Accurate Beam Prediction Through Characteristic Basis Function Patterns for the MeerKAT/SKA Radio Telescope Antenna
Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift, 2013

A novel beam expansion method is presented that requires employing only a few Characteristic Basis Function Patterns (CBFPs) for the accurate prediction of antenna beam patterns. The method is applied to a proposed design of the MeerKAT/SKA radio telescope, whose antenna geometry is subject to small deformations caused by mechanical or gravitational forces. The resulting deformed pattern, which is affected in a nonlinear fashion by these deformations is then sampled in a few directions only after which the interpolatory CBFPs accurately predict the entire beam shape (beam calibration). The procedure for generating a set of CBFPs-and determining their expansion coefficients using a few reference point sources in the sky-is explained, and the error of the final predicted pattern relative to the actual pattern is examined. The proposed method shows excellent beam prediction capabilities, which is an important step forward towards the development of efficient beam calibration methods for future imaging antenna systems.

calibration

characteristic basis function patterns

Beam modeling

radio telescopes

reflector

array

Författare

A. Young

Universiteit Stellenbosch

Rob Maaskant

Chalmers, Signaler och system, Kommunikation, Antenner och Optiska Nätverk

Marianna Ivashina

Chalmers, Signaler och system, Kommunikation, Antenner och Optiska Nätverk

D. I. L. de Villiers

Universiteit Stellenbosch

D. B. Davidson

Universiteit Stellenbosch

IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation

0018926x (ISSN) 15582221 (eISSN)

Vol. 61 5 2466-2473 6410349

Styrkeområden

Informations- och kommunikationsteknik

Ämneskategorier

Elektroteknik och elektronik

DOI

10.1109/TAP.2013.2239954

Mer information

Skapat

2017-10-07