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The accuracy of VLBI measurements depends partly on the structural stability of radio telescopes. As the shape of a radio telescope’s main reflector is changed due to different thermal and gravitational influences, these effects have to be modelled. We are investigating deformations caused by changing temperature on the one hand and the gravitational force on the other hand for the 26 m radio telescope of the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory at Hartebeesthoek site (HartRAO). Special focus is put on the deformation of the main reflector for different telescope pointing positions defined by hour angle and declination. Its primary deformation can be described by changes of the focal length of the paraboloid, which is the main parameter for the overall shape of the telescope’s main reflector. Besides the overall shape deformations, local surface deformations of the main reflector are analyzed. In this study the effect of changing temperature on the focal length is investigated. Furthermore, the temperature-corrected focal lengths are analyzed with respect to gravitational influences, including changes at different pointing positions.

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Determining Temperature-Corrected Gravitational Focal Length Changes of the 26-m HartRAO Radio Telescope

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年

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  • Theresa Pfaffinger,
  • Axel Nothnagel,
  • Philip Mey,
  • Jonathan Quick,
  • Roelf Botha,
  • Pieter Stronkhorst,
  • Marisa Nickola,
  • Christoph Holst

摘要

The accuracy of VLBI measurements depends partly on the structural stability of radio telescopes. As the shape of a radio telescope’s main reflector is changed due to different thermal and gravitational influences, these effects have to be modelled. We are investigating deformations caused by changing temperature on the one hand and the gravitational force on the other hand for the 26 m radio telescope of the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory at Hartebeesthoek site (HartRAO). Special focus is put on the deformation of the main reflector for different telescope pointing positions defined by hour angle and declination. Its primary deformation can be described by changes of the focal length of the paraboloid, which is the main parameter for the overall shape of the telescope’s main reflector. Besides the overall shape deformations, local surface deformations of the main reflector are analyzed. In this study the effect of changing temperature on the focal length is investigated. Furthermore, the temperature-corrected focal lengths are analyzed with respect to gravitational influences, including changes at different pointing positions.