Refine
Departments, institutes and facilities
Document Type
- Article (31)
- Conference Object (29)
Year of publication
Language
- English (60)
Keywords
We present the performance of the upGREAT heterodyne array receivers on the SOFIA telescope after several years of operations. This instrument is a multi-pixel high resolution (R≳107) spectrometer for the Stratospheric Observatory for Far-Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). The receivers use 7-pixel subarrays configured in a hexagonal layout around a central pixel. The low frequency array receiver (LFA) has 2×7 pixels (dual polarization), and presently covers the 1.83–2.07THz frequency range, which allows to observe the [CII] and [OI] lines at 158μm and 145μm wavelengths. The high frequency array (HFA) covers the [OI] line at 63μm and is equipped with one polarization at the moment (7 pixels, which can be upgraded in the near future with a second polarization array). The 4.7THz array has successfully flown using two separate quantum-cascade laser local oscillators from two different groups. NASA completed the development, integration and testing of a dual-channel closed-cycle cryocooler system, with two independently operable He compressors, aboard SOFIA in early 2017 and since then, both arrays can be operated in parallel using a frequency separating dichroic mirror. This configuration is now the prime GREAT configuration and has been added to SOFIA’s instrument suite since observing cycle 6.
We present a new multi-pixel high resolution (R ≳ 107) spectrometer for the Stratospheric Observatory for Far-Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). The receiver uses 2 × 7-pixel subarrays in orthogonal polarization, each in an hexagonal array around a central pixel. We present the first results for this new instrument after commissioning campaigns in May and December 2015 and after science observations performed in May 2016. The receiver is designed to ultimately cover the full 1.8−2.5 THz frequency range but in its first implementation, the observing range was limited to observations of the [CII] line at 1.9 THz in 2015 and extended to 1.83−2.07 THz in 2016. The instrument sensitivities are state-of-the-art and the first scientific observations performed shortly after the commissioning confirm that the time efficiency for large scale imaging is improved by more than an order of magnitude as compared to single pixel receivers. An example of large scale mapping around the Horsehead Nebula is presented here illustrating this improvement. The array has been added to SOFIA’s instrument suite already for ongoing observing cycle 4.
We present our second generation of broadband Fast Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FFTS), optimized for a wide range of radio astronomical applications. The new digitizer and analyzer boards make use of the latest versions of GHz analogto-digital converters and the most complex field programmable gate array chips commercially available today. These state-ofthe-art chips have made possible to build digital spectrometers with instantaneous bandwidths up to 1.8 GHz and 8192 spectral channels.
We report the status of a search for pulsars in the Galactic Centre, using a completely revised and improved high-sensitivity doublehorn system at 4.85-GHz. We also present calculations about the success rate of periodicity searches for such a survey, showing that in contrast to conclusions in recent literature pulsars can be indeed detected at the chosen search frequency.
Spectral surveys provide the only way to determine the full molecular inventory of an object and hence build a comprehensive view of the state of the molecular gas and its role in star formation and the structure and evolution of the ISM. Of course spectral surveys also provide the most efficient method of identifying new and unexpected species that have to be include in the chemical networks. The most extensive and complete survey of an extragalactic system has been the continuous spectral survey from 129 GHz to 175 GHz carried out by Martín et al. (2006) toward NGC253. This first spectral line surveys at 2 mm towards the prototypical starbursts galaxies NGC253 have shown an unexpected chemical richness.
Context.We present the technology and first scientific results of a new generation of very flexible and sensitive spectrometers, well-suited for the needs of spectral-line radio and (sub)millimeter astronomy: Fast Fourier Transform Spectrometers (FFTS), which are in operation at the Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment (APEX) telescope.
Aims. The FFTS for APEX is a novel high-resolution 2 x 1 GHz bandwidth digital spectrometer backend. Due to its high frequency resolution, and the demonstrated capability of operating at high altitude, the FFTS became the facility spectrometer for spectral line observations at APEX.
Methods. The FFTS is based on one of the currently most powerful digitizer/analyzer boards available from Acqiris, Switzerland. The board incorporates two 1 Gsamples/s analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) with 8-bit resolution which feed an on-board complex field programmable gate array (FPGA) chip. The enormous processing power by today's FPGAs allow for a complete real-time FFT signal processing pipeline to decompose a 1 GHz band into 16 384 spectral channels in just one chip.
Results. Since May 2005 an MPIfR FFTS has been extensively used in all regular spectroscopic science observations. The performance at APEX was demonstrated to be very reliable and as good as measured in the first laboratory tests which finally led to the request to provide a second, facility type FFTS for APEX. The unit was delivered and commissioned in March this year.
Conclusions. Using a commercially available digitizer board, it was possible to develop a complete FFTS in only a few months. Successful observations at APEX demonstrate that this new generation of FPGA-based spectrometers easily matching and superseding the performance of older technology spectrometers and can built up much more easily. Furthermore, the by now available class of new high-speed ADCs and the continuous increase of FPGA processing power makes it very likely that FFTS can be pushed to broader bandwidth and even more spectral channels in the near future.
Introduction: After cellulose, lignin represents the most abundant biopolymer on earth that accounts for up to 18-35 % by weight of lignocellulose biomass. Today, it is a by-product of the paper and pulping industry. Although lignin is available in huge amounts, mainly in form of so called black liquor produced via Kraft-pulping, processes for the valorization of lignin are still limited [1]. Due to its hyperbranched polyphenol-like structure, lignin gained increasing interest as biobased building block for polymer synthesis [2]. The present work is focused on extraction and purification of lignin from industrial black liquor and synthesis of lignin-based polyurethanes.
We report on submillimetre bolometer observations of the isolated neutron star RX J1856.5−3754 using the Large Apex Bolometer Camera bolometer array on the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment telescope. No cold dust continuum emission peak at the position of RX J1856.5−3754 was detected. The 3σ flux density upper limit of 5 mJy translates into a cold dust mass limit of a few earth masses. We use the new submillimetre limit, together with a previously obtained H-band limit, to constrain the presence of a gaseous, circumpulsar disc. Adopting a simple irradiated disc model, we obtain a mass accretion limit of Graphic and a maximum outer disc radius of ∼1014 cm. By examining the projected proper motion of RX J1856.5−3754, we speculate about a possible encounter of the neutron star with a dense fragment of the CrA molecular cloud a few thousand years ago.
Using the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) telescope, we have detected the rotational ground-state transitions of ortho-ammonia and ortho-water toward the redshift 0.89 absorbing galaxy in the PKS 1830-211 gravitational lens system. We discuss our observations in the context of recent space-borne data obtained for these lines with the SWAS and Odin satellites toward Galactic sources. We find commonalities, but also significant differences between the interstellar media in a galaxy at intermediate redshift and in the Milky Way. Future high-quality observations of the ground-state ammonia transition in PKS 1830-211, together with inversion line data, will lead to strong constraints on the variation in the proton to electron mass ratio over the past 7.2 Gyr.
Known and novel techniques are described to implement a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) in hardware, such that parallelized data can be processed. The usage of both - real and imaginary FFT-input - can help saving hardware. Based on the different techniques, flexible to use FFT-implementations have been developed by combining standard FFT-components (partly IP) and are compared, according to their hardware utilization. Finally, applicability has been demonstrated in practice by a FFTimplementation with 8192 channels as part of a FPGAspectrometer with a total bandwidth of 1.5 GHz.
Simultaneous multifrequency radio observations of the Galactic Centre magnetar SGR J1745-2900
(2015)
Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detectors have great potential for large very sensitive detector arrays for use in, for example, ground and spaced based sub?mm imaging. Being intrinsically readout in the frequency domain, they are particularly suited for frequency domain multiplexing allowing 1000s of devices to be readout with one pair of coaxial cables. However, this moves the complexity of the detector from the cryogenics to the warm electronics. We present the use of a readout based on a Fast Fourier transform Spectrometer, showing no deterioration of the noise performance compared to low noise analog mixing while allowing high multiplexing ratios (>100). We present use of this technique to multiplex 44 MKIDs, while this and similar setups are regularly now being used in our array development. This development will help the realization of large cameras, particularly in the short term for ground based astronomy.
We discuss our recent discovery of the giant radio emission from the Crab pulsar at its high frequency components (HFCs) phases and show the polarization characteristic of these pulses. This leads us to a suggestion that there is no difference in the emission mechanism of the main pulse (MP), interpulse (IP) and HFCs. We briefly review the size distributions of the Crab giant radio pulses (GRPs) and discuss general characteristics of the GRP phenomenon in the Crab and other pulsars.