Long Wavelength Array

Long Wavelength Array
Location(s) New Mexico, US
Coordinates 34°04′N 107°38′W / 34.07°N 107.63°W / 34.07; -107.63Coordinates: 34°04′N 107°38′W / 34.07°N 107.63°W / 34.07; -107.63 Edit this at Wikidata
Organization National Radio Astronomy Observatory Edit this on Wikidata
Wavelength 3.4 m (88 MHz)-30 m (10.0 MHz)
Built 2009 Edit this on Wikidata– (2009 Edit this on Wikidata–) Edit this at Wikidata
First light 7 April 2011 Edit this on Wikidata
Telescope style Phased array
Radio telescope Edit this on Wikidata
Number of telescopes 1 Edit this on Wikidata
Diameter 100 yd (300 ft 0 in) Edit this at Wikidata
Collecting area 6,500 m2 (70,000 sq ft) Edit this at Wikidata
Website lwa.phys.unm.edu Edit this at Wikidata
Location of Long Wavelength Array

The Long Wavelength Array (LWA) is a radio telescope in central New Mexico. It began preliminary tests of the hardware in 2011, and began regular operations in late 2015. [1] It is one of the few observatories to utilize relatively low frequencies (10-88 MHz), and is used to study relativistic particles, cosmic evolution, astrophysical plasma, decametric radio emissions from Jupiter-like extrasolar planets, and giant flares from magnetars.[2]

Currently, it consists of one station with 256 antennas. The goal of the project is to build 53 stations in total, with a total of 13,000 dipole antennas[3] strategically placed in an area nearly 400 kilometres (250 mi) in diameter, to scan the sky at HF and VHF frequencies. Each antenna stands about 1.5 metres (5 ft) high and about 2.7 metres (9 ft) across the base.[4] The first station, located adjacent to the NRAO's VLA, consists of 256 antennas and was completed in December 2009. It was dedicated in April 2010, and routine operations began in 2011.[3] The second station (LWA2) is under construction about 19 km (12 mi) away.[5]

The project is a collaboration of UNM, VT, LANL, JPL, NRL, UI, BIRS, NRAO and AFRL.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "ScienceCasts:Listening to the Stars". NASA Science. NASA. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
  2. ↑ Ellingson, Steven (2009), "The Long Wavelength Array" (PDF), Proceedings of the IEEE, 97 (8): 1421–1430, Bibcode:2009IEEEP..97.1421E, doi:10.1109/JPROC.2009.2015683
  3. 1 2 "JPL Searching for Galactic Flashes: "Exploding Black Holes or Transmissions by Other Civilizations?"". The Daily Galaxy. 2011-05-03. Retrieved 2011-05-04.
  4. ↑ Vega, Priscilla (2011-01-26). "An Astronomer's Field of Dreams". JPL. Retrieved 2011-05-04.
  5. ↑ "Current News". University of New Mexico. June 3, 2011. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
  6. ↑ "Welcome to the LWA!". UNM. Retrieved 2011-06-16.
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