Field Trials for the MWA LFD

doi:10.1086/511068

Field Deployment of Prototype Antenna Tiles for the Mileura Widefield Array Low Frequency Demonstrator

Judd D. Bowman et al 2007 The Astronomical Journal 133 1505-1518 doi: 10.1086/511068

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Judd D. Bowman¹, David G. Barnes², Frank H. Briggs^3,4, Brian E. Corey⁵, Merv J. Lynch⁶, N. D. Ramesh Bhat⁷, Roger J. Cappallo⁵, Sheperd S. Doeleman⁵, Brian J. Fanous⁵, David Herne⁶, Jacqueline N. Hewitt¹, Chris Johnston², Justin C. Kasper¹, Jonathon Kocz³, Eric Kratzenberg⁵, Colin J. Lonsdale⁵, Miguel F. Morales¹, Divya Oberoi⁵, Joseph E. Salah⁵, Bruce Stansby⁶, Jamie Stevens⁸, Glen Torr⁹, Randall Wayth², Rachel L. Webster² and J. Stuart B. Wyithe²
¹ Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
² School of Physics, University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia
³ Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, The Australian National University, Mount Stromlo Observatory, Weston Creek, ACT, Australia
⁴ Australia Telescope National Facility, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Epping, NSW, Australia
⁵ Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Haystack Observatory, Westford, MA, USA
⁶ Department of Applied Physics, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, WA, Australia
⁷ Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia
⁸ Mathematics and Physics Department, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
⁹ Faculty of Science, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia

ABSTRACT. Experiments were performed with prototype antenna tiles for the Mileura Widefield Array Low Frequency Demonstrator (MWA LFD) to better understand the wide-field, wide-band properties of their design and to characterize the radio-frequency interference (RFI) between 80 and 300 MHz at the site in Western Australia. Observations acquired during the 6 month deployment confirmed the predicted sensitivity of the antennas, sky-noise-dominated system temperatures, and phase-coherent interferometric measurements. The radio spectrum is remarkably free of strong terrestrial signals, with the exception of two narrow frequency bands allocated to satellite downlinks, and rare bursts due to ground-based transmissions being scattered from aircraft and meteor trails. Results indicate the potential of the MWA LFD to make significant achievements in its three key science objectives: epoch of reionization science, heliospheric science, and radio transient detection.

Key words: instrumentation: interferometers; radio continuum: general; site testing; telescopes

Print publication: Issue 4 (2007 April)
Received 2006 August 26, accepted for publication 2006 November 17
Published 2007 March 5

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Field Deployment of Prototype Antenna Tiles for the Mileura Widefield Array Low Frequency Demonstrator

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