Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/150778

Title

Radio frequency interference removal through the application of spatial filtering techniques on the Parkes Multibeam receiver

Author(s)

Kocz, J.;  Briggs, F. H.;  Reynolds, J.

Abstract

This paper addresses the first practical application of spatial filtering techniques to data taken with a multibeam receiver. Spatial filters make use of the relative arrival times of a signal at multiple sensors to identify and separate signals from different directions. The method is a consequence of the Karhunen-Loeve theorem and relies on the eigen decomposition of the covariance matrix formed from the multiple signal paths. The effectiveness of the spatial filtering techniques is demonstrated on observations of the Vela pulsar taken with the Parkes 20 cm Multibeam receiver. The experiment was highly successful, and the results show spatial filtering methods provide powerful tools for interference mitigation with an array feed receiver. Extensions of the algorithm to reduce computational requirements and allow application on short (submillisecond) timescales are also explored.

Publication type

Journal article

Research centre

Swinburne University of Technology. Faculty of Information and Communication Technologies. Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing

Source

Astronomical Journal, Vol. 140, no. 6 (Dec 2010), pp. 2086-2094

Publication year

2010

FOR Code(s)

0201 Astronomical and Space Sciences

Keyword(s)

Astronoomical instrumentation;  Interferometers;  Karhunen-Loeve theorem;  Methods;  Miscellaneous;  Numerical;  Pulsars

Publisher

Institute of Physics Publishing

ISSN

0004-6256

Publisher URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0004-6256/140/6/2086

Copyright

Copyright © 2010. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. The American Astronomical Society does not allow institutions to archive either the accepted manuscript or the published version of the article.

Peer reviewed