Considerations for a Multi-beam Multi-purpose Survey with FAST

TL;DR

This paper proposes a comprehensive survey plan for FAST, utilizing its multi-beam capabilities to efficiently collect data on pulsars, HI galaxies, and transients, covering the northern sky in about 220 days.

Contribution

It introduces a novel survey strategy that leverages FAST's unique multi-beam and multi-axis design for simultaneous multi-purpose data collection.

Findings

Survey covers northern sky in 220 days

Simultaneous data collection for multiple astrophysical phenomena

Optimized use of FAST's multi-beam system

Abstract

Having achieved 'first-light' right before the opening ceremony on September 25, 2016, the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) is being busily commissioned. Its innovative design requires ~1000 points to be measured and driven instead of just the two axes of motion, e.g. Azimuth and Elevation for most of the conventional antennae, to realize pointing and tracking. We have devised a survey plan to utilized the full sensitivity of FAST, while minimizing the complexities in operation the system. The 19-beam L band focal plan array will be rotated to specific angles and taking continuous data streams while the surface shape and the focal cabin stay fixed. Such a survey will cover the northern sky in about 220 full days. Our aim is to obtain data for pulsar search, HI (neutral hydrogen) galaxies, HI imaging, and radio transients, simultaneously, through multiple backends. These data sets could be a significant contribution to all related fields in radio astronomy and remain relevant for decades.