Mid-frequency aperture arrays: the future of radio astronomy

TL;DR

This paper discusses the development and potential of mid-frequency aperture arrays in radio astronomy, highlighting their advantages, current demonstrations, and future plans to establish them as science-ready instruments.

Contribution

It introduces the progress from engineering prototypes to fully science-capable mid-frequency aperture array systems, including EMBRACE and future EMMA.

Findings

EMBRACE demonstrated simultaneous HI and pulsar observations.

Aperture arrays show high flexibility and technological reliability.

Plans for EMMA aim to enhance scientific capabilities.

Abstract

Aperture array (AA) technology is at the forefront of new developments and discoveries in radio astronomy. Currently LOFAR is successfully demonstrating the capabilities of dense and sparse AA's at low frequencies. For the mid-frequencies, from 450 to 1450MHz, AA's still have to prove their scientific value with respect to the existing dish technology. Their large field-of-view and high flexibility puts them in an excellent position to do so. The Aperture Array Verification Program is dedicated to demonstrate the feasibility of AA's for science in general and SKA in particular. For the mid-frequency range this has lead to the development of EMBRACE, which has already demonstrated the enormous flexibility of AA systems by observing HI and a pulsar simultaneously. It also serves as a testbed to demonstrate the technological reliability and stability of AA's. The next step will put AA technology at a level where it can be used for cutting-edge science. In this paper we discuss the developments to move AA technology from an engineering activity to a fully science capable instrument. We present current results from EMBRACE, ongoing tests of the system, and plans for EMMA, the next step in mid-frequency AA technology.