Restoration of Scientific Capabilities at the Arecibo Observatory after the impact of Hurricane Maria

阿雷西博天文台在飓风玛丽亚影响后恢复科学能力

• 批准号: 1930772
• 负责人: Julie Brisset
• 金额: $ 1230.03万
• 依托单位: The University of Central Florida Board of Trustees
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Cooperative Agreement
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2019-08-01 至 2023-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1930772&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Restoration; Scientific; Capabilities; Arecibo; Observatory

This project is to restore the Arecibo Observatory (AO) to full operating status after the damage it incurred from Hurricane Maria in September 2017. The Arecibo Observatory uniquely contributes to a wide variety of sciences including astronomy, planetary science, ionospheric physics, and the study and prediction of space weather. Its powerful antenna has capabilities for particular measurements unmatched anywhere in the world. The Arecibo Observatory is a leading education and public outreach center. It is a beacon of science education in Puerto Rico, attracting tens of thousands of school children and tourists annually. This award will enable Arecibo to restore its full complement of science capabilities and education and public outreach efforts. This award to the University of Central Florida (UCF) in cooperation with Yang Enterprises, Inc. (YEI) is for repairs comprising fourteen distinct projects, prioritized by criticality for both structural integrity and the importance to scientific observations. These projects include: the replacement of a compromised steel suspension cable that is one of three cables supporting the approximately 900-ton steel platform suspended more than 400 feet above the 305-meter primary reflector surface, which houses the receivers and other associated equipment; calibration of the primary reflector surface panels; alignment of the Gregorian reflector; replacement of the damaged 430 MHz line feed; restoration to full functionality of the telescope pointing control and data taking systems; along with several other smaller projects. These systems are critical to ensuring that the Arecibo Observatory has been restored to world-class operating status with resilient systems in case of another hurricane by capitalizing on modern technologies to optimize scientific performance.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

该项目旨在恢复阿雷西博天文台（AO）在2017年9月飓风玛丽亚造成的破坏后的全面运行状态。阿雷西博天文台对天文学、行星科学、电离层物理学以及空间天气的研究和预测等各种科学做出了独特的贡献。其强大的天线具有世界上任何地方都无法比拟的特定测量能力。阿雷西博天文台是一个领先的教育和公共宣传中心。它是波多黎各科学教育的灯塔，每年吸引成千上万的学童和游客。该奖项将使阿雷西博能够恢复其科学能力和教育及公共宣传工作的全面补充。 此奖项授予中央佛罗里达大学（UCF）与杨企业公司合作。(YEI)维修包括14个不同的项目，根据结构完整性和对科学观测的重要性的重要性进行优先排序。 这些项目包括：更换受损的钢悬索，该悬索是支撑大约900吨重的钢平台的三根缆索之一，钢平台悬挂在305米的主反射器表面上方400英尺处，主反射器表面装有接收器和其他相关设备;校准主反射器表面面板;校准格里高利反射器;更换受损的430兆赫线路馈电;恢复望远镜指向控制和数据采集系统的全部功能;沿着其他几个较小的项目。 这些系统对于确保阿雷西博天文台恢复到世界一流的运行状态至关重要，在另一场飓风发生时，通过利用现代技术优化科学性能，使系统具有弹性。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。