Simulating high-time resolution radio-telescope observations

TL;DR

This paper introduces a versatile software tool for simulating high-time resolution radio telescope data, modeling various astrophysical signals, interference, and enabling data injection into real datasets for research and algorithm development.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel software package that comprehensively simulates radio telescope data, including astrophysical signals and interference, with capabilities for data injection and testing.

Findings

Simulates pulsars, fast radio bursts, and flare stars with frequency-dependent effects.

Models radio frequency interference from satellites and terrestrial sources.

Allows injection of simulated signals into real observational data.

Abstract

We describe a new software package for simulating channelised, high-time resolution data streams from radio telescopes. The software simulates data from the telescope and observing system taking into account the observation strategy, receiver system and digitisation. The signatures of pulsars, fast radio bursts and flare stars are modelled, including frequency-dependent effects such as scattering and scintillation. We also simulate more generic signals using spline curves and images. Models of radio frequency interference include signals from satellites, terrestrial transmitters and impulsive, broadband signals. The simulated signals can also be injected into real data sets. Uses of this software include the production of machine learning training data sets, development and testing of new algorithms to search for anomalous patterns and to characterise processing pipelines.