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A concept for a simple radio observatory at the lunar south pole
- Source :
- Advances in Space Research. 31:2473-2478
- Publication Year :
- 2003
- Publisher :
- Elsevier BV, 2003.
-
Abstract
- The lunar south pole may be the most feasible site for the first very low frequency interferometric array. The part of the electromagnetic spectrum below ∼30 MHz remains to be the only unexplored window in astronomy because of significant radio interference of Earth. To avoid such interference, the far side of the Moon has been considered for basing a radio array. However, such an observatory will unlikely be funded until access to the lunar far side becomes inexpensive. This paper presents a potentially affordable observatory concept for performing an initial sky survey at very low frequencies. The south polar region of the Moon was chosen as the observatory site and its radio quietness was examined using a numerical simulation. The simulation shows that the far side of Malapert Mountain near the lunar south pole may be a promising site for radio astronomy. Simple radio antennas could be deployed there as a lightweight payload on any mission to the lunar south pole.
- Subjects :
- Atmospheric Science
Electromagnetic spectrum
Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
media_common.quotation_subject
Astrophysics::Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
Aerospace Engineering
Astronomy
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics
Far side of the Moon
Electromagnetic interference
Radio telescope
Geophysics
Space and Planetary Science
Observatory
Sky
Physics::Space Physics
General Earth and Planetary Sciences
Astrophysics::Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
Very low frequency
Geology
Remote sensing
Radio astronomy
media_common
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 02731177
- Volume :
- 31
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Advances in Space Research
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi...........5415e76770b2e5e52278cd06dafedbdb