The Australia Telescope Compact Array Broad-band Backend: description and first results

Warwick E. Wilson; R. H. Ferris; P. Axtens; A. Brown; E. Davis; G. Hampson; M. Leach; P. Roberts; S. Saunders; B. S. Koribalski; J. L. Caswell; E. Lenc; J. Stevens; M. A. Voronkov; M. H. Wieringa; K. Brooks; P. G. Edwards; R. D. Ekers; B. Emonts; L. Hindson; S. Johnston; S. T. Maddison; E. K. Mahony; S. S. Malu; M. Massardi; M. Y. Mao; D. McConnell; R. P. Norris; D. Schnitzeler; R. Subrahmanyan; J. S. Urquhart; Mark Thompson; R. M. Wark

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.19054.x

The Australia Telescope Compact Array Broad-band Backend: description and first results

Warwick E. Wilson, R. H. Ferris, P. Axtens, A. Brown, E. Davis, G. Hampson, M. Leach, P. Roberts, S. Saunders, B. S. Koribalski, J. L. Caswell, E. Lenc, J. Stevens, M. A. Voronkov, M. H. Wieringa, K. Brooks, P. G. Edwards, R. D. Ekers, B. Emonts, L. HindsonS. Johnston, S. T. Maddison, E. K. Mahony, S. S. Malu, M. Massardi, M. Y. Mao, D. McConnell, R. P. Norris, D. Schnitzeler, R. Subrahmanyan, J. S. Urquhart, Mark Thompson, R. M. Wark

Centre for Astrophysics Research (CAR)

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Abstract

Here, we describe the Compact Array Broad-band Backend (CABB) and present first results obtained with the upgraded Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA). The 16-fold increase in observing bandwidth, from 2 x 128 to 2 x 2048 MHz, high-bit sampling and the addition of 16 zoom windows (each divided into further 2048 channels) provide major improvements for all ATCA observations. The benefits of the new system are: (1) hugely increased radio continuum and polarization sensitivity as well as image fidelity; (2) substantially improved capability to search for and map emission and absorption lines over large velocity ranges; (3) simultaneous multi-line and continuum observations; (4) increased sensitivity, survey speed and dynamic range due to high-bit sampling and (5) high-velocity resolution, while maintaining full polarization output. The new CABB system encourages all observers to make use of both spectral line and continuum data to achieve their full potential.

Given the dramatic increase of the ATCA capabilities in all bands (ranging from 1.1 to 105 GHz) CABB enables scientific projects that were not feasible before the upgrade, such as simultaneous observations of multiple spectral lines, on-the-fly mapping, fast follow-up of radio transients (e. g. the radio afterglow of new supernovae) and maser observation at high-velocity resolution and full polarization. The first science results presented here include wide-band spectra, high dynamic-range images and polarization measurements, highlighting the increased capability and discovery potential of the ATCA.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	832-856
Number of pages	25
Journal	Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume	416
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.19054.x
Publication status	Published - Sept 2011

Keywords

instrumentation: interferometers
methods: observational
ISM: general
galaxies: general
radio continuum: general
radio lines: general

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10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.19054.x

905874
The definitive version can be found at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/ Copyright Royal Astronomical Society
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Wilson, W. E., Ferris, R. H., Axtens, P., Brown, A., Davis, E., Hampson, G., Leach, M., Roberts, P., Saunders, S., Koribalski, B. S., Caswell, J. L., Lenc, E., Stevens, J., Voronkov, M. A., Wieringa, M. H., Brooks, K., Edwards, P. G., Ekers, R. D., Emonts, B., ... Wark, R. M. (2011). The Australia Telescope Compact Array Broad-band Backend: description and first results. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 416(2), 832-856. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.19054.x

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abstract = "Here, we describe the Compact Array Broad-band Backend (CABB) and present first results obtained with the upgraded Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA). The 16-fold increase in observing bandwidth, from 2 x 128 to 2 x 2048 MHz, high-bit sampling and the addition of 16 zoom windows (each divided into further 2048 channels) provide major improvements for all ATCA observations. The benefits of the new system are: (1) hugely increased radio continuum and polarization sensitivity as well as image fidelity; (2) substantially improved capability to search for and map emission and absorption lines over large velocity ranges; (3) simultaneous multi-line and continuum observations; (4) increased sensitivity, survey speed and dynamic range due to high-bit sampling and (5) high-velocity resolution, while maintaining full polarization output. The new CABB system encourages all observers to make use of both spectral line and continuum data to achieve their full potential.Given the dramatic increase of the ATCA capabilities in all bands (ranging from 1.1 to 105 GHz) CABB enables scientific projects that were not feasible before the upgrade, such as simultaneous observations of multiple spectral lines, on-the-fly mapping, fast follow-up of radio transients (e. g. the radio afterglow of new supernovae) and maser observation at high-velocity resolution and full polarization. The first science results presented here include wide-band spectra, high dynamic-range images and polarization measurements, highlighting the increased capability and discovery potential of the ATCA.",

keywords = "instrumentation: interferometers, methods: observational, ISM: general, galaxies: general, radio continuum: general, radio lines: general",

author = "Wilson, {Warwick E.} and Ferris, {R. H.} and P. Axtens and A. Brown and E. Davis and G. Hampson and M. Leach and P. Roberts and S. Saunders and Koribalski, {B. S.} and Caswell, {J. L.} and E. Lenc and J. Stevens and Voronkov, {M. A.} and Wieringa, {M. H.} and K. Brooks and Edwards, {P. G.} and Ekers, {R. D.} and B. Emonts and L. Hindson and S. Johnston and Maddison, {S. T.} and Mahony, {E. K.} and Malu, {S. S.} and M. Massardi and Mao, {M. Y.} and D. McConnell and Norris, {R. P.} and D. Schnitzeler and R. Subrahmanyan and Urquhart, {J. S.} and Mark Thompson and Wark, {R. M.}",

note = "The definitive version can be found at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/ Copyright Royal Astronomical Society",

year = "2011",

month = sep,

doi = "10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.19054.x",

language = "English",

volume = "416",

pages = "832--856",

journal = "Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society",

issn = "0035-8711",

publisher = "Oxford University Press (OUP)",

number = "2",

}

Wilson, WE, Ferris, RH, Axtens, P, Brown, A, Davis, E, Hampson, G, Leach, M, Roberts, P, Saunders, S, Koribalski, BS, Caswell, JL, Lenc, E, Stevens, J, Voronkov, MA, Wieringa, MH, Brooks, K, Edwards, PG, Ekers, RD, Emonts, B, Hindson, L, Johnston, S, Maddison, ST, Mahony, EK, Malu, SS, Massardi, M, Mao, MY, McConnell, D, Norris, RP, Schnitzeler, D, Subrahmanyan, R, Urquhart, JS, Thompson, M & Wark, RM 2011, 'The Australia Telescope Compact Array Broad-band Backend: description and first results', Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, vol. 416, no. 2, pp. 832-856. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.19054.x

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Australia Telescope Compact Array Broad-band Backend: description and first results

AU - Wilson, Warwick E.

AU - Ferris, R. H.

AU - Axtens, P.

AU - Brown, A.

AU - Davis, E.

AU - Hampson, G.

AU - Leach, M.

AU - Roberts, P.

AU - Saunders, S.

AU - Koribalski, B. S.

AU - Caswell, J. L.

AU - Lenc, E.

AU - Stevens, J.

AU - Voronkov, M. A.

AU - Wieringa, M. H.

AU - Brooks, K.

AU - Edwards, P. G.

AU - Ekers, R. D.

AU - Emonts, B.

AU - Hindson, L.

AU - Johnston, S.

AU - Maddison, S. T.

AU - Mahony, E. K.

AU - Malu, S. S.

AU - Massardi, M.

AU - Mao, M. Y.

AU - McConnell, D.

AU - Norris, R. P.

AU - Schnitzeler, D.

AU - Subrahmanyan, R.

AU - Urquhart, J. S.

AU - Thompson, Mark

AU - Wark, R. M.

N1 - The definitive version can be found at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/ Copyright Royal Astronomical Society

PY - 2011/9

Y1 - 2011/9

N2 - Here, we describe the Compact Array Broad-band Backend (CABB) and present first results obtained with the upgraded Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA). The 16-fold increase in observing bandwidth, from 2 x 128 to 2 x 2048 MHz, high-bit sampling and the addition of 16 zoom windows (each divided into further 2048 channels) provide major improvements for all ATCA observations. The benefits of the new system are: (1) hugely increased radio continuum and polarization sensitivity as well as image fidelity; (2) substantially improved capability to search for and map emission and absorption lines over large velocity ranges; (3) simultaneous multi-line and continuum observations; (4) increased sensitivity, survey speed and dynamic range due to high-bit sampling and (5) high-velocity resolution, while maintaining full polarization output. The new CABB system encourages all observers to make use of both spectral line and continuum data to achieve their full potential.Given the dramatic increase of the ATCA capabilities in all bands (ranging from 1.1 to 105 GHz) CABB enables scientific projects that were not feasible before the upgrade, such as simultaneous observations of multiple spectral lines, on-the-fly mapping, fast follow-up of radio transients (e. g. the radio afterglow of new supernovae) and maser observation at high-velocity resolution and full polarization. The first science results presented here include wide-band spectra, high dynamic-range images and polarization measurements, highlighting the increased capability and discovery potential of the ATCA.

AB - Here, we describe the Compact Array Broad-band Backend (CABB) and present first results obtained with the upgraded Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA). The 16-fold increase in observing bandwidth, from 2 x 128 to 2 x 2048 MHz, high-bit sampling and the addition of 16 zoom windows (each divided into further 2048 channels) provide major improvements for all ATCA observations. The benefits of the new system are: (1) hugely increased radio continuum and polarization sensitivity as well as image fidelity; (2) substantially improved capability to search for and map emission and absorption lines over large velocity ranges; (3) simultaneous multi-line and continuum observations; (4) increased sensitivity, survey speed and dynamic range due to high-bit sampling and (5) high-velocity resolution, while maintaining full polarization output. The new CABB system encourages all observers to make use of both spectral line and continuum data to achieve their full potential.Given the dramatic increase of the ATCA capabilities in all bands (ranging from 1.1 to 105 GHz) CABB enables scientific projects that were not feasible before the upgrade, such as simultaneous observations of multiple spectral lines, on-the-fly mapping, fast follow-up of radio transients (e. g. the radio afterglow of new supernovae) and maser observation at high-velocity resolution and full polarization. The first science results presented here include wide-band spectra, high dynamic-range images and polarization measurements, highlighting the increased capability and discovery potential of the ATCA.

KW - instrumentation: interferometers

KW - methods: observational

KW - ISM: general

KW - galaxies: general

KW - radio continuum: general

KW - radio lines: general

U2 - 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.19054.x

DO - 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.19054.x

M3 - Article

SN - 0035-8711

VL - 416

SP - 832

EP - 856

JO - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

JF - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

IS - 2

ER -

The Australia Telescope Compact Array Broad-band Backend: description and first results

Abstract

Keywords

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