The Square Kilometre Array, or SKA, is making significant strides as the world’s largest radio telescope takes shape. Recently, it achieved a crucial milestone by carrying out its first observations, indicating that part of this ambitious facility is now operational. This international science project, headquartered in the UK, welcomed India as a full member in December 2022.
The SKA is an extensive network of radio antennas, featuring 197 antennas in South Africa and over 130,000 in Australia. When completed, these antennas will operate as a single unit, making SKA the largest radio telescope globally.
The South African array is designated as SKA-Mid, while the Australian counterpart is known as SKA-Low. The naming reflects their respective frequency ranges, with SKA-Mid focusing on higher frequencies and SKA-Low on lower ones.
This groundbreaking facility is designed to explore the universe in unprecedented ways. It aims to tackle fundamental questions about the origins of the universe, the formation and evolution of galaxies, and even the origins of life itself.
Recently, engineers and astronomers at the Australian facility successfully combined data from two SKA-Low stations, demonstrating its capacity to function as an interferometer.
Interferometers are scientific instruments that utilise wave interference to gather data. This technique allows researchers to gather diverse information, from measuring distances to detecting gravitational waves. Both SKA-Low and SKA-Mid will function as interferometers, enhancing their observational capabilities.
The progress comes just six months after the first antennas in the SKA-Low array were installed in western Australia. Each of the proposed 512 stations in the SKA-Low array will house 256 antennas, resulting in a total of 131,072 antennas.
As of August, 1,024 antennas have been installed across four stations. Earlier in January, the first image of the sky was captured using a prototype dish assembled for the SKA-Mid in South Africa.
Yashwant Gupta, the director of the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics, highlighted that these initial tests involve observing known bright radio sources. These tests assess the antennas' basic functioning and calibration, ensuring they operate effectively.
India's involvement in the SKA project emphasises its focus on software development. The Indian team is working to integrate the necessary software with the antenna control structure required for both SKA-Mid and SKA-Low. Over the past four months, they have been engaged in data analysis, laying the groundwork for future advancements.
Looking ahead, the Indian team plans to develop digital hardware for signal processing at each of the SKA-Low stations by early next year. This collaboration will primarily involve teams from India and Italy, ensuring a robust infrastructure for data processing.
As SKA continues to evolve, various tools are being developed to manage the anticipated influx of data. The successful integration of these systems will be crucial for realising the full potential of the SKA, which promises to transform our understanding of the universe.
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