomy

A prototype acousto-optic spectrometer which uses a discrete bulk acoustic wave Itek Bragg cell, 5 mW Helium Neon laser, and a 1024 element Reticon charge coupled photodiode array is described. The analog signals from the photodiode array are digitized, added, and stored in a very high speed custom built multiplexer board which allows synchronous detection of weak signals to be performed. The experiment is controlled and the data are displayed and stored with an LSI-2 microcomputer system with dual floppy discs. The performance of the prototype acousto-optic spectrometer obtained from initial tests is reported.

Chin, G.↗

Radio astronomy

A K-band reflected-wave ruby maser was used on the 64-meter (DSS-43) antenna at the Tidbinbilla Tracking Station, near Canberra, Australia. Spectral line observations were carried out near 22 GHz for water vapor sources and near 24 GHz for ammonia sources. The water vapor observations were made in the direction of known southern OH and H2O maser sources. All of the previously detected water line sources examined were detected. In addition, two new water vapor maser sources were discovered, G301.1+1.1and G308.9+0.1. The spectrum of G301.0+1.1 is presented six ammonia sources were found: G291.3-0.7, G305.4+0.2, G322.2+0.6, G327.3-0.5, G333.6-0.2, and G268.4-0.8. Spectra of two of these sources, G291.3-0.7 (RCW 57) and G305.4+0.2, are presented. Both show clearly the presence of the quadrupole splitting satellite lines that will allow the determination of NH3 optical depths in these clouds.

Shaffer, R. D.↗

Bulk and integrated acousto-optic spectrometers for radio astronomy

The development of sensitive heterodyne receivers (front end) in the centimeter and millimeter range, and the construction of sensitive RF spectrometers (back end) enable the spectral lines of interstellar molecules to be detected and identified. A technique was developed which combines acoustic bending of a collimated coherent light beam by a Bragg cell followed by detection by a sensitive array of photodetectors (thus forming an RF acousto-optic spectrometer (AOS). An AOS has wide bandwidth, large number of channels, and high resolution, and is compact, lightweight, and energy efficient. The thrust of receiver development is towards high frequency heterodyne systems, particularly in the millimeter, submillimeter, far infrared, and 10 micron spectral ranges.

Chin, G.↗

Radio astronomy

Use of the Tidbinbilla Interferometer to refine the source positions in the Parkes 2.7 GHz survey of the southern sky is described. A result of the first phase of this work was the identification of a quasi-stellar object which appears to be the most remote object yet observed. This object has a red shift of 3.78 (PKS 2000-330, and a velocity of recession equal to 91% of that light. Based on Hubble's law, PKS 2000-330 appears to be 12 billion light years away.

Shaffer, R. D.↗

A scientific program for infrared, submillimeter and radio astronomy from space: A report by the Management Operations Working Group

Important and fundamental scientific progress can be attained through space observations in the wavelengths longward of 1 micron. The formation of galaxies, stars, and planets, the origin of quasars and the nature of active galactic nuclei, the large scale structure of the Universe, and the problem of the missing mass, are among the major scientific issues that can be addressed by these observations. Significant advances in many areas of astrophysics can be made over the next 20 years by implementing the outlined program. This program combines large observatories with smaller projects to create an overall scheme that emphasized complementarity and synergy, advanced technology, community support and development, and the training of the next generation of scientists. Key aspects of the program include: the Space Infrared Telescope Facility; the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy; a robust program of small missions; and the creation of the technology base for future major observatories.

Source record↗

A 492 GHz cooled Schottky receiver for radio-astronomy

We developed a 492 GHz cooled GaAs Schottky receiver driven by a solid state local oscillator with a DSB noise temperature of 550 K measured at the telescope. The receiver-bandwidth is approx. equal to 1.0 GHz. Quasi-optical mirrors focus the sky and local oscillator radiation into the mixer. Stability analysis via the Allan variance method shows that the total system including a 1 GHz bandwidth acousto-optical spectrometer built in Cologne allows integration times up to 100 sec per half switching cycle. We successfully used the receiver at the KOSMA 3 m telescope on Gornergrat (3150m) located in the central Swiss Alps near Zermatt during January-February 1992 for observations of the 492 GHz, (CI) (3)P1 to (3)P0 fine structure line in several galactic sources. These observations confirm that Gornergrat is an excellent winter submillimeter site in accordance with previous predictions based on the atmospheric opacity from KOSMA 345 GHz measurements.

Hernichel, J.↗

Concept for a lunar array for very low frequency radio astronomy

We discuss the design considerations relevant to a very low frequency array, to be deployed on the lunar near side during an early expedition. Such an array would operate in the frequency range 1-10 MHz, and would consist nominally of 20 antennas distributed over a region approximately 40 km in extent. Each antenna station would consist of a crossed-dipole antenna, together with a receiver, digitizer, solar cells, and batteries. In addition, the station will contain a UHF transmitter for relaying the digitized signal to a central station where it will be transmitted to Earth for subsequent processing, including cross-correlation with signals from other antennas. Each antenna station (including the central station) would be deployed as a self-contained unit, mounted on a miniature robotic vehicle. No fixed structures are required for the array.

Marsh, Kenneth A.↗

Interval estimates for closure-phase and closure-amplitude imaging in radio astronomy

Interval estimates for closure-phase and closure-amplitude imaging that enable the reconstruction of a radioimage from results of approximate measurements are presented. If the intervals for the measured values are known, the precision of the result of the reconstruction cannot be solved by standard interval methods, because the phase value is based on a circle but not on a real line. If the phase theta (x bar) is measured with precision epsilon, so that the closure phase theta (x bar) + theta (y bar) - theta (x bar + y bar) is known with precision 3 epsilon, then from these measurements theta can be reconstructed with precision 6 epsilon. Similar estimates are given for closure amplitude.

Kreinovich, Vladik↗

Antennas, Arrays, and Systems for Submillimter-Wave Radio Astronomy

In this paper we present the design and development of a 16-pixel submillimeter-wave array instrument using SIS technology. We show that this instrument concept demonstration and component development dramatically simplifies the fabrication, assembly, and integration of large focal plane arrays at these frequencies. This advancement is enabled by the innovative array architecture with silicon microlens based antenna arrays, highly sensitive SIS mixers at these frequencies, integrated SiGe BiCMOS based low-noise intermediate frequency (IF) amplifiers, and silicon micromachined packaging.

Chattopadhyay, Goutam↗