Noise in Maps of the Sun at Radio Wavelengths II: Solar Use Cases

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the impact of self-noise on radio images of the Sun, demonstrating that self-noise dominates the noise in solar radio maps across various instruments and wavelengths.

Contribution

It extends the theory of self-noise to solar observations, assessing how it limits the sensitivity of current and future radio arrays observing the Sun.

Findings

Self-noise always dominates in solar radio maps.

Limitations imposed by self-noise vary with array design and observing wavelength.

Results are applicable across different radio wavelengths beyond decimeter and centimeter.

Abstract

Noise in images of strong celestial sources at radio wavelengths using Fourier synthesis arrays can be dominated by the source itself, so-called self-noise. We outlined the theory of self-noise for strong sources in a companion paper. Here we consider the case of noise in maps of radio emission from the Sun which, as we show, is always dominated by self noise. We consider several classes of science use cases for current and planned arrays designed to observe the Sun in order to understand limitations imposed by self-noise. We focus on instruments operating at decimeter and centimeter wavelengths but the results are applicable to other wavelength regimes.