2006/09/01 by J. G. Mangum, Jeffrey G. Mangum, Jacob W. M. Baars +10 · 70 citations
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Antenna (radio) #Antenna Design and Optimization #Computer science #Geology #Interferometry #Millimeter #Offset (computer science) #Optics #Physics #Radio Astronomy Observations and Technology #Radiometry #Reflector (photography) #Remote sensing #Satellite Communication Systems #Telecommunications #Telescope #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1086/508298
published in Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific 118(847), 1257-1301 (Institute of Physics) · 83 pages, 36 figures, AASTex format, to appear in PASP September 2006 issue
openalex publication_date 2006/09/01 · arxiv created 2006/09/12 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
The ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter Array) North American and European prototype antennas have been evaluated by a variety of measurement systems to quantify the major performance specifications. Near‐field holography was used to set the reflector surfaces to 17 μm rms. Pointing and fast‐switching performance was determined with an optical telescope and by millimeter‐wavelength radiometry, yielding 2 '' absolute and 0 6 offset pointing accuracies. Path‐length stability was measured to be ≲20 μm over 10 minute time periods using optical measurement devices. Dynamical performance was studied with a set of accelerometers, providing data on wind‐induced tracking errors and structural deformation. Considering all measurements made during this evaluation, both prototype antennas meet the major ALMA antenna performance specifications.