Radio Astronomical Synthesis Arrays - Real Time Processing Needs

W. R. Burns; M. S. Ewing

doi:10.1117/12.936438

28 November 1983 Radio Astronomical Synthesis Arrays - Real Time Processing Needs

W. R. Burns, M. S. Ewing

Proceedings Volume 0431, Real-Time Signal Processing VI; (1983) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.936438
Event: 27th Annual Technical Symposium, 1983, San Diego, United States

Abstract

This paper describes the real time processing requirements for radio synthesis arrays. The processing is real time, not in the sense that it must occur synchronously with the data collection, but that it must progress at the rate data is collected if a growing backlog is to be avoided. Two types of radio synthesis arrays are used in radio astrophysics, real time or connected arrays and arrays using the Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) tech-nique. In the former, the elements are phase locked to a common clock and data are corre-lated in real time. In the latter, the elements are phased to a local clock and the data are recorded locally. Two basic processing steps, fringe processing and map processing, are involved. Both steps are shown to be computationally demanding. The large number of computing instructions involved combined with the nature of the algorithms makes the development of special purpose hardware very attractive. The technology involving the development of optimum processing algorithms, however, has been progressing rapidly. This greatly complicates the choice of hardware.

Citation Download Citation

W. R. Burns and M. S. Ewing "Radio Astronomical Synthesis Arrays - Real Time Processing Needs", Proc. SPIE 0431, Real-Time Signal Processing VI, (28 November 1983); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.936438

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