Jingdong 120-m pulsar radio telescope

Abstract

<p indent="0mm">The steerable Jingdong <sc>120-m</sc> pulsar radio telescope (JRT) will be built in Jingdong county of Yunnan Province, China. It will become the world’s largest fully steerable radio telescope with observation frequencies covering 0.1–10 GHz (3 m–3 cm). This paper mainly introduces JRT’s scientific goals and key technologies. JRT’s scientific goals include (1) performing long-term, high-time-density, and high-precision timing observations for more than 90% of millisecond pulsars in the sky to research the construction of a pulsar-based time scale and the detection of nanohertz low-frequency gravitational waves; and (2) contributing observational studies in the fields of pulsar physics, fast radio bursts, gravitational testing, black hole, and VLBI astrometry; (3) serving the national strategic needs in the fields of pulsar navigation, deep space exploration, and space target monitoring. JRT developed key technologies such as large-scale antenna structure design, ultra-wideband feed, low-noise receiver, and multi-functional digital backend. The design and development of each subsystem of JRT will be completed along with relevant domestic research forces. JRT construction will promote China’s development in engineering and technical fields, such as large-scale machinery design and processing, automatic control, low-temperature electronics, and system integration. The completion of JRT will progress China’s radio astronomy and improve its international influence.