The Allen Telescope Array: The First Widefield, Panchromatic, Snapshot Radio Camera for Radio Astronomy and SETI
Journal article, 2009
The first 42 elements of the Allen Telescope Array (ATA-42) are beginning to deliver data at the Hat Creek Radio Observatory in northern California. Scientists and engineers are actively exploiting all of the flexibility designed into this innovative instrument for simultaneously conducting surveys of the astrophysical sky and conducting searches for distant technological civilizations. This paper summarizes the design elements of the ATA, the cost savings made possible by the use of commercial off-the-shelf components, and the cost/performance tradeoffs that eventually enabled this first snapshot radio camera. The fundamental scientific program of this new telescope is varied and exciting; some of the first astronomical results will be discussed.
Antenna arrays
astronomy
array signal processing
search for extraterrestrial intelligence
receivers
antenna feeds
Author
J. Welch
University of California
D. Backer
University of California
L. Blitz
University of California
D. Bock
University of California
G. C. Bower
University of California
C. Cheng
University of California
S. Croft
University of California
M. Dexter
University of California
G. Engargiola
University of California
E. Fields
University of California
J. Forster
University of California
C. Gutierrez-Kraybill
University of California
C. Heiles
University of California
T. Helfer
University of California
S. Jorgensen
University of California
G. Keating
University of California
J. Lugten
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
D. MacMahon
University of California
O. Milgrome
University of California
D. Thornton
University of California
L. Urry
University of California
J. van Leeuwen
D. Werthimer
University of California
P. H. Williams
University of California
M. Wright
University of California
J. Tarter
SETI Institute
R. Ackermann
SETI Institute
S. Atkinson
SETI Institute
P. Backus
SETI Institute
W. Barott
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
T. Bradford
SETI Institute
M. Davis
SETI Institute
D. DeBoer
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
J. Dreher
SETI Institute
G. R. Harp
SETI Institute
J. Jordan
SETI Institute
T. Kilsdonk
SETI Institute
T. Pierson
SETI Institute
K. Randall
SETI Institute
J. Ross
SETI Institute
S. Shostak
SETI Institute
M. Fleming
Minex Engineering
C. Cork
Minex Engineering
A. Vitouchkine
Minex Engineering
Niklas Wadefalk
Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Microwave Electronics
S. Weinreb
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
Proceedings of the IEEE
0018-9219 (ISSN) 15582256 (eISSN)
Vol. 97 8 1438-1447 5164980Subject Categories
Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Information Engineering
DOI
10.1109/JPROC.2009.2017103