Paper 13094-185
Paper 13094-185
Design and verification of a Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) quite radio astronomical telescope control and drive system for the SKA-MPI Prototype and MeerKAT+ Antennas
18 June 2024 • 17:30 - 19:00 Japan Standard Time | Room G5, North - 1F
Abstract
The Square Kilometre Array MPI Prototype Antenna (SKA-MPI) and the current under construction MeerKAT+ project, extending the 64-dish MeerKAT array, are located at the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) site in the Karoo region of South Africa. As a radio quiet zone, the site provides an excellent location for detecting radio signals from weak astronomical sources. Therefore, the requirements on self-induced RFI/EMI emissions are extremely strict. The emission levels of the antennas with their electronic control and drive systems need to be low enough to not interfere with or corrupt the received astronomical signal, which is a clear challenge to the design and on the test equipment for verification.
We will present the development and verification of an innovative RFI quiet telescope control and drive system design that forms the basis of the SKA-MPI and MeerKAT+ antennas.
Presenter
Christian Leinz
Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie (Germany)
Christian Leinz is currently working as a RF Development Engineer at the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy. He graduated with a Master Degree in Electrical Engineering, with focus on digital signal processing, from TU Kaiserslautern. At MPIfR he started his career in the Submillimeter Technology Division in the HIFI/Herschel space project. Then he joined the Submm Heterodyne Receiver Group where he was involved in the design and development of cryogenic submm receiver systems and instrumentation for the APEX Telescope and the SOFIA Airborne Observatory. Since 2016, he is with the Electronics Division at MPIfR, where he is involved in low noise amplifier development projects and receiver projects for MeerKAT and MeerKAT+.