The Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder: Performance of the Boolardy Engineering Test Array. (9th September 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McConnell, D.; Allison, J. R.; Bannister, K.; Bell, M. E.; Bignall, H. E.; Chippendale, A. P.; Edwards, P. G.; Harvey-Smith, L.; Hegarty, S.; Heywood, I.; Hotan, A. W.; Indermuehle, B. T.; Lenc, E.; Marvil, J.; Popping, A.; Raja, W.; Reynolds, J. E.; Sault, R. J.; Serra, P.; Voronkov, M. A.; Whiting, M.; Amy, S. W.; Axtens, P.; Ball, L.; Bateman, T. J.; Bock, D. C.-J.; Bolton, R.; Brodrick, D.; Brothers, M.; Brown, A. J.; Bunton, J. D.; Cheng, W.; Cornwell, T.; DeBoer, D.; Feain, I.; Gough, R.; Gupta, N.; Guzman, J. C.; Hampson, G. A.; Hay, S.; Hayman, D. B.; Hoyle, S.; Humphreys, B.; Jacka, C.; Jackson, C. A.; Jackson, S.; Jeganathan, K.; Joseph, J.; Koribalski, B. S.; Leach, M.; Lensson, E. S.; MacLeod, A.; Mackay, S.; Marquarding, M.; McClure-Griffiths, N. M.; Mirtschin, P.; Mitchell, D.; Neuhold, S.; Ng, A.; Norris, R.; Pearce, S.; Qiao, R. Y.; Schinckel, A. E. T.; Shields, M.; Shimwell, T. W.; Storey, M.; Troup, E.; Turner, B.; Tuthill, J.; Tzioumis, A.; Wark, R. M.; Westmeier, T.; Wilson, C.; Wilson, T.;
• Is Part Of: Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia. Volume 33(2016)
• Publication Date: 2016-09-09
• Subjects: instrumentation: detectors – instrumentation: interferometers – methods: observational – techniques: interferometric – telescopes; Astronomy -- Periodicals; Southern sky (Astronomy) -- Periodicals; Astrophysics -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 520.5
• DOI: 10.1017/pasa.2016.37
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1323-3580

Abstract

Abstract: We describe the performance of the Boolardy Engineering Test Array, the prototype for the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder telescope. Boolardy Engineering Test Array is the first aperture synthesis radio telescope to use phased array feed technology, giving it the ability to electronically form up to nine dual-polarisation beams. We report the methods developed for forming and measuring the beams, and the adaptations that have been made to the traditional calibration and imaging procedures in order to allow BETA to function as a multi-beam aperture synthesis telescope. We describe the commissioning of the instrument and present details of Boolardy Engineering Test Array's performance: sensitivity, beam characteristics, polarimetric properties, and image quality. We summarise the astronomical science that it has produced and draw lessons from operating Boolardy Engineering Test Array that will be relevant to the commissioning and operation of the final Australian Square Kilometre Array Path telescope.