Difference between revisions of "Undergraduate Radio Lab"

Revision as of 12:05, 12 January 2018

This course consists of four laboratory experiments that concentrate on radio instrumentation and laboratory techniques. We will build receiving, observing, and data analysis systems for two telescopes: a single-dish 21-cm line system, and a 10.7-GHz interferometer. We will use these telescopes for astronomical observing projects including structure of the Milky Way galaxy, precise position measurement of several radio sources, and measurement of the radio brightness distributions of the sun and moon with high angular resolution. There is a heavy emphasis on digital data acquisition, software development in the Python language, and high-quality written reports.

Class Programmatics

Class Code Repository: http://github.com/AaronParsons/ugradio
Syllabus
Office Hours:
- Aaron:
- Deepthi:
- Kara:
Lab Groups:

Experiments

General Skills Used Through-Out Course

Topics by Date

Lab 1 (Exploring Digital Sampling, Fourier Transforms, and both DSB and SSB Mixers), Due Feb 6 6:00p

Lab 1, Week 1 (Jan 16): Sampling and Power Spectra

Theory and Background
Demos and Tutorials
- In the Mind: Introduction to the Fourier Transform
- Introduction to Python and Plotting
In class:
- Astrobaki, Syllabus, Office Hours
- Radio Astronomy: State of the Union
- Tour of lab
  - Lab components
- Getting accounts / setting up environments
  - Unix Primer
  - Python Installation and Basic Programming, first pass
  - Revision Control, first pass
  - Unix Text Editors
- Lecture: Introduction to the Fourier Transform

Lab 1, Week 2 (Jan 23): DSB and SSB Mixers

Theory and Background:
- Heterodyne Mixers
In class:
- Show and Tell
- Scientific Python Review (numpy, pylab, scipy)
- Python Installation and Basic Programming, second pass
- Lecture: Introduction to DSB and SSB Mixers

Lab 1, Week 3 (Jan 30): More Mixers, and Lab Reports

Demos and Tutorials:
- LaTeX
- Introduction to Python and Plotting, second pass
In Class:
- Writing Lab Reports
Lab 1 Due Feb 6 6:00p

Lab 2 (Astronomy with the 21cm Line; Some Microwave Electronics), due Feb 27 6:00p

Lab 2, Week 1 (Feb 6): 21cm Line and Waveguides

Lab 2, Week 2 (Feb 13): Collect and Analyze Data

Lab 2, Week 3 (Feb 20): Write Lab Report

Lab 2 Due Feb 27 6:00p

Lab 3 (Radio Interferometry at X Band), due Apr 3 6:00p

Lab 3 Week 1 (Feb 27): Interferometer

Lab 3 Week 2 (Mar 6): Collect and Analyze Data

Lab 3 Week 3 (Mar 13): Collect and Analyze Data

Lab 3 Week 4 (Mar 20): Write Lab Report

Lab 3 Due Apr 3 6:00p

No class (Mar 27)

Lab 4 (Mapping the HI Line: the Galaxy and Supershells), due May 1 6:00p

Lab 4 Week 1 (Apr 3): Leuschner Dish

Trip to Leuschner: Class will go later than usual

Lab 4 Week 2 (Apr 10): Collect and Analyze Data

Lab 4 Week 3 (Apr 17): Collect and Analyze Data

Lab 4 Week 4 (Apr 24): Write Lab Report

- Lab 4 Due May 1 6:00p

@@ Line 77: / Line 77: @@
 * Lab 2 Due Feb 27 6:00p
+---------
 === Lab 3 ([https://github.com/AaronParsons/ugradio/blob/master/lab_interf/interf.pdf Radio Interferometry at X Band]), due Apr 3 6:00p ===
@@ Line 90: / Line 91: @@
 ==== No class (Mar 27) ====
+---------
 === Lab 4 ([https://github.com/AaronParsons/ugradio/blob/master/lab_dish/HI1.pdf Mapping the HI Line: the Galaxy and Supershells]), due May 1 6:00p ===