Protection Measures of FAST Radio Environment

Abstract

The Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) is located in the remote area of Qiannan prefecture in Guizhou province. The largest single dish radio telescope in the world is build in the karst depression. Since FAST observes very weak electromagnetic signals from distant celestial sources in the Universe with extremely high sensitivity, it is easy for FAST to receive electromagnetic interference from the telescope’s own equipments and the surrounding site. The electromagnetic interference level around the site is required to be extremely low. In order to achieve the objective of scientific observation, an important basic condition for FAST is how to keep the quiet electromagnetic environment around the telescope. Several main measures have been studied. At first, in order to protect FAST quiet electromagnetic environment, the first step to reduce the radio interference is to set up a radio quiet zone within a radius of 30 km with FAST site as the center. Secondly, the strict Electromagnetic Compatibility requirements of telescope itself and its surrounding electronic and electrical equipments are required to prevent interferences from the telescope. Based on the effective electromagnetic compatibility design and protection measures, the radio environment of FAST station is quiet and stable. Due to the economic development in Guizhou province, especially in Qiannan prefecture, the number of construction projects around FAST site has increased rapidly. In the face of the coordination with many radio communication services and local economic projects, how to achieve a balance between the scientific needs and local development is the key subject for the maintenance of FAST radio quiet zone.

Keywords

radio telescope / FAST / radio quiet zone

References

[1] NAN R D,LI D,JIN C J,et al. The Five-hundred Aperture Spherical radio Telescope(FAST)project[J]. International Journal of Modern Physics D,2011,44(3):331-346
[2] NAN R D,ZHANG H Y. Super bowl[J]. Nature Astronomy,2017(1):12-14
[3] PENG B,SUN J M,ZHANG H Y,et al. RFI test observations at a candidate Ska Site in China[J]. Experimental Astronomy,2004,17:423-425
[4] 纪奕才,赵博,方广有,等. 在月球背面进行低频射电天文观测的关键技术研究[J]. 深空探测学报,2017,4(2):150-157
JI Y C, ZHAO B, FANG G Y, et al. Key technologies of very low frequency radio observations on the lunar far-Side[J]. Journal of Deep Space Exploration,2017,4(2):150-157
[5] ITU-R. ITU-R RA. 2126，Handbook on radio astronomy[S]. Geneva，Switzerland：ITU-R，2013.
[6] ZHANG H Y，CHEN Z J，LI B，et al. Radio quiet zones in China[C]//General Assembly & Scientific Symposium. [S.l.]：IEEE，2014.
[7] NAN R D,ZHANG H Y,ZHANG Y,et al. FAST construction progress[J]. Acta Astronomica Sinica,2016,57(6):623-630
[8] SMITH S L，DUNNING A，SMART K W，et al. Performance validation of the 19-element multibeam feed for the Five-hundred-metre Aperture Spherical radio Telescope[C]//IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society International Symposium. [S.l.]：IEEE，2017，2137-2138.
[9] ITU-R. RECOMMENDATION ITU-R RA. 769-2，Protection criteria used for radio astronomical measurements[S]. Geneva，Switzerland：ITU-R，2003.
[10] 贵州省人民政府. 贵州省500米口径球面射电望远镜电磁波宁静区保护办法[Z]. 贵阳：贵州省人民政府，2013.
[11] 中国人民解放军总装备部. GJB151B-2013，军用设备和分系统电磁发射和敏感度要求与测量[S]. 北京：中国人民解放军总装备部，2013.
[12] ZHANG H Y，NAN R D，GAN H Q，et al. EMC design for FAST[C]//URSI Asia-Pacific Radio Science Conference. [S.l.]：IEEE，2016.
[13] 国家质检总局. 中国国家标准化管理委员会. GBT 12190-2006，电磁屏蔽室屏蔽效能的测量方法[S]. 中国：国家质检总局，中国国家标准化管理委员会，2006.
[14] 国家科学技术工业委员会. GJB_5185-2003，小屏蔽体屏蔽效能测量方法[S]. 中国：国家科学技术工业委员会，2003.
[15] 岳友岭，甘恒谦，胡浩，等. 一种射电望远镜宽带电磁屏蔽效能检测系统及检测方法，ZL 2015 10237882.8[P]. 2015-08-19.
[16] ZHANG H Y，WU M C，YUE Y L，et al. RFI mitigation of FAST：challenge & solution[C]//2019 URSI Asia-Pacific Radio Science Conference. [S.l.]：URSI AP-RASC，2019.
[17] 贵州省人民政府. 黔南布依族苗族自治州500米口径球面射电望远镜电磁波宁静区环境保护条例[Z]. 贵阳：贵州省人民政府，2016.