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A Roadmap towards a Space-based Radio Telescope for Ultra-Low Frequency Radio Astronomy

The past two decades saw a renewed interest in low frequency radio astronomy, with a particular focus on frequencies above 30 MHz. 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...

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Published in:arXiv.org 2019-09
Main Authors: Bentum, M J, Verma, M K, Rajan, R T, A -J Boonstra, Verhoeven, C J M, Gill, E K A, A J van der Veen, Falcke, H, M Klein Wolt, Monna, B, Engelen, S, Rotteveel, J, Gurvits, L I
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container_title arXiv.org
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creator Bentum, M J
Verma, M K
Rajan, R T
A -J Boonstra
Verhoeven, C J M
Gill, E K A
A J van der Veen
Falcke, H
M Klein Wolt
Monna, B
Engelen, S
Rotteveel, J
Gurvits, L I
description The past two decades saw a renewed interest in low frequency radio astronomy, with a particular focus on frequencies above 30 MHz. 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 human-made radio frequency interference (RFI). A space or Lunar-based ultra-low-frequency (or ultra-long-wavelength, ULW) 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 in order 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), presents 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 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. A number of key technologies of OLFAR are still to be developed and proven. The first step in this roadmap is the NCLE (Netherlands China Low Frequency Explorer) experiment launched in May 2018 on the Chinese Chang'e-4 mission. The NCLE payload consists of a three monopole antenna system 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.
doi_str_mv 10.48550/arxiv.1909.08951
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subjects Apertures
Chinese space program
Chinese spacecraft
Data transmission
Extremely low frequencies
Frequencies
Interstellar matter
Lunar exploration
Monopole antennas
Planet detection
Planetary systems
Radio astronomy
Radio frequency interference
Radio telescopes
Radio waves
Satellite observation
Solar system
Space missions
Wave reflection
title A Roadmap towards a Space-based Radio Telescope for Ultra-Low Frequency Radio Astronomy
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