The ALMA phasing system: A beamforming capability for ultra-high-resolution science at (sub)millimeter wavelengths
Journal article, 2018

The Atacama Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) Phasing Project (APP) has developed and deployed the hardware and software necessary to coherently sum the signals of individual ALMA antennas and record the aggregate sum in Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) Data Exchange Format. These beamforming capabilities allow the ALMA array to collectively function as the equivalent of a single large aperture and participate in global VLBI arrays. The inclusion of phased ALMA in current VLBI networks operating at (sub) millimeter wavelengths provides an order of magnitude improvement in sensitivity, as well as enhancements in u–v coverage and north–south angular resolution. The availability of a phased ALMA enables a wide range of new ultra-high angular resolution science applications, including the resolution of supermassive black holes on event horizon scales and studies of the launch and collimation of astrophysical jets. It also provides a high-sensitivity aperture that may be used for investigations such as pulsar searches at high frequencies. This paper provides an overview of the ALMA Phasing System design, implementation, and performance characteristics.

Methods: observational

Instrumentation: high angular resolution

Instrumentation: interferometers

Author

L. D. Matthews

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

G. Crew

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

S. Doeleman

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

R. Lacasse

National Radio Astronomy Observatory

A. F. Saez

Atacama Large Millimeter-submillimeter Array (ALMA)

W. Alef

Max Planck Society

K. Akiyama

National Astronomical Observatory of Japan

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

R. Amestica

National Radio Astronomy Observatory

J. M. Anderson

Max Planck Society

German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ)

D. A. Barkats

Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

Atacama Large Millimeter-submillimeter Array (ALMA)

A. Baudry

University of Bordeaux

D. Broguière

Institut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique (IRAM)

R. Escoffier

National Radio Astronomy Observatory

V. Fish

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

J. Greenberg

National Radio Astronomy Observatory

M. H. Hecht

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

R. Hiriart

National Radio Astronomy Observatory Socorro

A. Hirota

Atacama Large Millimeter-submillimeter Array (ALMA)

M. Honma

The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI)

National Astronomical Observatory of Japan

P. T.P. Ho

Academia Sinica

C. M. V. Impellizzeri

Atacama Large Millimeter-submillimeter Array (ALMA)

M. Inoue

Academia Sinica

Y. Kohno

National Astronomical Observatory of Japan

B. Lopez

Atacama Large Millimeter-submillimeter Array (ALMA)

Ivan Marti-Vidal

Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Onsala Space Observatory

H. Messias

Atacama Large Millimeter-submillimeter Array (ALMA)

European Southern Observatory Santiago

Z. Meyer-Zhao

Academia Sinica

M. Mora-Klein

National Radio Astronomy Observatory

N. M. Nagar

University of Concepcion

H. Nishioka

Academia Sinica

T. Oyama

National Astronomical Observatory of Japan

V. Pankratius

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

J. Perez

National Radio Astronomy Observatory

N. Phillips

Atacama Large Millimeter-submillimeter Array (ALMA)

N. Pradel

Academia Sinica

H. Rottmann

Max Planck Society

A. Roy

Max Planck Society

C. Ruszczyk

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

B. Shillue

National Radio Astronomy Observatory

S. Suzuki

National Astronomical Observatory of Japan

R. Treacy

National Radio Astronomy Observatory

Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific

0004-6280 (ISSN) 1538-3873 (eISSN)

Vol. 130 983 015002

Subject Categories

Other Computer and Information Science

Signal Processing

Other Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Information Engineering

DOI

10.1088/1538-3873/aa9c3d

More information

Latest update

9/10/2019