The Low-Frequency Environment of the Murchison Widefield Array: Radio-Frequency Interference Analysis and Mitigation

A. R. Offringa; R. B. Wayth; N. Hurley-Walker; D. L. Kaplan; N. Barry; A. P. Beardsley; M. E. Bell; G. Bernardi; J. D. Bowman; F. Briggs; J. R. Callingham; R. J. Cappallo; P. Carroll; A. A. Deshpande; J. S. Dillon; K. S. Dwarakanath; A. Ewall-Wice; L. Feng; B. Q. For; B. M. Gaensler; L. J. Greenhill; P. Hancock; B. J. Hazelton; J. N. Hewitt; L. Hindson; D. C. Jacobs; M. Johnston-Hollitt; A. D. Kapińska; H. S. Kim; P. Kittiwisit; E. Lenc; J. Line; A. Loeb; C. J. Lonsdale; B. McKinley; S. R. McWhirter; D. A. Mitchell; M. F. Morales; E. Morgan; J. Morgan; A. R. Neben; D. Oberoi; S. M. Ord; S. Paul; B. Pindor; J. C. Pober; T. Prabu; P. Procopio; J. Riding; N. Udaya Shankar; S. Sethi; K. S. Srivani; L. Staveley-Smith; R. Subrahmanyan; I. S. Sullivan; M. Tegmark; N. Thyagarajan; S. J. Tingay; C. M. Trott; R. L. Webster; A. Williams; C. L. Williams; C. Wu; J. S. Wyithe; Q. Zheng

doi:10.1017/pasa.2015.7

The Low-Frequency Environment of the Murchison Widefield Array: Radio-Frequency Interference Analysis and Mitigation

A. R. Offringa^*, R. B. Wayth, N. Hurley-Walker, D. L. Kaplan, N. Barry, A. P. Beardsley, M. E. Bell, G. Bernardi, J. D. Bowman, F. Briggs, J. R. Callingham, R. J. Cappallo, P. Carroll, A. A. Deshpande, J. S. Dillon, K. S. Dwarakanath, A. Ewall-Wice, L. Feng, B. Q. For, B. M. GaenslerL. J. Greenhill, P. Hancock, B. J. Hazelton, J. N. Hewitt, L. Hindson, D. C. Jacobs, M. Johnston-Hollitt, A. D. Kapińska, H. S. Kim, P. Kittiwisit, E. Lenc, J. Line, A. Loeb, C. J. Lonsdale, B. McKinley, S. R. McWhirter, D. A. Mitchell, M. F. Morales, E. Morgan, J. Morgan, A. R. Neben, D. Oberoi, S. M. Ord, S. Paul, B. Pindor, J. C. Pober, T. Prabu, P. Procopio, J. Riding, N. Udaya Shankar, S. Sethi, K. S. Srivani, L. Staveley-Smith, R. Subrahmanyan, I. S. Sullivan, M. Tegmark, N. Thyagarajan, S. J. Tingay, C. M. Trott, R. L. Webster, A. Williams, C. L. Williams, C. Wu, J. S. Wyithe, Q. Zheng

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

145 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The Murchison Widefield Array is a new low-frequency interferometric radio telescope built in Western Australia at one of the locations of the future Square Kilometre Array. We describe the automated radio-frequency interference detection strategy implemented for the Murchison Widefield Array, which is based on the aoflagger platform, and present 72-231 MHz radio-frequency interference statistics from 10 observing nights. Radio-frequency interference detection removes 1.1% of the data. Radio-frequency interference from digital TV is observed 3% of the time due to occasional ionospheric or atmospheric propagation. After radio-frequency interference detection and excision, almost all data can be calibrated and imaged without further radio-frequency interference mitigation efforts, including observations within the FM and digital TV bands. The results are compared to a previously published Low-Frequency Array radio-frequency interference survey. The remote location of the Murchison Widefield Array results in a substantially cleaner radio-frequency interference environment compared to Low-Frequency Array's radio environment, but adequate detection of radio-frequency interference is still required before data can be analysed. We include specific recommendations designed to make the Square Kilometre Array more robust to radio-frequency interference, including: the availability of sufficient computing power for radio-frequency interference detection; accounting for radio-frequency interference in the receiver design; a smooth band-pass response; and the capability of radio-frequency interference detection at high time and frequency resolution (second and kHz-scale respectively).

Original language	English
Article number	e008
Journal	Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia
Volume	32
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/pasa.2015.7
Publication status	Published - 16 Feb 2015

Access to Document

10.1017/pasa.2015.7

Cite this

Offringa, A. R., Wayth, R. B., Hurley-Walker, N., Kaplan, D. L., Barry, N., Beardsley, A. P., Bell, M. E., Bernardi, G., Bowman, J. D., Briggs, F., Callingham, J. R., Cappallo, R. J., Carroll, P., Deshpande, A. A., Dillon, J. S., Dwarakanath, K. S., Ewall-Wice, A., Feng, L., For, B. Q., ... Zheng, Q. (2015). The Low-Frequency Environment of the Murchison Widefield Array: Radio-Frequency Interference Analysis and Mitigation. Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia, 32, Article e008. https://doi.org/10.1017/pasa.2015.7

@article{af0bfd1c04f54e40856d0efc494b6de8,

title = "The Low-Frequency Environment of the Murchison Widefield Array: Radio-Frequency Interference Analysis and Mitigation",

abstract = "The Murchison Widefield Array is a new low-frequency interferometric radio telescope built in Western Australia at one of the locations of the future Square Kilometre Array. We describe the automated radio-frequency interference detection strategy implemented for the Murchison Widefield Array, which is based on the aoflagger platform, and present 72-231 MHz radio-frequency interference statistics from 10 observing nights. Radio-frequency interference detection removes 1.1% of the data. Radio-frequency interference from digital TV is observed 3% of the time due to occasional ionospheric or atmospheric propagation. After radio-frequency interference detection and excision, almost all data can be calibrated and imaged without further radio-frequency interference mitigation efforts, including observations within the FM and digital TV bands. The results are compared to a previously published Low-Frequency Array radio-frequency interference survey. The remote location of the Murchison Widefield Array results in a substantially cleaner radio-frequency interference environment compared to Low-Frequency Array's radio environment, but adequate detection of radio-frequency interference is still required before data can be analysed. We include specific recommendations designed to make the Square Kilometre Array more robust to radio-frequency interference, including: the availability of sufficient computing power for radio-frequency interference detection; accounting for radio-frequency interference in the receiver design; a smooth band-pass response; and the capability of radio-frequency interference detection at high time and frequency resolution (second and kHz-scale respectively).",

keywords = "instrumentation: interferometers, methods: observational, radio continuum: general, techniques: interferometric",

author = "Offringa, {A. R.} and Wayth, {R. B.} and N. Hurley-Walker and Kaplan, {D. L.} and N. Barry and Beardsley, {A. P.} and Bell, {M. E.} and G. Bernardi and Bowman, {J. D.} and F. Briggs and Callingham, {J. R.} and Cappallo, {R. J.} and P. Carroll and Deshpande, {A. A.} and Dillon, {J. S.} and Dwarakanath, {K. S.} and A. Ewall-Wice and L. Feng and For, {B. Q.} and Gaensler, {B. M.} and Greenhill, {L. J.} and P. Hancock and Hazelton, {B. J.} and Hewitt, {J. N.} and L. Hindson and Jacobs, {D. C.} and M. Johnston-Hollitt and Kapi{\'n}ska, {A. D.} and Kim, {H. S.} and P. Kittiwisit and E. Lenc and J. Line and A. Loeb and Lonsdale, {C. J.} and B. McKinley and McWhirter, {S. R.} and Mitchell, {D. A.} and Morales, {M. F.} and E. Morgan and J. Morgan and Neben, {A. R.} and D. Oberoi and Ord, {S. M.} and S. Paul and B. Pindor and Pober, {J. C.} and T. Prabu and P. Procopio and J. Riding and {Udaya Shankar}, N. and S. Sethi and Srivani, {K. S.} and L. Staveley-Smith and R. Subrahmanyan and Sullivan, {I. S.} and M. Tegmark and N. Thyagarajan and Tingay, {S. J.} and Trott, {C. M.} and Webster, {R. L.} and A. Williams and Williams, {C. L.} and C. Wu and Wyithe, {J. S.} and Q. Zheng",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2015 Astronomical Society of Australia.",

year = "2015",

month = feb,

day = "16",

doi = "10.1017/pasa.2015.7",

language = "English",

volume = "32",

journal = "Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia",

issn = "1323-3580",

publisher = "Cambridge University Press",

}

Offringa, AR, Wayth, RB, Hurley-Walker, N, Kaplan, DL, Barry, N, Beardsley, AP, Bell, ME, Bernardi, G, Bowman, JD, Briggs, F, Callingham, JR, Cappallo, RJ, Carroll, P, Deshpande, AA, Dillon, JS, Dwarakanath, KS, Ewall-Wice, A, Feng, L, For, BQ, Gaensler, BM, Greenhill, LJ, Hancock, P, Hazelton, BJ, Hewitt, JN, Hindson, L, Jacobs, DC, Johnston-Hollitt, M, Kapińska, AD, Kim, HS, Kittiwisit, P, Lenc, E, Line, J, Loeb, A, Lonsdale, CJ, McKinley, B, McWhirter, SR, Mitchell, DA, Morales, MF, Morgan, E, Morgan, J, Neben, AR, Oberoi, D, Ord, SM, Paul, S, Pindor, B, Pober, JC, Prabu, T, Procopio, P, Riding, J, Udaya Shankar, N, Sethi, S, Srivani, KS, Staveley-Smith, L, Subrahmanyan, R, Sullivan, IS, Tegmark, M, Thyagarajan, N, Tingay, SJ, Trott, CM, Webster, RL, Williams, A, Williams, CL, Wu, C, Wyithe, JS & Zheng, Q 2015, 'The Low-Frequency Environment of the Murchison Widefield Array: Radio-Frequency Interference Analysis and Mitigation', Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia, vol. 32, e008. https://doi.org/10.1017/pasa.2015.7

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Low-Frequency Environment of the Murchison Widefield Array

T2 - Radio-Frequency Interference Analysis and Mitigation

AU - Offringa, A. R.

AU - Wayth, R. B.

AU - Hurley-Walker, N.

AU - Kaplan, D. L.

AU - Barry, N.

AU - Beardsley, A. P.

AU - Bell, M. E.

AU - Bernardi, G.

AU - Bowman, J. D.

AU - Briggs, F.

AU - Callingham, J. R.

AU - Cappallo, R. J.

AU - Carroll, P.

AU - Deshpande, A. A.

AU - Dillon, J. S.

AU - Dwarakanath, K. S.

AU - Ewall-Wice, A.

AU - Feng, L.

AU - For, B. Q.

AU - Gaensler, B. M.

AU - Greenhill, L. J.

AU - Hancock, P.

AU - Hazelton, B. J.

AU - Hewitt, J. N.

AU - Hindson, L.

AU - Jacobs, D. C.

AU - Johnston-Hollitt, M.

AU - Kapińska, A. D.

AU - Kim, H. S.

AU - Kittiwisit, P.

AU - Lenc, E.

AU - Line, J.

AU - Loeb, A.

AU - Lonsdale, C. J.

AU - McKinley, B.

AU - McWhirter, S. R.

AU - Mitchell, D. A.

AU - Morales, M. F.

AU - Morgan, E.

AU - Morgan, J.

AU - Neben, A. R.

AU - Oberoi, D.

AU - Ord, S. M.

AU - Paul, S.

AU - Pindor, B.

AU - Pober, J. C.

AU - Prabu, T.

AU - Procopio, P.

AU - Riding, J.

AU - Udaya Shankar, N.

AU - Sethi, S.

AU - Srivani, K. S.

AU - Staveley-Smith, L.

AU - Subrahmanyan, R.

AU - Sullivan, I. S.

AU - Tegmark, M.

AU - Thyagarajan, N.

AU - Tingay, S. J.

AU - Trott, C. M.

AU - Webster, R. L.

AU - Williams, A.

AU - Williams, C. L.

AU - Wu, C.

AU - Wyithe, J. S.

AU - Zheng, Q.

PY - 2015/2/16

Y1 - 2015/2/16

N2 - The Murchison Widefield Array is a new low-frequency interferometric radio telescope built in Western Australia at one of the locations of the future Square Kilometre Array. We describe the automated radio-frequency interference detection strategy implemented for the Murchison Widefield Array, which is based on the aoflagger platform, and present 72-231 MHz radio-frequency interference statistics from 10 observing nights. Radio-frequency interference detection removes 1.1% of the data. Radio-frequency interference from digital TV is observed 3% of the time due to occasional ionospheric or atmospheric propagation. After radio-frequency interference detection and excision, almost all data can be calibrated and imaged without further radio-frequency interference mitigation efforts, including observations within the FM and digital TV bands. The results are compared to a previously published Low-Frequency Array radio-frequency interference survey. The remote location of the Murchison Widefield Array results in a substantially cleaner radio-frequency interference environment compared to Low-Frequency Array's radio environment, but adequate detection of radio-frequency interference is still required before data can be analysed. We include specific recommendations designed to make the Square Kilometre Array more robust to radio-frequency interference, including: the availability of sufficient computing power for radio-frequency interference detection; accounting for radio-frequency interference in the receiver design; a smooth band-pass response; and the capability of radio-frequency interference detection at high time and frequency resolution (second and kHz-scale respectively).

AB - The Murchison Widefield Array is a new low-frequency interferometric radio telescope built in Western Australia at one of the locations of the future Square Kilometre Array. We describe the automated radio-frequency interference detection strategy implemented for the Murchison Widefield Array, which is based on the aoflagger platform, and present 72-231 MHz radio-frequency interference statistics from 10 observing nights. Radio-frequency interference detection removes 1.1% of the data. Radio-frequency interference from digital TV is observed 3% of the time due to occasional ionospheric or atmospheric propagation. After radio-frequency interference detection and excision, almost all data can be calibrated and imaged without further radio-frequency interference mitigation efforts, including observations within the FM and digital TV bands. The results are compared to a previously published Low-Frequency Array radio-frequency interference survey. The remote location of the Murchison Widefield Array results in a substantially cleaner radio-frequency interference environment compared to Low-Frequency Array's radio environment, but adequate detection of radio-frequency interference is still required before data can be analysed. We include specific recommendations designed to make the Square Kilometre Array more robust to radio-frequency interference, including: the availability of sufficient computing power for radio-frequency interference detection; accounting for radio-frequency interference in the receiver design; a smooth band-pass response; and the capability of radio-frequency interference detection at high time and frequency resolution (second and kHz-scale respectively).

KW - instrumentation: interferometers

KW - methods: observational

KW - radio continuum: general

KW - techniques: interferometric

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84936755589&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1017/pasa.2015.7

DO - 10.1017/pasa.2015.7

M3 - Article

SN - 1323-3580

VL - 32

JO - Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia

JF - Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia

M1 - e008

ER -

The Low-Frequency Environment of the Murchison Widefield Array: Radio-Frequency Interference Analysis and Mitigation

Abstract

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this