Interim UK PrepSKA: Manchester

平方公里阵列（SKA）将是有史以来最复杂的科学仪器之一。当完全部署时，它将由一个大陆大小的约4000个碟形天线阵列组成，具有能够全天空成像的新型平板孔径阵列组件，并在70 MHz至约25 GHz的频率范围内工作。该阵列将由一个IT基础设施提供支持，该基础设施旨在处理与地球当前互联网流量相当的数据速率。SKA将解决的科学广度确实令人瞩目。它将用于扩展我们对第一批恒星和星系诞生的理解，研究宇宙的大尺度结构以及暗能量和热暗物质和冷暗物质的作用。天文学家还将使用SKA来确定广义相对论是否适用于与大质量黑洞相关的强引力场，了解宇宙磁场的起源和演化，并探索银河系其他地方生命所需的条件。SKA是大型科学基础设施的独特之处（只有通过其分阶段建设计划才能实现），将能够在建设中提供突破性的科学。SKA的规模意味着它只能作为一个全球项目来建造;因此来自19个国家的科学家和工程师正在合作开发这项技术。最近，通过两项活动，全球范围内的努力在英国得到了关注：首先，STFC正在与来自地球仪的24个合作伙伴协调一个项目，该项目已获得EC FP 7资助，用于SKA（PrepSKA）的准备阶段研究;其次，SKA项目开发办公室（SPDO）于2月迁至曼彻斯特。SPDO将作为SKA全球研发的中心协调机构。该提案是剑桥大学、曼彻斯特大学和牛津大学的密切合作，要求STFC提供989万英镑（876万英镑加上113万英镑的工作津贴和应急费用）的资金，以使英国能够继续在SKA的发展中发挥关键作用。我们设计的工作方案将从2009年7月持续到2012年3月，不仅要与PrepSKA的全球努力充分结合，而且要确保我们在SKADS非常成功的工作基础上再接再厉。该提案有两个主要主题;第一个重点是SKA系统架构和核心技术的开发;第二个重点是与我们的欧洲同事一起开发先进的数字孔径阵列。UK-PrepSKA有许多主要的可交付成果，其中包括SKA成本计算工具的实施;将详细研究SKA信号路径的模拟软件的编码;完全集成的光纤数据链和相位传输系统的设计;高效数字波束形成器的开发; SKA数据处理和处理算法的探索和测试;中频孔径阵列的详细设计;在800 MHz下Tsys <50 K的LNA和匹配天线元件的交付;具有SKA性能的模数转换器的演示。这项工作将最终在一个数字孔径阵列验证系统的建设，以补充将由我们的美国和其他同事开发的碟形验证系统。

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) will be one of the most complex scientific instruments ever built. It will, when fully deployed, consist of a continent-sized array of ~4000 dishes, with a novel flat panel aperture array component capable of all-sky imaging, and work in the frequency range 70MHz to ~25GHz. The array will be supported by an IT infrastructure designed to handle data rates comparable to the current internet traffic of the Earth. The breadth of science that the SKA will address is truly remarkable. It will be used to extend our understanding of the birth of the first stars and galaxies, to study of the large-scale structure of the universe and the role of dark energy and hot and cold dark matter. Astronomers will also use the SKA to determine whether general relativity holds in the strong gravitational fields associated with massive black holes, understand the origin and evolution of cosmic magnetism, and explore the conditions required for life elsewhere in our galaxy. The SKA, uniquely for large scientific infrastructures (and only made possible by its phased construction plan), will be able to deliver ground-breaking science while still under construction. The scale of the SKA means it can only be constructed as a global project; and so scientists and engineers from 19 countries are cooperating to develop the technology. Recently, the worldwide efforts have been brought to a focus here in the UK through two events: first, the STFC are coordinating a project with 24 partners from around the globe, which has received EC FP7 funding for a Preparatory Phase Study for the SKA (PrepSKA); secondly, the SKA Program Development Office (SPDO) moved to Manchester in February. The SPDO will serve as the central coordinating body for all SKA R&D around the world. This proposal, a close collaboration of the Universities of Cambridge, Manchester and Oxford, requests funding of £9.89M (£8.76M plus £1.13M working allowance and contingency) from STFC to enable the UK to continue its key role in the development of the SKA. We have designed the work programme, which will run from July 2009 to March 2012, not only to be fully integrated with the global PrepSKA efforts, but also to ensure that we build upon the highly-successful SKADS work. The proposal has two major themes; the first focuses on the development of the SKA system architecture and the core technologies; the second concentrates on the evolution of the advanced digital aperture array, working alongside our European colleagues. UK-PrepSKA has many major deliverables amongst which are the implementation of the SKA costing tool; the coding of simulation software which will study in detail the SKA signal path; the design of the fully integrated fibre optic data link and phase transfer system; the development of an efficient digital beamformer; the exploration and testing of the SKA data handling and processing algorithms; the detailed design of the mid-frequency aperture array; the delivery of an LNA and matched antenna element with Tsys < 50K at 800MHz; the demonstration of an analogue-to-digital converter with SKA performance. The work will culminate in the construction of a Digital Aperture Array Verification System to complement the dish verification system that will be developed by our US and other colleagues.