Judd D. Bowman et al. 2007 The Astronomical Journal 133 1505 doi:10.1086/511068
Judd D. Bowman1, David G. Barnes2, Frank H. Briggs3,4, Brian E. Corey5, Merv J. Lynch6, N. D. Ramesh Bhat7, Roger J. Cappallo5, Sheperd S. Doeleman5, Brian J. Fanous5, David Herne6, Jacqueline N. Hewitt1, Chris Johnston2, Justin C. Kasper1, Jonathon Kocz3, Eric Kratzenberg5, Colin J. Lonsdale5, Miguel F. Morales1, Divya Oberoi5, Joseph E. Salah5, Bruce Stansby6, Jamie Stevens8, Glen Torr9, Randall Wayth2, Rachel L. Webster2 and J. Stuart B. Wyithe2
Show affiliationsExperiments were performed with prototype antenna tiles for the Mileura Widefield Array Low Frequency Demonstrator (MWA LFD) to better understand the wide-field, wide-band properties of their design and to characterize the radio-frequency interference (RFI) between 80 and 300 MHz at the site in Western Australia. Observations acquired during the 6 month deployment confirmed the predicted sensitivity of the antennas, sky-noise-dominated system temperatures, and phase-coherent interferometric measurements. The radio spectrum is remarkably free of strong terrestrial signals, with the exception of two narrow frequency bands allocated to satellite downlinks, and rare bursts due to ground-based transmissions being scattered from aircraft and meteor trails. Results indicate the potential of the MWA LFD to make significant achievements in its three key science objectives: epoch of reionization science, heliospheric science, and radio transient detection.
instrumentation: interferometers; radio continuum: general; site testing; telescopes
Issue 4 (2007 April)
Received 2006 August 26, accepted for publication 2006 November 17
Published 2007 March 5
Judd D. Bowman et al. 2007 The Astronomical Journal 133 1505
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