hs radio telescope program

7/29/2019 HS Radio Telescope Program

1/24

Proposal

For a

High School Radio Telescope

Program

2013


2/24

2

Contents

Purpose ........................................................................................................................................................ 3

Learning Objectives ................................................................................................................................... 4

Mathematics ............................................................................................................................................ 4

Physics ..................................................................................................................................................... 4

Chemistry ................................................................................................................................................ 4

Astronomy .............................................................................................................................................. 4

Biology ..................................................................................................................................................... 4

Art ............................................................................................................................................................ 4

Suggested Prerequisites ............................................................................................................................ 5

Suggested Observations ............................................................................................................................ 6

Observation Points and Student Impact ............................................................................................. 6

Suggested Technologies .......................................................................................................................... 11

Budget Considerations ............................................................................................................................ 12

Equipment ............................................................................................................................................. 12

Existing Course Augmentation .............................................................................................................. 16

Implementation Plan ............................................................................................................................... 17

Stage 1 .................................................................................................................................................... 17

Stage 2 .................................................................................................................................................... 18

Stage 3 .................................................................................................................................................... 19

Stage 4 .................................................................................................................................................... 20

Stage 5 .................................................................................................................................................... 21

Stage 6 .................................................................................................................................................... 22Stage 7 .................................................................................................................................................... 23

Example: ................................................................................................................................................ 24


3/24

3

Purpose

The perspective of this proposal is not that of an educator, therefore it is respectfully

requested that any defects of form, protocol or assumptions be viewed as the result of a lack of

information and not a specific interpretation of current policy or practice. This proposal is born

from respect for educators and the hope to provide a means of enhancing student engagement

in scientific experiences.

Radio telescopes show us galaxies we will never see with our eyes through an optical

telescope. Our view of the galaxies that we are able to see is enhanced substantially by radio

telescopes. While the technology for this sort of research is literally on the cutting edge, there isstill valuable research to be had using readily-available, economic technologies. This proposal

seeks to provide a plan for implementing a budget-friendly educational enhancement that

requires little intervention while continually delivering educational data.


4/24

4

Learning Objectives

Mathematics

From the freshman grade level to seniors a radio telescope program can be used to enhancemath instruction by bringing otherwise advanced, though nebulous concepts to life.

Physics

Radio telescopes invite physics concepts to their extremes of interpretation.

Chemistry

In addition to optical spectral analysis performed with a telescope, quite a bit of chemical

information can be delivered by a radio telescope. Key elements and compounds can be

detected at different wavelengths leading to various discussions about celestial chemical

reactions and processes.

Astronomy

Radio telescopes often know about changes in celestial bodies well in advance of visual events.

Adding even a basic radio telescope can aid in predicting events worthy of study well in

advance. In addition the radio telescope can be used to detect the effects following celestial

events that may have even happened centuries earlier.

Biology

While still driven by theory and speculation, the search for celestial water, hydrogen andhydrocarbons drives discussions of potential life-bearing configurations of celestial bodies.

Radio telescopes enhance this line of study.

Art

An often overlooked aspect to our understanding of celestial data is how we present our results.

Applying artistic talent to this provides a layer of interpretation older than Galileo and expands

avenues of student involvement.


5/24

5

Suggested Prerequisites

This listing is beyond the scope of this proposal. It is expected that educators will decide

how best to utilize this program.


6/24

6

Suggested Observations

Monitoring the electromagnetic spectrum in search of unseen cosmic phenomena has

few rules. With a practical frequency range of 10KHz to 100 GHz a nation could go broke

trying to listen to it all. At the high school level this is a daunting set of choices, all limited by

budgets. NASA also has a basic radio telescope monitoring program for schools.

Introducing students to electromagnetic celestial observation can begin at the freshman

level if the curriculum can be adapted to include enhancements to science and math instruction.

The lower bands provide a simple link between optical and radio astronomy. While an optical

telescope is being focused on Jupiter, a pair of directional loop antennas and receivers can be

focused on the gas giant as well to monitor the extreme activity of Jupiter between 15 and 30

megahertz. The same can be said of solar observations in the VHF bands.

Sophomore and Junior level students will find additional enhancements for math,

physics and even chemistry instruction in the next series of bands. Some are served by variable

direction antennas that require specific calculations to encounter celestial phenomena. Others

are longer term and are detected by larger fixed antenna arrays. Using this means of passive

detection the earth becomes the telescopes tracking device. At any moment of the day or night

the exact position of the antenna is known and can be confirmed using fixed mathematical

concepts.

Seniors will have a wealth of practical, long-term observations that can be compiled into

research papers, science projects and other presentations including the occasional published

discoveries. In a senior-level high school astronomy program a multiband radio telescopeprogram will provide real-world exposure for various segments of the curriculum.

In addition to the benefits the observations a working system provides, the students

should be encouraged to get involved in the design, construction and operation of the system.

Since budget constraints are likely to stretch this effort over several years, involving students in

the establishment, maintenance and upgrades of the system will further enrich their exposure

while helping control costs.

Observation Points and Student Impact

In order to narrow the observational field and make compromise choices easier, the

following are suggested frequency bands that would provide a wide range of observational

opportunities.


7/24

Frequency

RangeBand Observations

Student Impact

Pro Con

0.1 30 KHzELF

VLF

Terrestrial and extraterrestrial

electromagnetic phenomena

Very active band.

Wide range of effects and

sounds.

Simple experiments produce

dramatic results.

Not much in the way of

meaningful astronomical data.

Best effects occur outside of

school hours.

7 30 MHz MF

Interplanetary electromagnetic

emissions. NASA has a school

program for monitoring 20MHz

emissions from Jupiter named

JOVE.

Very active band.Students select frequencies to

monitor.

Simple antenna.

Also measures solar activity.

Massive human-induced noiseto sort through.

Monitoring the entire band

requires exponential numbers

of receivers.

Best planetary observations

will be at night.

88 108 MHz VHF

Ionized trails of meteors, rockets

and solar flares.

Note: Quasars can be received

in this range as well, but over

99% of them are radio-silent!

Students select frequencies to

monitor.

Simple directional Yagi antenna.

24/7 observation capability.

Good for long and short term

assignments.

Massive human-induced noise

and commercial stations to

sort through.

Supermassive black holes

prevent regular observations

of Quasars.

150 - 153 MHz VHFPulsars, continuum

measurements and logging

Analog coverage of the entire

band may be performed by a

single receiver per antenna.

Plenty of continuum activity to

be measured.

An array of simple directional

Yagi antennas.

Pulsars are rare; it could be

many months or even years

before a fixed antenna system

encounters one.

Directional tracking for such

distant objects is expensive

and complex.

Continuum relic tracking is

not particularly exciting!


8/24

8

Frequency


Student Impact

Pro Con

406.1 410 MHz UHF Pulsars, continuummeasurements and logging





be measured.

Good for long-term

assignments.

Pulsars are rare; it could be

many years before a fixed

antenna system encounters

one.

Directional tracking for such

distant objects is expensive

and complex.



Can take months to gain

enough measurements for

meaningful exercise of the

data.

1420 MHz UHFNeutral hydrogen atoms in

space

Simple receiver and antenna.

Allows students to track former

star locations and other

hydrogen wells.

Encounters can have a wide

range of indications.

Novel inferences about theextended reach of life in the

universe.

Questionable research value.

Results can vary wildly at the

same coordinates.

8.66 8.67 GHz SHF

Ionized helium isotope (3HeII)

for stellar and solar wind

measurements

Always active.

Data easily coordinated and

confirmed with recognized

sources.

Good for short-term

assignments.

Kind of like watching stellar

grass grow during the day.

Uncommon results will

always be in the dead of night.


9/24

9

Frequency


Student Impact

Pro Con

10.6 10.7 GHz XContinuum measurements and

logging





be measured.

Good for long-term

assignments.



Can take months to gain

enough measurements for

meaningful exercise of the

data.

12.17 12.19 GHz K Methanol in space

Milky way has several sources.

Novel inferences about the

extended reach of life in the

universe.

Deep space encounters are

rare; it could be many months

or years before a fixed antenna

system encounters one.

Directional tracking is possible

manually, but must take place

at night.

14.44 14.5 GHz Ku Formaldehyde in space

Intergalactic and extragalactic

sources.



universe.

Deep space encounter are rare;

it could be many years before

a fixed antenna system

encounters one.

Directional tracking is possiblemanually, but must take place

at night.


10/24

10

Frequency


Student Impact

Pro Con

22.16 22.26 GHz Ka Water Vapor in space

Extensive Doppler effect

exposure.



universe.

Deep space encounter are rare;

it could be many years before

a fixed antenna system

encounters one.

Directional tracking is possible

manually, but must take place

at night.


11/24

Suggested Technologies

One of the attractive elements of this undertaking is that most of the technology is not

only off-the-shelf, a great portion of it is inexpensive. Costs can be driven down further by

involving students in the fabrication of antennas, receivers and visualization means.

In practical terms, it will be necessary to have the greatest part of the observations

performed by computer. This is normal because a radio telescope is not limited to nighttime

operation in the same manner as optical telescopes (though the sun becomes a factor, it can also

be used yearly for instrument calibration).

As the system grows the antenna cables will seem like Kudzu unless a plan for cable

throughways and support trays is considered prior to installing any of the 10-element arrays.The remote antennas/receivers (such as the JOVE program or portable antennas) may benefit

from wireless data transmission.

Since the technology is relatively inexpensive, incremental advancements in the

program can involve students across multiple years.

Antenna technologies are tied to their bandwidths and orientation. Lower frequencies

employ simple stretched-wire dipoles (JOVE), Horizontal and vertical tuned Yagi antennas

work fine for most mid-bands and higher bands require a reflective dish pair.


12/24

12

Budget Considerations

The good news is that the budget impact for starting a radio telescope program is

minimal. The NASA program for monitoring Jupiter in conjunction with schools (JOVE) relies

on a pair of wire dipole antennas and a 20 MHz radio receiver in conjunction with a computer

and free software for continuous monitoring. This particular setup can be had for under $100(sans computer).

Other elements of the program will have to be modified or fabricated by students and

teachers. This includes antennas, receivers (such as ELF/VLF band), tuning, matching and data-

logging equipment. All of this can occur in whatever incremental stages the school chooses.

While a simple program like JOVE can get a school into radio astronomy in very inexpensive

terms, it is still dedicated to a singular line of study; Jupiters emissions at 20 MHz.

In the radio astronomy game the simple rule is that too much is never enough. This is

made evident by the Very Large Array in New Mexico or the Arecibo crater dish in Puerto Rico.

Both are hideously expensive and require substantial maintenance since they are not fixed

installations. Being able to tilt the antenna elements allows these examples to provide limited

tracking to keep a particular object in view longer as the earth moves.

With a fixed array the earth becomes your scanning driver. The advantage is that once

mounted, the antennas dont move again. This means when a celestial object is detected, the

location can be readily confirmed, the math will prove it. The disadvantage is that with most

detection events, they will not be repeated. Still, for a high school, a fixed array for a wide

profile of bands can be constructed incrementally and operated inexpensively. In most casesthe power consumption for active antenna elements will add up to less than a watt each. A 50-

element array can consume less than 15 watts. The rest of the power used would be computers

running 24/7 as data loggers. This could be a series of networked desktop computers up to 5

years old. Utility consumption is negligible but can be affected by large numbers of PCs..

Equipment

The best news for a radio astronomy program in a high school is that the equipment is

largely common, inexpensive and often simple to fabricate. While using reclaimed technology

on its own does not lend itself to building a world-class radio observatory, the other side of this

coin is the diversity of coverage for the entire system. Building the system in regular

increments will enable the students to become engaged in the process for multiple years and

watch the evolution of the program happen in real time.


13/24

13

The following is a basic study for implementing a radio telescope program to a high

school based on equipment advancements and the coverage each change provides. For the sake

of simplicity the example is aligned square with true north. This is the suggested orientation for

an East-West array that allows passive celestial scanning that provides a predictable field of

view. Other elements of this program can incorporate directional antennas on rotating, pitch-controlled mounts, horizontal plane fixed mountings and stretched wire dipoles.

The equipment stages will attempt to take full advantage of any reclaimed technology

available. For example, monitoring the K band for Methanol can be accomplished with a simple

array of reclaimed direct service (smaller) satellite TV dish antennas, a simple receiver circuit

for each antenna and a computer for consolidating and logging the data. Adding an additional

feed horn would allow the same dish to be upgraded to monitor the Ku band for Formaldehyde

during the same pass.

In the next table the equipment for specific bands is discussed as well as approximatepricing. All of the pricing is affected by the potential for utilizing reclaimed equipment and

donated services as well as engaging students in custom fabrication and calibration of

equipment during upgrade phases.

In addition to the antennas and receivers the system will need a way to consolidate and

log all of the inputs. Since the system is expected to grow gradually, analog inputs can first be

as simple as the microphone jack on a PC. Each PC would give 2 channels of continuous

recording capability. This can take advantage of retiring PCs since the technology is not

required to be current. This works fine for single-frequency pairs and will provide valuable

data thanks to having 2 phases for comparison. Adding more channels of input changes this

equation.

If the school system has a warehouse full of older PCs, a full implementation of the

suggested high school program presented here would require around 82 channels or 41 PCs

running 24/7. This would certainly cause budget concerns and require additional cooling if

they are all kept in the same place. Using PCs as 2-channel data recorders gains cost faster than

efficiency, but is still a viable solution for whatever number the school and school system care

to endure. Once that mark is met, multi-channel data input boards for PCs become necessary.

They are available in configurations of 4, 8, 10, 12, 16, 32 and 64 channels but run from a few

hundred dollars to over a thousand.


14/24

Frequency

RangeBand Observations Equipment Costs

0.1 30 KHzELF

VLF

Terrestrial and extraterrestrial

electromagnetic phenomena

(2) Receivers, Custom

(2) Antennas, Reclaimed

(6) Grounding Rods

$50 each

$0.00

$10 Each

Total $160

7 30 MHz MF

Interplanetary electromagneticemissions. NASA has a school

program for monitoring 20MHz

emissions from Jupiter named

JOVE.

(2) Receivers,(2) Fixed Antennas, Custom

JOVE Dipoles

(2) Portable Directional Loop

Antennas, Custom. (*)

$100 each$25 each

$100 each

Total $450

88 108 MHz VHF

Ionized trails of meteors, rockets

and solar flares.

Note: Quasars can be received

in this range as well, but over

99% of them are radio-silent!

(2 - 12) Receivers,

(2 - 12) Fixed Directional Yagi

Horizontal plane Antennas,

Custom.

(*)

$20 each

$20 each

Total $80 to $240

150 - 153 MHz VHF

Pulsars, continuum


(4 - 8) Receivers, Custom.


Horizontal plane Antennas,Custom. Mounted at 2 heights

oriented east.

$100 each

$20 each

Total $480 to $960

406.1 410 MHz UHFPulsars, continuum


(4 - 8) Receivers, Custom.


vertical plane Antennas,

Custom.

$100 each

$20 each

Total $480 to $960

1420 MHz UHFNeutral hydrogen atoms in

space

(9) Receivers, Custom

(9) Fixed Helical directional

antennas, custom

$70 each

$20 each

Total $810


15/24

15

Frequency

RangeBand Observations Equipment Costs

8.66 8.67 GHz SHF


for stellar and solar wind

measurements

(6) Receivers, Custom.

(6) Fixed Yagi vertical plane

Antennas, Custom.

$100 each

$20 each

Total $720

10.6 10.7 GHz XContinuum measurements and

logging


(10) Fixed Directional Dish

antenna. Reclaimed, modified.

(10) Brass wave guides, custom.

$50 each

$20 each

$20 each

Total $900

12.17 12.19 GHz K Methanol in space




(*)

$50 each

$20 each

Total $700

14.44 14.5 GHz Ku Formaldehyde in space




$100 each

$20 each

Total $1200

22.16 22.26 GHz Ka Water Vapor in space




$100 each

$20 each

Total $1200

Multi-Band Dual

Phase Arrays (2)

X, K,

Ku,

Ka,

SHF,

UHF


Continuum

Methanol

Formaldehyde

Water Vapor


(20) Fixed Dish, Yagi, helical


$100 each

$20 each

Total $2400

Grand Total $10,700

(*) Readily adapted technology.


16/24

Existing Course Augmentation

How a school develops and continues a curriculum is outside of the scope of thisproposal. The learning objectives in the beginning touch on the diversity of educational

disciplines that might consider a tie-in to the efforts of the radio astronomy program.

Depending upon the level of involvement of the students and the turnover as students gain and

lose interest or seek different directions, the program itself may go through cycles of

importance.

It is assumed this program will be started initially outside of regular class hours. For

this reason a gradual approach is suggested to test the waters and to minimize budget impact

and to allow for adequate course development time.


17/24

17

Implementation Plan

This is a hypothetical implementation plan divided into seven stages. The school is

aligned for perfect east-west antenna orientation with north at the top.

Stage 1

This stage suggests an implementation of the least expensive technologies as a starting

point. This system will allow augmentation of existing telescope observations as well as NASA-

sponsored continuing research into emission from Jupiter. The VHF array will allow a range of

observations throughout the day.


18/24

18

Stage 2

This stage adds the ELF/VLF receivers to explore lower band phenomena as well as a

multi-band dual phase array for all of the upper band monitoring in a low-resolution system fit

for fixed scanning. This particular stage pushes the greatest part of the development efforts for

reclaimed equipment as well as dedicated-purpose equipment.


19/24

19

Stage 3

This stage adds the 3HeII (helium isotope) detection array which is an arrangement of

vertical Yagi antennas tilted 15 degrees from north. This is to allow overlap in the scan to take

advantage of the pattern of reception for this antenna design.


20/24

20

Stage 4

This stage adds the hydrogen wavelength helical antenna array. This 9-element array is

aimed directly vertically and requires a dedicated technology receiver for each antenna.


21/24

21

Stage 5

This stage adds the Ka band (water vapor) array which will allow the first higher-

resolution scan capability. This will also mark the change in duty for the Ka element of the dual

phase multi-arrays into a pre-and post-scan verification/checksum system.


22/24

22

Stage 6

This stage adds the X band array which will allow the first higher-resolution scan

capability. This will also mark the change in duty for the X-band elements of the dual phase

multi-arrays into a pre-and post-scan verification/checksum system.


23/24

23

Stage 7

This stage adds the K and Ku band array which will allow the first higher-resolution

scan capability. This will also mark the change in duty for the K and Ku elements of the dual

phase multi-arrays into a pre-and post-scan verification/checksum system. This stage can be

limited to either K or Ku as budget constraints may dictate.


24/24

24

Example:

hs radio telescope program

Documents