RADIO PHYSICS AND RADIO ASTRONOMY

Purpose: Theoretical and experimental studies of the active antenna – an element of the low-frequency radio telescope antenna array for the future observatory on the farside of the Moon.

Design/methodology/approach: To study the active antenna, consisting of a complex-shaped dipole and a low-noise amplifier, we used its mathematical model in the form of a two-port network, whose electrical parameters are set by the scattering matrix, the noise parameters being set by the covariance matrix of the spectral densities of noise waves. This model allows ma[1]king the correct analysis of the signal-to-noise ratio at the active antenna output with account for the external and internal noise sources. The modelling results were compared with those of experimental measurements of antenna characteristics. A series of radio astronomy observations were made with the developed antenna under the Earth environmental conditions.

Findings: A numerical analysis of the radio telescope active antenna parameters has been made in a wide frequency range of 4–40 MHz. Two versions of the low-noise amplifier were developed to operate in the active antenna under the space and Earth environmental conditions. Under the Earth conditions, it has been experimentally proven that the range of problems, which such radio telescopes can effectively solve at low frequencies, is quite wide – from the solar research to the search for cosmological effects.

Conclusions: The results of numerical simulations and experimental measurements obtained in this work have shown a satisfactory agreement between them for the most of the frequency range. The results of this work can be useful in the research and development of active antennas designed for operation at the decameter and hectometer wavelength ranges, particularly those intended for using under the space environmental conditions.

Keywords: active antenna, Moon, radio astronomy observations, sensitivity

Manuscript submitted 24.05.2021

Radio phys. radio astron. 2021, 26(3): 197-210

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