The Phase II Murchison Widefield Array: Design overview

Randall B. Wayth; Steven J. Tingay; Cathryn M. Trott; David Emrich; Melanie Johnston-Hollitt; Ben McKinley; B. M. Gaensler; A. P. Beardsley; T. Booler; B. Crosse; T. M.O. Franzen; L. Horsley; D. L. Kaplan; D. Kenney; M. F. Morales; D. Pallot; G. Sleap; K. Steele; M. Walker; A. Williams; C. Wu; Iver H. Cairns; M. D. Filipovic; S. Johnston; T. Murphy; P. Quinn; L. Staveley-Smith; R. Webster; J. S.B. Wyithe

doi:10.1017/pasa.2018.37

The Phase II Murchison Widefield Array: Design overview

Randall B. Wayth^*, Steven J. Tingay, Cathryn M. Trott, David Emrich, Melanie Johnston-Hollitt, Ben McKinley, B. M. Gaensler, A. P. Beardsley, T. Booler, B. Crosse, T. M.O. Franzen, L. Horsley, D. L. Kaplan, D. Kenney, M. F. Morales, D. Pallot, G. Sleap, K. Steele, M. Walker, A. WilliamsC. Wu, Iver H. Cairns, M. D. Filipovic, S. Johnston, T. Murphy, P. Quinn, L. Staveley-Smith, R. Webster, J. S.B. Wyithe

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

272 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We describe the motivation and design details of the 'Phase II' upgrade of the Murchison Widefield Array radio telescope. The expansion doubles to 256 the number of antenna tiles deployed in the array. The new antenna tiles enhance the capabilities of theMurchisonWidefield Array in several key science areas. Seventy-two of the new tiles are deployed in a regular configuration near the existing array core. These new tiles enhance the surface brightness sensitivity of the array and will improve the ability of the Murchison Widefield Array to estimate the slope of the Epoch of Reionisation power spectrum by a factor of ~3.5. The remaining 56 tiles are deployed on long baselines, doubling the maximum baseline of the array and improving the array u, v coverage. The improved imaging capabilities will provide an order of magnitude improvement in the noise floor of Murchison Widefield Array continuum images. The upgrade retains all of the features that have underpinned the MurchisonWidefield Array's success (large field of view, snapshot image quality, and pointing agility) and boosts the scientific potential with enhanced imaging capabilities and by enabling new calibration strategies.

Original language	English
Article number	e033
Number of pages	9
Journal	Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia
Volume	35
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/pasa.2018.37
Publication status	Published - 2018
Externally published	Yes

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Wayth, R. B., Tingay, S. J., Trott, C. M., Emrich, D., Johnston-Hollitt, M., McKinley, B., Gaensler, B. M., Beardsley, A. P., Booler, T., Crosse, B., Franzen, T. M. O., Horsley, L., Kaplan, D. L., Kenney, D., Morales, M. F., Pallot, D., Sleap, G., Steele, K., Walker, M., ... Wyithe, J. S. B. (2018). The Phase II Murchison Widefield Array: Design overview. Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia, 35, Article e033. https://doi.org/10.1017/pasa.2018.37

@article{c2bc318999d944cc870b9b67b1bfb04c,

title = "The Phase II Murchison Widefield Array: Design overview",

abstract = "We describe the motivation and design details of the 'Phase II' upgrade of the Murchison Widefield Array radio telescope. The expansion doubles to 256 the number of antenna tiles deployed in the array. The new antenna tiles enhance the capabilities of theMurchisonWidefield Array in several key science areas. Seventy-two of the new tiles are deployed in a regular configuration near the existing array core. These new tiles enhance the surface brightness sensitivity of the array and will improve the ability of the Murchison Widefield Array to estimate the slope of the Epoch of Reionisation power spectrum by a factor of \textasciitilde{}3.5. The remaining 56 tiles are deployed on long baselines, doubling the maximum baseline of the array and improving the array u, v coverage. The improved imaging capabilities will provide an order of magnitude improvement in the noise floor of Murchison Widefield Array continuum images. The upgrade retains all of the features that have underpinned the MurchisonWidefield Array's success (large field of view, snapshot image quality, and pointing agility) and boosts the scientific potential with enhanced imaging capabilities and by enabling new calibration strategies.",

keywords = "early universe, instrumentation: interferometers, radio continuum: general, radio lines: general, techniques: interferometric",

author = "Wayth, \{Randall B.\} and Tingay, \{Steven J.\} and Trott, \{Cathryn M.\} and David Emrich and Melanie Johnston-Hollitt and Ben McKinley and Gaensler, \{B. M.\} and Beardsley, \{A. P.\} and T. Booler and B. Crosse and Franzen, \{T. M.O.\} and L. Horsley and Kaplan, \{D. L.\} and D. Kenney and Morales, \{M. F.\} and D. Pallot and G. Sleap and K. Steele and M. Walker and A. Williams and C. Wu and Cairns, \{Iver H.\} and Filipovic, \{M. D.\} and S. Johnston and T. Murphy and P. Quinn and L. Staveley-Smith and R. Webster and Wyithe, \{J. S.B.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Astronomical Society of Australia 2018.",

year = "2018",

doi = "10.1017/pasa.2018.37",

language = "English",

volume = "35",

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

issn = "1323-3580",

publisher = "Cambridge University Press",

}

Wayth, RB, Tingay, SJ, Trott, CM, Emrich, D, Johnston-Hollitt, M, McKinley, B, Gaensler, BM, Beardsley, AP, Booler, T, Crosse, B, Franzen, TMO, Horsley, L, Kaplan, DL, Kenney, D, Morales, MF, Pallot, D, Sleap, G, Steele, K, Walker, M, Williams, A, Wu, C, Cairns, IH, Filipovic, MD, Johnston, S, Murphy, T, Quinn, P, Staveley-Smith, L, Webster, R & Wyithe, JSB 2018, 'The Phase II Murchison Widefield Array: Design overview', Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia, vol. 35, e033. https://doi.org/10.1017/pasa.2018.37

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Phase II Murchison Widefield Array

T2 - Design overview

AU - Wayth, Randall B.

AU - Tingay, Steven J.

AU - Trott, Cathryn M.

AU - Emrich, David

AU - Johnston-Hollitt, Melanie

AU - McKinley, Ben

AU - Gaensler, B. M.

AU - Beardsley, A. P.

AU - Booler, T.

AU - Crosse, B.

AU - Franzen, T. M.O.

AU - Horsley, L.

AU - Kaplan, D. L.

AU - Kenney, D.

AU - Morales, M. F.

AU - Pallot, D.

AU - Sleap, G.

AU - Steele, K.

AU - Walker, M.

AU - Williams, A.

AU - Wu, C.

AU - Cairns, Iver H.

AU - Filipovic, M. D.

AU - Johnston, S.

AU - Murphy, T.

AU - Quinn, P.

AU - Staveley-Smith, L.

AU - Webster, R.

AU - Wyithe, J. S.B.

PY - 2018

Y1 - 2018

N2 - We describe the motivation and design details of the 'Phase II' upgrade of the Murchison Widefield Array radio telescope. The expansion doubles to 256 the number of antenna tiles deployed in the array. The new antenna tiles enhance the capabilities of theMurchisonWidefield Array in several key science areas. Seventy-two of the new tiles are deployed in a regular configuration near the existing array core. These new tiles enhance the surface brightness sensitivity of the array and will improve the ability of the Murchison Widefield Array to estimate the slope of the Epoch of Reionisation power spectrum by a factor of ~3.5. The remaining 56 tiles are deployed on long baselines, doubling the maximum baseline of the array and improving the array u, v coverage. The improved imaging capabilities will provide an order of magnitude improvement in the noise floor of Murchison Widefield Array continuum images. The upgrade retains all of the features that have underpinned the MurchisonWidefield Array's success (large field of view, snapshot image quality, and pointing agility) and boosts the scientific potential with enhanced imaging capabilities and by enabling new calibration strategies.

AB - We describe the motivation and design details of the 'Phase II' upgrade of the Murchison Widefield Array radio telescope. The expansion doubles to 256 the number of antenna tiles deployed in the array. The new antenna tiles enhance the capabilities of theMurchisonWidefield Array in several key science areas. Seventy-two of the new tiles are deployed in a regular configuration near the existing array core. These new tiles enhance the surface brightness sensitivity of the array and will improve the ability of the Murchison Widefield Array to estimate the slope of the Epoch of Reionisation power spectrum by a factor of ~3.5. The remaining 56 tiles are deployed on long baselines, doubling the maximum baseline of the array and improving the array u, v coverage. The improved imaging capabilities will provide an order of magnitude improvement in the noise floor of Murchison Widefield Array continuum images. The upgrade retains all of the features that have underpinned the MurchisonWidefield Array's success (large field of view, snapshot image quality, and pointing agility) and boosts the scientific potential with enhanced imaging capabilities and by enabling new calibration strategies.

KW - early universe

KW - instrumentation: interferometers

KW - radio continuum: general

KW - radio lines: general

KW - techniques: interferometric

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85057429118

U2 - 10.1017/pasa.2018.37

DO - 10.1017/pasa.2018.37

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:85057429118

SN - 1323-3580

VL - 35

JO - Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia

JF - Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia

M1 - e033

ER -

The Phase II Murchison Widefield Array: Design overview

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