Mileura Wide-Field Array Science and Technology Demonstrator

Mileura 广域阵列科学技术演示器

• 批准号: 0457585
• 负责人: Alan Whitney
• 金额: $ 489.89万
• 依托单位: Northeast Radio Observatory Corp
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Cooperative Agreement
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2006-06-01 至 2011-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0457585&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Mileura; Wide; Field; Array; Science

LonsdaleAST 0457585This award will be used to apply the design of low frequency radio astronomy technologies, developed at MIT under a previous NSF grant, to the construction of the Mileura Widefield Array-Low Frequency Demonstrator (MWA-LFD). The MWA-LFD is a collaboration of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA), the Australian University Consortium, the Australian Telescope National Facility (ATNF), and the Western Australia government. The MWA-LFD will be located at the Mileura radio quiet site in the Western Australian desert. This scientifically capable array, consisting of 500 phased-array antennas feeding sophisticated digital signal processing systems, will have high sensitivity, broad 80-300 MHz frequency coverage, very high spectral and temporal resolution, electronic pointing agility and multi-beaming capability. Most importantly, it will feature an inherently very wide ~30 degrees instantaneous field of view. This combination of properties allows the demonstration array to perform cutting-edge science experiments with much better sensitivity than any existing instrument. This science capability will be available two years after the start of funding, and the last two years of the program will focus on science investigations with the array.The science goals of the MWA-LFD are in three main areas of investigation. The highest priority is to detect and characterize redshifted neutral atomic hydrogen (HI) signals from the cosmological Epoch of Reionization. The array will be capable of measuring the power spectrum of fluctuations, as well as imaging structures created by Stromgren spheres around quasars at redshifts with z~6.5, providing the first view of the cosmic dark ages. and early structure formation in the Universe. Second, the wide field capabilities of the array will be exploited to perform a blind search for transient sources of radio emission which is 6 orders of magnitude more sensitive than any previous work in this frequency range. Third, the array will be used to probe the heliosphere with unprecedented precision using interplanetary scintillation (IPS) and Faraday rotation techniques. The Faraday rotation holds the unique promise of constraining the orientation of the magnetic field in coronal mass ejection (CME) events, which is essential for predicting the impact of solar storms on the earth. Several other scientific topics, such as pulsar studies, solar bursts, the local structure of the interstellar medium, and radio recombination lines, can also be effectively addressed with the array.The MWA-LFD will demonstrate a broad range of technologies and techniques that are essential for the future feasibility and performance of full-scale wide field arrays that are currently in a conceptual stage of development. The MWA-LFD is relevant to cyber-infrastructure and cyber-science initiatives in the development of an astronomical telescope with no moving parts, all "actions" are handled electronically, and in the demonstration of new data handling techniques, involving massive, near real-time processing and preliminary analysis, followed by data compression. The application of the MWA-LFD to heliospheric measurements will make an important contribution to the National Space Weather Program, and thus will have valuable societal benefits. The project will be executed by multiple national and international partners, which offer opportunities for student exchange, and promotion of international scientific relations. The grant will train postdoctoral researchers and graduate students, and will engage undergraduate students and teachers in the project at no cost to the grant, through existing Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) and Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) programs at MIT and the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA). There will be extensive outreach activities to local area schools and communities.

LonsdaleAST 0457585该奖项将用于将麻省理工学院在之前NSF拨款下开发的低频射电天文技术设计应用于Mileura Widefield阵列-低频演示器(MWA-LFD)的建造。MWA-LFD是麻省理工学院(MIT)、哈佛-史密森天体物理中心(CFA)、澳大利亚大学联盟、澳大利亚望远镜国家设施(ATNF)和西澳大利亚政府的合作项目。MWA-LFD将位于西澳大利亚沙漠的Mileura无线电安静地点。这种具有科学能力的阵列由500个相控阵天线组成，为复杂的数字信号处理系统供电，将具有高灵敏度、宽80-300 MHz频率覆盖、非常高的频谱和时间分辨率、电子指向灵活性和多波束能力。最重要的是，它将具有固有的非常宽的~30度瞬时视野。这种特性的结合使演示阵列能够以比任何现有仪器更高的灵敏度进行尖端科学实验。这项科学能力将在资助开始两年后提供，该计划的最后两年将重点放在与阵列的科学调查上。MWA-LFD的科学目标是三个主要调查领域。当务之急是探测和表征宇宙再电离时代的红移中性原子氢(HI)信号。该阵列将能够测量涨落的功率谱，以及由Z~6.5红移的类星体周围的斯特龙格伦球体创建的成像结构，提供了宇宙暗年龄的第一张照片。以及宇宙中早期结构的形成。其次，该阵列的宽视场能力将被用来执行对无线电辐射源的盲目搜索，该辐射源的灵敏度比以前在该频率范围内的任何工作都高6个数量级。第三，该阵列将用于利用行星际闪烁(IPS)和法拉第旋转技术以前所未有的精度探测日光层。法拉第自转具有在日冕物质抛射(CME)事件中约束磁场方向的独特前景，这对于预测太阳风暴对地球的影响至关重要。该阵列还可以有效地解决其他几个科学问题，如脉冲星研究、太阳爆发、星际介质的局部结构和射电重组线。MWA-LFD将展示一系列广泛的技术和技术，这些技术和技术对目前处于概念阶段的全尺寸宽视场阵列的未来可行性和性能至关重要。MWA-LFD与开发没有移动部件的天文望远镜的网络基础设施和网络科学举措有关，所有“行动”都以电子方式处理，并在展示新的数据处理技术时，涉及大规模、接近实时的处理和初步分析，然后是数据压缩。MWA-LFD在日球层测量中的应用将为国家空间气象计划做出重要贡献，从而产生宝贵的社会效益。该项目将由多个国家和国际合作伙伴执行，为交换学生和促进国际科学关系提供机会。这笔赠款将培训博士后研究人员和研究生，并将通过麻省理工学院和哈佛-史密森天体物理中心(CFA)现有的本科生研究经验(REU)和教师研究经验(RET)项目，免费吸引本科生和教师参与该项目。将向当地学校和社区开展广泛的外联活动。