Thesis (Ph. D.)--California Institute of Technology, 2004. / VLA and VLBA observations.

Thesis (Doctoral)--Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 153-155).

Thesis (Ph. D. (Physics and Electronics))--Rhodes University, 2005.

This thesis continues the Rhodes 2.3 GHz Survey of the Southern Sky. It consists of two parts : a data processing part and an astronomical analysis part. In the data processing part the data for the regions 4HR to 15HR, -80° to -61° and 12HR to 23HR . -27° to -7° are presented in contour map format. A beam pattern of the Hartebeesthoek telescope at 13 cm is constructed from drift scans of the radio source TAU A. This is used to investigate the data filtering techniques applied to the Rhodes Survey. It is proposed that a set of widely spaced scans which have been referred to the South Celestial Pole can provide a single calibrated baselevel for the Rhodes Survey. The observing technique and the necessary reduction programs to create a coarse grid of antenna temperatures of the Southern Sky using these observation are developed. Preliminary results for this technique are presented as a map of the region 18HR to 6HR, 90° to 30° with a 5°x5° resolution. On the astronomical side two studies are undertaken. The region 13HR to 23HR, -61° to -7° is searched for large extended areas of emission. 7 features occurring at intermediate galactic latitudes are found. They are interpreted as follows: one of them is the classical HII region surrounding the star Zeta Ophiuchi (l",b")=(6.7°,22.4°), and the rest are combinations of thermal and nonthermal emission from galactic features. The galactic equator profile for 24°> L > -58° is studied. It is dominated by a plateau of emission for L < -26°. This is interpreted as a combination of thermal and nonthermal radiation emitted by a ring of gas symmetric about the galactic centre with a radius of 4 - 6 kpc.

Doctorat en sciences appliquées / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

The long term isolated pulsar monitoring program, which commenced in 1984 using the 26 m radio telescope at the Hartebeeshoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO), has produced high resolution timing residual data over long timespans. This has enabled the analysis of observed spin down behaviour for 27 braking pulsars, most of which have dataspans longer than 14 years. The phenomenology of observed timing residuals of certain pulsars can be explained by pseudo periodic effects such as precession. Analytic and numerical models are developed to study the kinematic and dynamic behaviour of isolated but torqued precessing pulsars. The predicted timing residual behaviour of the models is characterised, and confronted with timing data from selected pulsars. Cyclic variations in the observed timing residuals of PSR B1642-03, PSR B1323-58 and PSR B1557-50 are fitted with a torqued precession model. The phenomenology of the observed timing behaviour of these pulsars can be explained by the precession models, but precise model fitting was not possible. This is not surprising given that the complexity of the pulsar systems is not completely described by the model. The extension of the pulsar monitoring program at HartRAO is used as motivation for the design and development of a new low cost, multi-purpose digital pulsar receiver. The instrument is implemented using a hybrid filterbank architecture, consisting of an analogue frontend and digital backend, to perform incoherent dedispersion. The design of a polyphase filtering system, which will consolidate multiple processing units into a single filtering solution, is discussed for future implementation.

Low Noise Amplifiers (LNAs) are one of the most important components found in some of the radio receivers used in radio astronomy. A good LNA should simultaneously possess both a gain in excess of 25\,dB and as low a noise contribution as possible. This is because the gain is used to suppress the noise contribution of the subsequent components but the noise generated by the LNA adds directly to the noise of the overall receiver. The work presented in this thesis aimed to further enhance the noise performance through a variety of techniques with the aim of applying these techniques to the study of the polarisation of the Cosmic Microwave Background. One particular technique investigated was to cool the LNAs beyond the standard 20\,K typically used in experiments to 2\,K. In doing so it was found that the noise performance increased by between 20 and 30\% depending on the amplifier. Another technique investigated involved uniting the two technologies (MICs and MMIC) used in LNA fabrication to lower the noise performance of the LNA. Such an LNA, known as a T+MMIC LNA was successfully developed and possessed an average noise temperature of 9.4\,K and a gain in excess of 40\,dB for a 27-33\,GHz bandwidth at 8\,K physical temperature. Potential ``in field'' applications for these technologies are discussed, and a design for a variant of the T+MMIC LNA that utilises both of these technologies is presented. This particular LNA with a predicted average noise temperature of 6.8\,K for a 26-36\,GHz bandwidth, would if fabricated successfully represent the lowest noise Ka-band LNA ever reported.

The results of the fourth part of the Rhodes University Skymap Program are presented. The observations cover the area of sky between right ascension 14h00m and 02h30m and declination -26⁰ and + 13⁰ at a frequency of 2.3 GHz. Contour maps of this region, with a resolution of 0.38⁰, are presented. Various methods of reducing the effect of the Galactic disc emission are analyzed. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of one of these methods in the production of a flat base level. The filamentary structure of the North Polar Spur is enhanced and results are obtained which support current theories of the origin of this object. The HII region surrounding Ophiuchi is examined in detail. A number of parameters are derived for the HII region. The spur associated with the HII region S54 is also examined. A listing of 1105 point sources appearing in the maps is presented. The limiting flux density of this listing is 0.5 Jy

The results of the second part of the Rhodes University Southern Sky Survey at 2.3GHz are presented. The area surveyed extends from 12hOO to 22hOO right ascension between declinations -63º and -24º. The observation technique and data reduction processes are analyzed. Digital data processing techniques used to enhance and display the data are dicussed. The results show that the Galactic emission extends as far as 40º latitude. Filamentary and loop-like structures are found superimposed on this general emission. Many of these features are unidentified as yet. A large region of emission is found to coincide with the Sco-Cen stellar association. A lower limit for the ionizing flux from the stars in the association is derived. All of the non-confused extragalactic sources with flux densities greater than O.5Jy are listed. The flux densities of these sources have been measured and any possible extended features are noted. / KMBT_363 / Adobe Acrobat 9.53 Paper Capture Plug-in

This thesis reports on the design, construction, testing and operation of the spectral line and continuum receivers built for the 22 GHz Radio Telescope. First results from 'the telescope were obtained and have been analysed to give an estimate of system efficiency. Tests have been performed on the front end and in particular on the 22 GHz mixer in order to determine the minimum detectable temperature. The Sun, Moon and major planets are sources suitable for antenna alignment and consequently a literature survey of emission at 22 GHz from elements of the Solar system has been made.