A digital backend for the low frequency all sky monitor
Abstract
Description
The Low Frequency All Sky Monitor (LoFASM) is a distributed array of dipole antennas that are sensitive
to radio frequencies from 10 to 88 MHz. The primary science goals of LoFASM are the detection and study
of low-frequency radio transients, a high priority science goal as deemed by the National Research Council's
decadal survey. LoFASM consists of antennas and front-end electronics that were originally developed for
the Long Wavelength Array (LWA) by the U.S. Naval Research Lab, the University of New Mexico, Virginia
Tech, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. LoFASM, funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, will initially
consist of four stations, each consisting of 12 dual-polarization dipole antennas.
In a single station, RF signals from each of the individual LoFASM dipoles are combined in phase in
order to synthesize LoFASM's beam. The LoFASM RF signals are phased up so that the resulting beam
is sensitive to radio emission that originates from the zenith and RF signals approaching from the horizon
are attenuated. Digitally, this is achieved using a full Stokes 100MHz correlating spectrometer constructed
using eld programmable gate array (FPGA) technology. In this thesis I will describe the design and usage
of the LoFASM Correlator.
PDF; 44 pgs.
PDF; 44 pgs.