Thesis (MScEng (Electrical and Electronic Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is an international project to build the world’s largest and most sensitive
radio telescope interferometer. It will consist of thousands of antennas distributed over many kilometers,
with the hosting country being either South Africa or Australia. Various pathfinders have been initiated to
demonstrate the technologies needed to implement the SKA. The astronomy community has defined five
Key Science Projects (KSP), which are the drivers for the SKA. The science goals determine the technical
requirements needed to design SKA systems. Many years of planning and development are still needed in
order to meet to the requirements of such a large and complex project.
This thesis aims to present the various SKA pathfinder systems in terms of their application to the SKA
key science projects, with main focus that of pulsar observations. In order to achieve this, a thorough overview
of basic radio astronomy principles and techniques is presented, followed by a detailed look at the various
pathfinders. Throughout the work, aspects of pulsar observations are given particular attention with the goal of
designing optimal systems for the SKA. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is ’n internasionale projek om die wêreld se grootste en mees sensitiewe
radio teleskoop interferometer te bou. Dit sal bestaan uit duisende antennas versprei oor etlike kilometers, met
die gasheer land óf Suid-Afrika óf Australië. Verskeie koersbepalers is geïnisieer om die tegnologie te demonstreer
wat benodig is om die SKA te implementeer. Die astronomie gemeenskap het vyf sleutel wetenskap
projekte (KSP) gedefinieër wat dien as die drywers vir die SKA. Die wetenskap doelwitte bepaal die tegniese
vereistes wat nodig is om SKA stelsels to ontwerp. Talle jare van beplanning en ontwikkeling word steeds
benodig om te voldoen aan die vereistes van so ’n groot en komplekse projek.
Hierdie tesis het ten doel die aanbieding van verskeie SKA koersbepaler stelsels in terme van hulle aanwending
tot die SKA sleutel wetenskap projekte, met hoof fokus op die van pulsar waarnemings. Om dit te
behaal, word ’n deeglike oorsig van basiese radio astronomie beginsels en tegnieke aangebied, gevolg deur ’n
gedetailleerde kyk na die verskeie koersbepalers. Regdeur die werk word spesifieke aandag gegee aan aspekte
van pulsar waarnemings met die doel om optimale stelsels vir die SKA te ontwerp.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/6810 |
| Date | 14 March 2011 |
| Creators | Otto, Sunelle |
| Contributors | Meyer, P., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 178 p. : ill. |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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