Space-based Radio Telescope Research Articles

Dilute axion stars converting to photons in the Milky Way’s magnetic field

In this paper we examine the possibility of dilute axion stars converting to photons in the weak, large-scale magnetic field of the Milky Way and show that they can resonate with the surrounding plasma and produce a sizable signal. We consider two possibilities for the plasma: free electrons and HII regions. In the former case, we argue that the frequency of the photons will be too small to be observed even by space-based radio telescopes. In the latter case, their frequency is larger, safely above the solar wind cut-off. We provide an estimate of the flux as a function of the decay constant and show that for fa< 2 × 1011 GeV, the signal will be above the radio emission of the solar system’s planets and it could potentially be detected by the NCLE instrument which is on board the Chang’e-4 spacecraft. Finally, we calculate the time scale of decay of the axion star and demonstrate that back-reaction can be neglected for all physically interesting values of the decay constant, while the minimum time scale of decay is in the order of a few hours.

A roadmap towards a space-based radio telescope for ultra-low frequency radio astronomy

The past two decades have witnessed a renewed interest in low frequency radio astronomy, with a particular focus on frequencies above 30 MHz e.g., LOFAR (LOw Frequency ARray) in the Netherlands and its European extension ILT, the International LOFAR Telescope. However, at frequencies below 30 MHz, Earth-based observations are limited due to a combination of severe ionospheric distortions, almost full reflection of radio waves below 10 MHz, solar eruptions and the radio frequency interference (RFI) of human-made signals. Moreover, there are interesting scientific processes which naturally occur at these low frequencies. A space or Lunar-based ultra-low-frequency (also referred to as ultra-long-wavelength, ULW) radio array would suffer significantly less from these limitations and hence would open up the last, virtually unexplored frequency domain in the electromagnetic spectrum.A roadmap has been initiated by astronomers and researchers in the Netherlands to explore the opportunity of building a swarm of satellites to observe at the frequency band below 30 MHz. This roadmap dubbed Orbiting Low Frequency Antennas for Radio Astronomy (OLFAR), a space-based ultra-low frequency radio telescope that will explore the Universe’s so-called dark ages, map the interstellar medium, and study planetary and solar bursts in the solar system and search them in other planetary systems. Such a radio astronomy system will comprise of a swarm of hundreds to thousands of satellites, working together as a single aperture synthesis instrument deployed sufficiently far away from Earth to avoid terrestrial RFI. The OLFAR telescope is a novel and complex system, requiring yet to be proven engineering solutions. Therefore, a number of key technologies are still required to be developed and proven. The first step in this roadmap is the NCLE (Netherlands China Low Frequency Explorer) experiment, which was launched in May 2018 on the Chinese Chang’e 4 mission. The NCLE payload consists of a three monopole antenna system for low frequency observations, from which the first data stream is expected in the second half of 2019, which will provide important feedback for future science and technology opportunities.In this paper, the roadmap towards OLFAR, a brief overview of the science opportunities, and the technological and programmatic challenges of the mission are presented.

Swarm-to-Earth communication in OLFAR

New science drivers have recently emerged in radio astronomy for observation of low-frequency radio waves, below 30MHz. Exploring this frequency requires a space-based radio telescope with a very large aperture that is impossible to realize in a monolithic fashion. A distributed system consisting of a swarm of 50 or more nano-satellites is used to realize such an instrument. Equipped with low-frequency antennas, the very small spacecraft provide the needed aperture to capture and sample ultra-long electromagnetic waves. The distributed low-frequency telescope has to fulfill multiple tasks in which drawbacks such as the size and the limited power available are overcome by the large number of satellites. Sending the processed data to a base station is one of these aforementioned tasks that is critical for the functionality of the system. In our paper we analyze the challenges of downlinking data from a swarm of nano-satellites to Earth and propose a diversity scheme that helps the system to achieve its mission.

THE APPLICATION OF MULTIVIEW METHODS FOR HIGH-PRECISION ASTROMETRIC SPACE VLBI AT LOW FREQUENCIES

High precision astrometric Space Very Long Baseline Interferometry (S-VLBI) at the low end of the conventional frequency range, i.e. 20cm, is a requirement for a number of high priority science goals. These are headlined by obtaining trigonometric parallax distances to pulsars in Pulsar--Black Hole pairs and OH masers anywhere in the Milky Way Galaxy and the Magellanic Clouds. We propose a solution for the most difficult technical problems in S-VLBI by the MultiView approach where multiple sources, separated by several degrees on the sky, are observed simultaneously. We simulated a number of challenging S-VLBI configurations, with orbit errors up to 8m in size and with ionospheric atmospheres consistant with poor conditions. In these simulations we performed MultiView analysis to achieve the required science goals. This approach removes the need for beam switching requiring a Control Moment Gyro, and the space and ground infrastructure required for high quality orbit reconstruction of a space-based radio telescope. This will dramatically reduce the complexity of S-VLBI missions which implement the phase-referencing technique.

Protecting Space-Based Radio Astronomy

This paper outlines some of the radio frequency interference issues related to radio astronomy performed with space-based radio telescopes. Radio frequency interference that threatens radio astronomy observations from the surface of Earth will also degrade observations with space-based radio telescopes. However, any resulting interference could be different than for ground-based telescopes due to several factors. Space radio astronomy observations significantly enhance studies in different areas of astronomy. Several space radio astronomy experiments for studies in low-frequency radio astronomy, space VLBI, the cosmic microwave background and the submillimetre wavelengths have flown already. The first results from these missions have provided significant breakthroughs in our understanding of the nature of celestial radio radiation. Radio astronomers plan to deploy more radio telescopes in Earth orbit, in the vicinity of the L2 Sun-Earth Lagrangian point, and, in the more distant future, in the shielded zone of the Moon.

Normal-metal hot-electron bolometer with Andreev reflection from superconductor boundaries

This paper describes the design and experimental testing of a high-sensitivity hot-electron bolometer based a film of normal metal, exploiting the Andreev reflection from superconductor boundaries, and cooled with the help of a superconductor-insulator-normal metal junction. At the measured thermal conductivity, G≈6×10−12 W/K, and a time constant of τ=0.2 μs, and a temperature of 300 mK, the estimated noise-equivalent power NEP=5×10−18 W/Hz1/2, assuming that temperature fluctuations are the major source of noise. At a temperature of 100 mK, the thermal conductivity drops to G≈7×10−14 W/K, which yields NEP=2×10−19 W/Hz1/2 at a time constant of τ=5 μs. The microbolometer has been designed to serve as a detector of millimeter and FIR waves in space-based radio telescopes.

Concept of solenoidally stabilized reflector dishes in space

The idea of stabilizing the shape of a reflector dish for a space-based radiotelescope by an extensive magnetic field is considered. We outline a construction where the axes of rotational symmetry of the dish lie on the axes of rotational symmetry of a large circular solenoid. Its magnetic field produces a stabilizing pressure by acting on a distribution of dipole moment on the dish. In cosmic regions where the gravity gradient is smaller than the solar radiation pressure, large receiver apertures and large area-to-mass ratios of the dish are attainable. The latter might lead to a higher shape accuracy of the reflecting surface compared to the truss frame stabilization. We calculate the distribution of dipole moment that gives a parabolic surface in the approximation of no dish elasticity and no magnetic dish-dish interaction. A disadvantage is the relative large mass of the solenoid. However, we find that it can be about three times smaller in diameter than the dish.

Use of Venus gravitational field for solar probe trajectory control

Friedman, H., NAS-SSB Calls for Cluster-Satellite Deployments/' Astronautics & Aeronautics, Vol. 7, No. 1, Jan. 1969, p. 23. 2 French, F. W., Rodman, A. K., and Huguenin, G. R., A Synthetic Aperture Approach to Space-Based Radio Telescopes, Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 4, No. 12, Dec. 1967, pp. 1649-1656. 3 Hrastar, J. A., Dynamic Control Study for Two Closely CoOrbiting Satellites, X-732-70-169, 1970, NASA. 4 Bainum, P. M., Stuiver, W., and Harkness, R. E., Stability and Deployment Analysis of a Tethered Orbiting Interferometer Satellite System, paper presented at the Eighth European Space Symposium, Venice, Italy, May 1968, Applied Physics Lab., John Hopkins Univ. 6 Liebelt, P. B., An Introduction to Optimal Estimation, Addison-Wesley, Reading, Mass., 1967, Chap. 6.

A synthetic aperture approach to space-based radio telescopes.

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