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Experimental set-up of the LUNASKA lunar Cherenkov observations at the ATCA

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 Added by Clancy James
 Publication date 2009
  fields Physics
and research's language is English




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This contribution describes the experimental set-up implemented by the LUNASKA project at the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) to enable the radio-telescope to be used to search for pulses of coherent Cherenkov radiation from UHE particle interactions in the Moon with an unprecedented bandwidth, and hence sensitivity. Our specialised hardware included analogue de-dispersion filters to coherently correct for the dispersion expected of a ~nanosecond pulse in the Earths ionosphere over our wide (600 MHz) bandwidth, and FPGA-based digitising boards running at 2.048 GHz for pulse detection. The trigger algorithm is described, as are the methods used discriminate between terrestrial RFI and true lunar pulses. We also outline the next stage of hardware development expected to be used in our 2010 observations.



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The lunar Cherenkov technique is a method to use radio-telescopes to detect ultra-high energy cosmic rays (CR) and neutrinos ($ u$). By observing the short-duration ($sim$few nanosecond) pulses of coherent Cherenkov radiation emitted from particle cascades via the Askaryan Effect in the Moons outer layers (nominally the regolith), the primary particles initiating the cascades may be identified. Our collaboration (LUNASKA) aims to develop the technique to be used with the next generation of giant radio-arrays. Here, we present the results of our two preliminary UHE particle searches using this technique with three antennas at the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) during February and May 2008.
The Moon is used as a target volume for ultra-high energy neutrino searches with terrestrial radio telescopes. The LUNASKA project has conducted observations with the Parkes and ATCA telescopes; and, most recently, with both of them in combination. We present an analysis of the data obtained from these searches, including validation and calibration results for the Parkes-ATCA experiment, as well as a summary of prospects for future observations.
The protocol of quantum reading refers to the quantum enhanced retrieval of information from an optical memory, whose generic cell stores a bit of information in two possible lossy channels. In the following we analyze the case of a particular class of optical receiver, based on photon counting measurement, since they can be particularly simple in view of real applications. We show that a quantum advantage is achievable when a transmitter based on two-mode squeezed vacuum (TMSV) states is combined with a photon counting receiver, and we experimentally confirm it. In this paper, after introducing some theoretical background, we focus on the experimental realisation, describing the data collection and the data analysis in detail.
We describe an experiment using the Parkes radio telescope in the 1.2-1.5 GHz frequency range as part of the LUNASKA project, to search for nanosecond-scale pulses from particle cascades in the Moon, which may be triggered by ultra-high-energy astroparticles. Through the combination of a highly sensitive multi-beam radio receiver, a purpose-built backend and sophisticated signal-processing techniques, we achieve sensitivity to radio pulses with a threshold electric field strength of 0.0053 $mu$V/m/MHz, lower than previous experiments by a factor of three. We observe no pulses in excess of this threshold in observations with an effective duration of 127 hours. The techniques we employ, including compensating for the phase, dispersion and spectrum of the expected pulse, are relevant for future lunar radio experiments.
The Lunar Cherenkov technique is a promising method for UHE neutrino and cosmic ray detection which aims to detect nanosecond radio pulses produced during particle interactions in the Lunar regolith. For low frequency experiments, such as NuMoon, the frequency dependent dispersive effect of the ionosphere is an important experimental concern as it reduces the pulse amplitude and subsequent chances of detection. We are continuing to investigate a new method to calibrate the dispersive effect of the ionosphere on lunar Cherenkov pulses via Faraday rotation measurements of the Moons polarised emission combined with geomagnetic field models. We also extend this work to include radio imaging of the Lunar surface, which provides information on the physical and chemical properties of the lunar surface that may affect experimental strategies for the lunar Cherenkov technique.
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