Large Microwave Antenna Arrays for Radio Astronomy and Space Communications

DR. SANDER WEINREB
California Institute of Technology
ETA KAPPA NU SEMINAR SERIESAbstract: Much greater collecting area for microwave signals impinging on Earth is needed for three major objectives: 1) wide bandwidth communication to manned or robotic space probes at planetary distances, 2) radio astronomy observations which provide fundamental information about the origin and composition of the universe, and 3) search for radio communications due to extraterrestrial civilizations. In the past increases in collecting area were achieved by increasing the diameter of large radio telescopes – essentially more steel. The current system approach to this problem is to replace the large mechanical structures with innovative use of electronics, computers, and mass production of small antennas. Current large array projects will be described and technology developments in the areas of wideband antenna feeds and very low noise amplifiers will be discussed. Bio:Sander Weinreb's interests and expertise are in the area of instrumentation for radio astronomy and communications. He introduced digital correlation techniques into radio astronomy (1960), was a co-discoverer of the first molecular line (OH, 1963), led the electronics system design for the Very Large Array (1966-1975), and introduced and developed cooled field-effect transistor amplifiers for radio astronomy (1978-1988). Since leaving NRAO in 1989 he has worked on microwave monolithic integrated circuits (MMICs) applied to military applications at Martin Marietta, astronomy applications at U. of Massachusetts, and space-borne meteorological applications at JPL. At JPL he is currently leading the design of the electronics of a large microwave array for the NASA Deep Space Network. He received BS (1958) and Ph.D (1963) degrees from MIT and is presently a Principal Staff Member at JPL and a Faculty Associate at Caltech. http://www-scf.usc.edu/~hkn/

Location: John Stauffer Science Lecture Hall (SLH) - 100

Audiences: EE Graduate Undergrad and Faculty Invited

Contact: Ericka Lieberknecht