Fundamental limits of radio interferometers: calibration and source parameter estimation

We use information theory to derive fundamental limits on the capacity to calibrate next-generation radio interferometers, and measure parameters of point sources for instrument calibration, point source subtraction, and data deconvolution. We demonstrate the implications of these fundamental limits...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Trott, Cathryn, Wayth, Randall, Tingay, Steven
Format: Journal Article
Published: - 2012
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/60655
_version_ 1848760624032514048
author Trott, Cathryn
Wayth, Randall
Tingay, Steven
author_facet Trott, Cathryn
Wayth, Randall
Tingay, Steven
author_sort Trott, Cathryn
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description We use information theory to derive fundamental limits on the capacity to calibrate next-generation radio interferometers, and measure parameters of point sources for instrument calibration, point source subtraction, and data deconvolution. We demonstrate the implications of these fundamental limits, with particular reference to estimation of the 21cm Epoch of Reionization power spectrum with next-generation low-frequency instruments (e.g., the Murchison Widefield Array -- MWA, Precision Array for Probing the Epoch of Reionization -- PAPER), where short time scale instrumental calibration is required due to the impact of the ionosphere on the signal wavefront. Finally, we explore the optimal point source precision available by using a combination of current and prior information. Estimation schemes that incorporate prior information may be advantageous when the measurement precision is comparable to the characteristic refraction scale of the ionosphere.
first_indexed 2025-11-14T10:18:44Z
format Journal Article
id curtin-20.500.11937-60655
institution Curtin University Malaysia
institution_category Local University
last_indexed 2025-11-14T10:18:44Z
publishDate 2012
publisher -
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling curtin-20.500.11937-606552018-07-17T06:58:40Z Fundamental limits of radio interferometers: calibration and source parameter estimation Trott, Cathryn Wayth, Randall Tingay, Steven We use information theory to derive fundamental limits on the capacity to calibrate next-generation radio interferometers, and measure parameters of point sources for instrument calibration, point source subtraction, and data deconvolution. We demonstrate the implications of these fundamental limits, with particular reference to estimation of the 21cm Epoch of Reionization power spectrum with next-generation low-frequency instruments (e.g., the Murchison Widefield Array -- MWA, Precision Array for Probing the Epoch of Reionization -- PAPER), where short time scale instrumental calibration is required due to the impact of the ionosphere on the signal wavefront. Finally, we explore the optimal point source precision available by using a combination of current and prior information. Estimation schemes that incorporate prior information may be advantageous when the measurement precision is comparable to the characteristic refraction scale of the ionosphere. 2012 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/60655 10.22323/1.163.0043 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/1.0/ - fulltext
spellingShingle Trott, Cathryn
Wayth, Randall
Tingay, Steven
Fundamental limits of radio interferometers: calibration and source parameter estimation
title Fundamental limits of radio interferometers: calibration and source parameter estimation
title_full Fundamental limits of radio interferometers: calibration and source parameter estimation
title_fullStr Fundamental limits of radio interferometers: calibration and source parameter estimation
title_full_unstemmed Fundamental limits of radio interferometers: calibration and source parameter estimation
title_short Fundamental limits of radio interferometers: calibration and source parameter estimation
title_sort fundamental limits of radio interferometers: calibration and source parameter estimation
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/60655