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Projects
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Some of the large-scale projects the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy is involved in:
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SOFIA
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The SOFIA project (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy) is promoting the construction of a German-American aeroplane observatory in a remodelled Boeing 747 (short model).
 Website SOFIA
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APEX
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12-meter radio telescope (© MPIfR) |
The Atacama Pathfinder Experiment has developed a sub-millimetre telescope to be constructed in the Chilean Atacama desert at more than 5000-metre height. The 12-meter-radiotelescope has been erected at Llano de Chajnantor, an ideal site for sub-millimetre observations and is fully operational since 2005. The official opening ceremony took place on 25 September 2005.
 Website APEX
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ALMA
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ALMA in planning stage (© MPIfR) |
The Atacama Large Millimeter Array Project ALMA is an international cooperation between Europe and North America with the aim of constructing an array of 64 separate 12-meter-radio telescopes. These can be interconnected to operate like a super-telescope for the millimetre and sub-millimetre range.
Website ALMA
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HERSCHEL
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The Far-Infrared and Sub-millimetre Telescope Satellite Observatory (formerly called FIRST).
HERSCHEL Webpage
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SKA
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One of the proposed SKA-models (© MPIfR) |
In the SKA (Square Kilometre Array) project, an international consortium formed by more than 15 countries is working on a radio telescope with a collecting surface of one square kilometre for the frequency range between 70 MHz and at least 10 GHz. This will enable scientists to investigate the evolution of the early universe and to investigate the formation of the first stars, galaxies, black holes, and magnetic fields.
Science article by R. Beck in Scholarpedia
Popular science article in SuW by R. Beck (September 2006; in German)
SKA Webpage
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LOFAR
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LOFAR (© ASTRON) |
LOFAR, the Low Frequency Array, is a new radio telescope under construction by ASTRON in the Netherlands, operating in the largely unexplored frequency range between 30 and 240 MHz. The radio images are synthesized in a supercomputer in real time from the digital signals of simple dipoles in 36 stations in the Netherlands and at least 10 stations in Germany. The first German station was built next to the 100-m Effelsberg radio telescope and is operating since 2007.
Website LOFAR (in German)
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VLTI
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The four 8-meter telescopes on Mount Paranal, Chile (© ESO) |
Very Large Telescope Interferometer in Chile. This ESO Very Large Telescope consists of an array of four 8-meter optical telescopes, which can be operated both independently and together. The telescopes are also operated interferometrically to produce high-resolution images.
Website VLTI
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LBT
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The LBT double telescope under construction, 2001 (© MPIfR) |
The LBT telescope (Large Binocular Telescope) is a large telescope erected in Arizona, consisting of two 8.4 meter optical mirrors. The telescope is to be the most advanced optical telescope of its kind in the world. Among other applications, it is to be used to detect planets outside our solar system.
Website LBT
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VLBI
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By employing space telescopes, Very-Long-Baseline-Interferometry techniques are continuously being developed at the Institute, with special emphasis in the millimetre wavelength range as well as pushing to the highest angular resolutions.
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Radio Telescope Effelsberg
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Upgrade of the 100-meter Radio Telescope Effelsberg:
A new secondary reflector was installed at the telescope in fall 2006. It's improved surface accuracy, surplused with the 100-actuator active optics has increased the sensitivity of the telescope, particularly at the highest frequencies. In addition it allows flexible changes between primary and secondary focus receivers.
Website Radio Telescope Effelsberg
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© 2011, Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, Bonn |
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