Antenna Array Characterization via Radio Interferometry Observation of Astronomical Sources

We present an in-situ antenna characterization method and results for a “low-frequency” radio astronomy engineering prototype array, characterized over the 75–300 MHz frequency range. The presence of multiple cosmic radio sources, particularly the dominant Galactic noise, makes in-situ characterizat...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Colegate, Timothy, Sutinjo, Adrian, Hall, Peter, Padhi, Shantanu, Wayth, Randall, Bij de Vaate, J, Crosse, Brian, Emrich, David, Faulkner, Patricia, Hurley-Walker, Natasha, de Lera Acedo, E., Juswardy, Budi, Ravavi-Ghods, N., Tingay, Steven, Williams, Andrew
Other Authors: ?
Format: Conference Paper
Published: IEEE Explore 2014
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/25205
Description
Summary:We present an in-situ antenna characterization method and results for a “low-frequency” radio astronomy engineering prototype array, characterized over the 75–300 MHz frequency range. The presence of multiple cosmic radio sources, particularly the dominant Galactic noise, makes in-situ characterization at these frequencies challenging; however, it willbe shown that high quality measurement is possible via radio interferometry techniques. This method is well-known in the radio astronomy community but seems less so in antenna measurement and wireless communications communities, although the measurement challenges involving multiple undesired sources in the antenna field-of-view bear some similarities. We discuss this approach and our results with the expectation that this principle may find greater application in related fields.