2007/12/08 by Tsuyoshi Sawada, Norio Ikeda, Kazuyoshi Sunada +10 · 141 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Antenna (radio) #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Cover (algebra) #Heterodyne (poetry) #Observatory #Radio Astronomy Observations and Technology #Radio astronomy #Radio telescope #Spectrometer #Superconducting and THz Device Technology #Telescope #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1093/pasj/60.3.445
published in Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan 60(3), 445-455 (Oxford University Press) · 11 pages, 13 figures, accepted for publication in PASJ
arxiv created 2007/12/08 · openalex publication_date 2008/06/25 · arxiv updated 2015/05/12 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Abstract We have developed a spectral line On-The-Fly (OTF) observing mode for the Nobeyama Radio Observatory 45-m and the Atacama Submillimeter Telescope Experiment 10-m telescopes. Sets of digital autocorrelation spectrometers are available for OTF with heterodyne receivers mounted on the telescopes, including the focal-plane 5×5 array receiver, BEARS, on the 45-m. During OTF observations, the antenna is continuously driven to cover the mapped region rapidly, resulting in a high observing efficiency and accuracy. Pointing of the antenna and readouts from the spectrometer are recorded as fast as 0.1s. In this paper we report on improvements made to the software and instruments, requirements and optimization of observing parameters, the data-reduction process, and verification of the system. It is confirmed that, using optimal parameters, the OTF is about twice as efficient as the conventional position-switch observing method.