Solar radiation effects on the Sardinia Radio Telescope performances

Alessandro Attoli; Sergio Poppi; Franco Buffa; Antonio Cazzani; Antonietta Fara; Davide Fierro; Francesco Gaudiomonte; Pasqualino Marongiu; Mauro Pili; Tonino Pisanu; Giannina Sanna; Giampaolo Serra; Flavio Stochino; Gian Paolo Vargiu

doi:10.1117/12.2628977

29 August 2022 Solar radiation effects on the Sardinia Radio Telescope performances

Alessandro Attoli, Sergio Poppi, Franco Buffa, Antonio Cazzani, Antonietta Fara, Davide Fierro, Francesco Gaudiomonte, Pasqualino Marongiu, Mauro Pili, Tonino Pisanu, Giannina Sanna, Giampaolo Serra, Flavio Stochino, Gian Paolo Vargiu

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 12182, Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes IX; 1218203 (2022) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2628977
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2022, Montréal, Québec, Canada

Abstract

The Sardinia Radio Telescope, a 64-metre diameter fully steerable radio telescope operated by INAF, will be upgraded in order to extend its current operating frequency range 0.3-26.5 GHz up to 116 GHz, thanks to a National Operational Program (PON) funding assigned to INAF by the Italian Ministry of University and Research. The PON project is organized in nine Work Packages, one of which is dedicated to the accomplishment of a sophisticated metrology system designed to monitor the cause of the pointing errors and the reflector surface deformations. The entire antenna structure will therefore be equipped with a network of sensors, like thermal sensors, inclinometers, accelerometers, collimators, anemometers, strain gauges and others, to study environmental stresses and how they affect the SRT performances. This work is devoted to the investigation of the thermal stress effects produced by solar radiation. In particular, two analyses are carried out to confirm the relevance of a thorough temperature monitoring system, both conducted using Finite Element Analysis. First, a possible approach for the simulation of realistic thermal scenarios due to insolation is proposed and the effects on the pointing accuracy are analysed. Second, a feasible method to study the impacts that a differential heating of the Back Up Structure (BUS) produces on the radio telescope main reflector surface is presented. Finally, these effects are analysed as optical aberrations and modelled in terms of Zernike polynomials.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Alessandro Attoli, Sergio Poppi, Franco Buffa, Antonio Cazzani, Antonietta Fara, Davide Fierro, Francesco Gaudiomonte, Pasqualino Marongiu, Mauro Pili, Tonino Pisanu, Giannina Sanna, Giampaolo Serra, Flavio Stochino, and Gian Paolo Vargiu "Solar radiation effects on the Sardinia Radio Telescope performances", Proc. SPIE 12182, Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes IX, 1218203 (29 August 2022); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2628977

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available