Toward a Distributed Radio Telescope Using Global IoT Networks: Calibration Methods and Feasibility Analysis

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Author: Diao, Junming
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Diao, Junming
author_facet Diao, Junming
contents This paper introduces an innovative approach to radio astronomy by utilizing the global network of Internet of Things (IoT) devices to form a distributed radio telescope. Leveraging existing IoT infrastructure with minimal modifications, the proposed system employs widely dispersed devices to simultaneously capture both astronomical and communication signals. Digital beamforming techniques are applied to align the astronomical signals, effectively minimizing interference from communication sources. Calibration is achieved using multiple distributed satellites transmitting known signals, enabling precise channel estimation and phase correction via GPS localization. We analyze two calibration methods, Phase Alignment Calibration (PAC) and Eigenvalue-Based Calibration (EVC), and demonstrate that EVC outperforms PAC in environments with significant variation in node performance. Compared to the Green Bank Telescope (GBT), the IoT-based telescope enhances antenna gain by three orders of magnitude and increases survey speed by eight orders of magnitude, owing to the vast number of nodes and expansive field of view (FoV). These findings demonstrate the feasibility and significant advantages of the IoT-enabled telescope, paving the way for cost-effective, high-speed, and widely accessible astronomical observations.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2411_11818
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Toward a Distributed Radio Telescope Using Global IoT Networks: Calibration Methods and Feasibility Analysis
Diao, Junming
Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
This paper introduces an innovative approach to radio astronomy by utilizing the global network of Internet of Things (IoT) devices to form a distributed radio telescope. Leveraging existing IoT infrastructure with minimal modifications, the proposed system employs widely dispersed devices to simultaneously capture both astronomical and communication signals. Digital beamforming techniques are applied to align the astronomical signals, effectively minimizing interference from communication sources. Calibration is achieved using multiple distributed satellites transmitting known signals, enabling precise channel estimation and phase correction via GPS localization. We analyze two calibration methods, Phase Alignment Calibration (PAC) and Eigenvalue-Based Calibration (EVC), and demonstrate that EVC outperforms PAC in environments with significant variation in node performance. Compared to the Green Bank Telescope (GBT), the IoT-based telescope enhances antenna gain by three orders of magnitude and increases survey speed by eight orders of magnitude, owing to the vast number of nodes and expansive field of view (FoV). These findings demonstrate the feasibility and significant advantages of the IoT-enabled telescope, paving the way for cost-effective, high-speed, and widely accessible astronomical observations.
title Toward a Distributed Radio Telescope Using Global IoT Networks: Calibration Methods and Feasibility Analysis
topic Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.11818