Bulletin of the American Physical Society
APS March Meeting 2011
Volume 56, Number 1
Monday–Friday, March 21–25, 2011; Dallas, Texas
Abstract: C1.00194 : Design and Construction of a Radio Telescope for Undergraduate Research
Author:
Radio telescopes provide a practical and economical alternative
to optical observatories for astrophysics research and education
at primarily undergraduate physics and astronomy institutions.
Ithaca College is in the testing phase of development for a low
cost, flexible frequency band radio telescope which I have
developed as the research component of my undergraduate thesis. I
have constructed a three-stage low noise superheterodyne
radiometer on custom printed circuit boards for signal detection,
which is mounted on a 3 meter parabolic antenna. Data collection
and signal processing is achieved using custom software written
in MATLAB. We are currently performing preliminary drift
continuum observations of the Sun and Milky Way at Ku band
frequencies. We expect that the receiver can also be easily
adapted to measure spectral emission of neutral hydrogen and OH
masers at L band. I present my design methods for the radiometer
and printed circuit boards, including measured noise
characteristics and SPICE simulations, as well as an overview of
applied signal processing methods and a discussion of observable
celestial sources.
To cite this abstract, use the following reference: http://meetings.aps.org/link/BAPS.2011.MAR.C1.194
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