Characterization of the ionosphere above the Murchison Radio Observatory using the Murchison Widefield Array
We detail new techniques for analysing ionospheric activity, using Epoch of Reionisation (EoR) datasets obtained with the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA), calibrated by the `Real-Time System' (RTS). Using the high spatial- and temporal-resolution information of the ionosphere provided by the RT...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
Oxford University Press
2017
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| Online Access: | http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DE140100316 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/57245 |
| _version_ | 1848760031424544768 |
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| author | Jordan, C. Murray, S. Trott, Cathryn Wayth, R. Mitchell, D. Rahimi, M. Pindor, B. Procopio, P. Morgan, J. |
| author_facet | Jordan, C. Murray, S. Trott, Cathryn Wayth, R. Mitchell, D. Rahimi, M. Pindor, B. Procopio, P. Morgan, J. |
| author_sort | Jordan, C. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | We detail new techniques for analysing ionospheric activity, using Epoch of Reionisation (EoR) datasets obtained with the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA), calibrated by the `Real-Time System' (RTS). Using the high spatial- and temporal-resolution information of the ionosphere provided by the RTS calibration solutions over 19 nights of observing, we find four distinct types of ionospheric activity, and have developed a metric to provide an `at a glance' value for data quality under differing ionospheric conditions. For each ionospheric type, we analyse variations of this metric as we reduce the number of pierce points, revealing that a modest number of pierce points is required to identify the intensity of ionospheric activity; it is possible to calibrate in real-time, providing continuous information of the phase screen. We also analyse temporal correlations, determine diffractive scales, examine the relative fractions of time occupied by various types of ionospheric activity, and detail a method to reconstruct the total electron content responsible for the ionospheric data we observe. These techniques have been developed to be instrument agnostic, useful for application on LOFAR and SKA-Low. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:09:19Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-57245 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:09:19Z |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publisher | Oxford University Press |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-572452022-09-06T04:25:44Z Characterization of the ionosphere above the Murchison Radio Observatory using the Murchison Widefield Array Jordan, C. Murray, S. Trott, Cathryn Wayth, R. Mitchell, D. Rahimi, M. Pindor, B. Procopio, P. Morgan, J. We detail new techniques for analysing ionospheric activity, using Epoch of Reionisation (EoR) datasets obtained with the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA), calibrated by the `Real-Time System' (RTS). Using the high spatial- and temporal-resolution information of the ionosphere provided by the RTS calibration solutions over 19 nights of observing, we find four distinct types of ionospheric activity, and have developed a metric to provide an `at a glance' value for data quality under differing ionospheric conditions. For each ionospheric type, we analyse variations of this metric as we reduce the number of pierce points, revealing that a modest number of pierce points is required to identify the intensity of ionospheric activity; it is possible to calibrate in real-time, providing continuous information of the phase screen. We also analyse temporal correlations, determine diffractive scales, examine the relative fractions of time occupied by various types of ionospheric activity, and detail a method to reconstruct the total electron content responsible for the ionospheric data we observe. These techniques have been developed to be instrument agnostic, useful for application on LOFAR and SKA-Low. 2017 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/57245 10.1093/mnras/stx1797 http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DE140100316 Oxford University Press restricted |
| spellingShingle | Jordan, C. Murray, S. Trott, Cathryn Wayth, R. Mitchell, D. Rahimi, M. Pindor, B. Procopio, P. Morgan, J. Characterization of the ionosphere above the Murchison Radio Observatory using the Murchison Widefield Array |
| title | Characterization of the ionosphere above the Murchison Radio Observatory using the Murchison Widefield Array |
| title_full | Characterization of the ionosphere above the Murchison Radio Observatory using the Murchison Widefield Array |
| title_fullStr | Characterization of the ionosphere above the Murchison Radio Observatory using the Murchison Widefield Array |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characterization of the ionosphere above the Murchison Radio Observatory using the Murchison Widefield Array |
| title_short | Characterization of the ionosphere above the Murchison Radio Observatory using the Murchison Widefield Array |
| title_sort | characterization of the ionosphere above the murchison radio observatory using the murchison widefield array |
| url | http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DE140100316 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/57245 |