Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/2289/4161
Title: The Australia telescope compact array broad-band backend: description and first results
Authors: Wilson, W.E.
Ferris, R.H.
Axtens, P.
Brown, A.
Davis, E.
Malu, S.S.
Subrahmanyan, Ravi
+30 Co-authors
Keywords: Instrumentation: Interferometers
Methods: Observational
Ism: General
Galaxies: General
Radio continuum: General
Radio lines: General
Issue Date: Sep-2011
Publisher: Wiley Interscience for the RAS
Citation: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2011, Vol.416, p832
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 × 128 to 2 × 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.
Description: Restricted Access.
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2289/4161
ISSN: 0035-8711
1365-2966 (Online)
Alternative Location: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.19054.x
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.19054.x
Copyright: 2011 CSIRO & Royal Astonomical Society.
Appears in Collections:Research Papers (A&A)

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