A MULTI-BASELINE 12 GHz ATMOSPHERIC PHASE INTERFEROMETER WITH ONE MICRON PATH LENGTH SENSITIVITY

Journal of Astronomical Instrumentation

K. KUEHN¹  R. HUPE² 

[1] Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439, USA;Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA

关键词: radio astronomy;    seeing (astronomy);    troposphere;    methods: atmospheric effects;    instrumentation: interferometers;    site testing;    techniques: interferometric;    atmospheric turbulence;    atmospheric moisture;   

DOI  :  10.1142/S225117171250002X

学科分类：天文学(综合)

来源: World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd.

【 摘 要 】

We have constructed a five station 12 GHz atmospheric phase interferometer (API) for the Submillimeter Array (SMA) located near the summit of Mauna Kea, Hawaii. Operating at the base of unoccupied SMA antenna pads, each station employs a commercial low noise mixing block coupled to a 0.7 m off-axis satellite dish which receives a broadband, white noise-like signal from a geostationary satellite. The signals are processed by an analog correlator to produce the phase delays between all pairs of stations with projected baselines ranging from 33–261 m. Each baseline's amplitude and phase is measured continuously at a rate of 8 kHz, processed, averaged and output at 10 Hz. Further signal processing and data reduction is accomplished with a Linux computer, including the removal of the diurnal motion of the target satellite. The placement of the stations below ground level with an environmental shield combined with the use of low temperature coefficient, buried fiber optic cables provides excellent system stabil...

【 授权许可】

Unknown