The second phase of modernization of the FAST radio telescope has begun, with the aim of improving its observation capabilities and maintaining its position as the most advanced radio telescope in the world. This project includes the construction of 24 new radio telescopes, each 40 meters in diameter, which will work in conjunction with the Five Hundred Meter Aperture Spherical Telescope ( FAST ).
An improvement for global science
The FAST telescope, located in Guizhou Province, is the largest and most sensitive single-dish radio telescope on the planet . With this expansion, its resolution will increase by more than 30 times, allowing scientists to explore phenomena such as fast radio bursts, black holes, and gravitational waves with unprecedented precision.
The increase in FAST’s observing capacity will be achieved through the addition of new fully steerable radio telescopes that, when operated together, will create an array equivalent to a 10-kilometer diameter telescope. This will boost the resolution of astronomical observations and help researchers to more accurately locate cosmic phenomena.
Despite being the most sensitive radio telescope , FAST has had disadvantages in resolution compared to other large telescope arrays. For example, it has the ability to detect fast radio bursts, but its ability to pinpoint their location and analyze the details of these cosmic events was limited. With the upgrade, these problems will be reduced, according to Jiang Peng, director of the FAST Operations Center .
Modernization of the FAST radio telescope
Modernization is important for China so that it can maintain its competitive advantage over other large international radio astronomy projects, such as the Square Kilometer Array in the southern hemisphere and the Next Generation Very Large Array in the United States. These facilities are also designed to explore deep space with cutting-edge technological capabilities.
The biggest technical challenge for the Chinese team will be to develop advanced, high-performance receivers that operate at room temperature and improve data processing technologies. These improvements will allow the full use of the capabilities of the synthetic aperture telescope array.
Since its inauguration in 2016, the FAST radio telescope has made major contributions to astronomy . Among its achievements are the discovery of more than 900 new pulsars and the first detection of a black hole’s ” heartbeat ” in the radio wave band. In addition, more than a dozen studies based on FAST observations have been published in prestigious scientific journals such as Nature and Science .
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Source and photo: Chinese Academy of Sciences
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