As part of an NSF funded initiative to bring concepts of radio interferometry into the undergraduate classroom, Haystack Observatory has developed an interferometer using two Small Radio Telescopes (SRTs). The development of this two element SRT interferometer is a multi-stage effort which has started with the simple adding interferometers, one with two SRTs and one with an SRT and a loop Yagi antenna, described below.
The next stage in the development is the design and testing of a new receiver that will contain a GPS timing capability to use for interferometry. This receiver is currently in the design stage. The proposed capabilities and block diagram of this system are also described below. The development and testing of the other components that are needed to provide a complete 2-element interferometer, such as software and data processing capabilities will be done over the next two years (2004-2005). In the future, an expansion to a 3 or more element interferometer will be considered. The current planned hardware design supports such an expansion, but the necessary software capability will need to be added.
- Using Small Radio Telescopes for Very Long Baseline Interferometry
- On Performing Interferometry on the Sun utilizing a Yagi-Uda Array and an SRT at MIT Haystack Observatory
- Note: The "Magic Tee" referred to in the above PDF file is a DLS two-way power splitter with a frequency range of 900 - 2050 MHz.
- An SRT Adding Interferometer at MIT Haystack Observatory
- Development and testing of the new SRT receiver and modeling the Sun
- Planned Capabilities of the SRT Interferometer