ALPACA: Advanced Cryogenic L-band Phased Array Camera for the Arecibo Radio Telescope

该方案的目标是为阿雷西博天文台305米射电望远镜开发和部署一台阿雷西博高级低温L波段相控阵相机。 ALPACA有40个波束，将取代2004年安装在阿雷西博的成功的ALFA 7波束接收器，将测量速度提高五倍。 该计划的主要科学目标包括发现新的彗星，特别是具有稳定周期的毫秒彗星（MSP），适合列入探测引力辐射的计划（NANOGrav），快速射电暴（FRB）的探测和研究，对局部宇宙中含气体的低质量暗物质晕的普查，以测试小尺度上Lambda/CDM宇宙学模型的有效性，搜寻地外文明（SETI） 这项工作的更广泛影响包括对三名研究生进行仪器建造和调试方面的培训，以及可能有大量本科生参与计划中的大规模调查（以ALFA为例）。 这些调查也将成为吸引感兴趣的公民科学家参与天文学研究的一种手段。 ALPACA将帮助维持阿雷西博天文台作为一个现代化的，先进的设施，为波多黎各的许多好处，包括推进岛上的STEM培训。 与世界各地其他望远镜上部署的所有其他相控阵馈源（PAF）接收器不同，ALPACA仪器将采用低温冷却。该设计是基于康奈尔大学的成功开发，并在阿雷西博望远镜上进行测试，原型19双极化偶极低温PAF。杨百翰大学（BYU）通过提供窄带数字波束形成器后端参与了这些测试，并正在开发一种150 MHz波束形成器，用于绿色银行100米望远镜上的7波束L波段PAF。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。

The objective of the program is to develop and deploy an Advanced Cryogenic L-Band Phased Array Camera for Arecibo (ALPACA) for the Arecibo Observatory 305 m radio telescope. With 40 beams, ALPACA will supersede the successful ALFA 7-beam receiver installed at Arecibo in 2004, increasing the survey speed by a factor of five. Major scientific objectives of the program include discovery of new pulsars, especially millisecond pulsars (MSPs) with stable periods suitable for inclusion in the program to detect gravitation radiation (NANOGrav), the detection and study of Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs), a census of gas-bearing low mass dark matter haloes in the local universe to test the validity of the Lambda/CDM cosmological model on small scales, and searches for extra-terrestrial intelligence (SETI). Broader impacts of the work include training of three graduate students in construction and commissioning of the instrument, and involvement of a potentially large number of undergraduates in planned large scale surveys (following the example of ALFA). These surveys will also be a vehicle for engaging interested citizen scientists in astronomy research. ALPACA will help maintain the Arecibo Observatory as a modern, cutting edge facility with numerous benefits for Puerto Rico, including advancing STEM training on the island. Unlike all other deployed phased array feed (PAF) receivers at other telescopes around the world, the ALPACA instrument will be cryogenically cooled. The design is based on the successful development at Cornell University, and testing on the Arecibo telescope, of a prototype 19 dual polarization dipole cryogenic PAF. Brigham Young University (BYU) participated in these tests by providing a narrowband digital beamformer back end and is developing a 150 MHz beamformer to be used with a 7-beam L-band PAF on the Green Bank 100m telescope.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.