A new radio interferometer and its application to the observation of weak radio stars

Abstract

A new type of radio interferometer has been developed which has a number of important advantages over earlier systems. Its use enables the radiation from a weak 'point’ source such as a radio star to be recorded independently of the radiation of much greater intensity from an extended source. It is therefore possible to use a very much greater recorder sensitivity than with earlier methods. It is, in addition, possible to use pre-amplifiers at the aerials, and the resolving power which may be used is therefore not restricted by attenuation in the aerial cables. Besides improved sensitivity, the new system has a number of other advantages, particularly for the accurate determination of the position of a radio source. Unlike earlier systems the accuracy of position finding is not seriously affected by rapid variations in the intensity of the radiation. It also has important applications to the measurement of the angular diameter and polarization of a weak source of radiation. The new system has been used on wave-lengths of 1⋅4, 3⋅7, 6⋅7 and 8 m for the detection and accurate location of radio stars, and for the investigation of the scintillation of radio stars. It has also been used in a number of special experiments on the radiation from the sun. The results which have been obtained in these experiments have confirmed the advantages predicted analytically.