The Astronomical Journal (Jan 2024)
CHIME/FRB Outriggers: KKO Station System and Commissioning Results
- Adam E. Lanman,
- Shion Andrew,
- Mattias Lazda,
- Vishwangi Shah,
- Mandana Amiri,
- Arvind Balasubramanian,
- Kevin Bandura,
- P. J. Boyle,
- Charanjot Brar,
- Mark Carlson,
- Jean-François Cliche,
- Nina Gusinskaia,
- Ian T. Hendricksen,
- J. F. Kaczmarek,
- Tom Landecker,
- Calvin Leung,
- Ryan Mckinven,
- Juan Mena-Parra,
- Nikola Milutinovic,
- Kenzie Nimmo,
- Aaron B. Pearlman,
- Andre Renard,
- Mubdi Rahman,
- J. Richard Shaw,
- Seth R. Siegel,
- Rick J. Smegal,
- Tomas Cassanelli,
- Shami Chatterjee,
- Alice P. Curtin,
- Matt Dobbs,
- Fengqiu Adam Dong,
- Mark Halpern,
- Hans Hopkins,
- Victoria M. Kaspi,
- Kholoud Khairy,
- Kiyoshi W. Masui,
- Bradley W. Meyers,
- Daniele Michilli,
- Emily Petroff,
- Tristan Pinsonneault-Marotte,
- Ziggy Pleunis,
- Masoud Rafiei-Ravandi,
- Kaitlyn Shin,
- Kendrick Smith,
- Keith Vanderlinde,
- Tarik J. Zegmott
Affiliations
- Adam E. Lanman
- ORCiD
- Department of Physics, McGill University , 3600 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2T8, Canada ; [email protected]; Trottier Space Institute, McGill University , 3550 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada; MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Shion Andrew
- ORCiD
- MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Mattias Lazda
- ORCiD
- David A. Dunlap Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics, University of Toronto , 50 St George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3H4, Canada; Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics, University of Toronto , 50 St George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3H4, Canada
- Vishwangi Shah
- ORCiD
- Department of Physics, McGill University , 3600 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2T8, Canada ; [email protected]; Trottier Space Institute, McGill University , 3550 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada
- Mandana Amiri
- ORCiD
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia , 6224 Agricultural Road, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada
- Arvind Balasubramanian
- ORCiD
- Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research , Mumbai, 400005, India
- Kevin Bandura
- ORCiD
- Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, 1220 Evansdale Drive, P.O. Box 6109, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA; Center for Gravitational Waves and Cosmology, West Virginia University , Chestnut Ridge Research Building, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA
- P. J. Boyle
- ORCiD
- Department of Physics, McGill University , 3600 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2T8, Canada ; [email protected]; Trottier Space Institute, McGill University , 3550 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada
- Charanjot Brar
- ORCiD
- Department of Physics, McGill University , 3600 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2T8, Canada ; [email protected]; Trottier Space Institute, McGill University , 3550 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada
- Mark Carlson
- ORCiD
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia , 6224 Agricultural Road, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada
- Jean-François Cliche
- ORCiD
- Department of Physics, McGill University , 3600 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2T8, Canada ; [email protected]; Trottier Space Institute, McGill University , 3550 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada
- Nina Gusinskaia
- ORCiD
- David A. Dunlap Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics, University of Toronto , 50 St George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3H4, Canada; Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics, University of Toronto , 50 St George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3H4, Canada; Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics , 60 St George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3H8, Canada
- Ian T. Hendricksen
- ORCiD
- Department of Physics, McGill University , 3600 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2T8, Canada ; [email protected]; Trottier Space Institute, McGill University , 3550 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada
- J. F. Kaczmarek
- ORCiD
- CSIRO Space & Astronomy , Parkes Observatory, P.O. Box 276, Parkes NSW 2870, Australia; Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory , Herzberg Research Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, National Research Council Canada, P.O. Box 248, Penticton, BC V2A 6J9, Canada
- Tom Landecker
- ORCiD
- Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory , Herzberg Research Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, National Research Council Canada, P.O. Box 248, Penticton, BC V2A 6J9, Canada
- Calvin Leung
- ORCiD
- Department of Astronomy, University of California Berkeley , Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Ryan Mckinven
- ORCiD
- Department of Physics, McGill University , 3600 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2T8, Canada ; [email protected]; Trottier Space Institute, McGill University , 3550 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada
- Juan Mena-Parra
- ORCiD
- David A. Dunlap Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics, University of Toronto , 50 St George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3H4, Canada; Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics, University of Toronto , 50 St George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3H4, Canada
- Nikola Milutinovic
- ORCiD
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia , 6224 Agricultural Road, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada
- Kenzie Nimmo
- ORCiD
- MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Aaron B. Pearlman
- ORCiD
- Department of Physics, McGill University , 3600 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2T8, Canada ; [email protected]; Trottier Space Institute, McGill University , 3550 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada
- Andre Renard
- ORCiD
- Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics, University of Toronto , 50 St George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3H4, Canada
- Mubdi Rahman
- ORCiD
- Sidrat Research , 124 Merton Street, Suite 507, Toronto, ON M4S 2Z2, Canada
- J. Richard Shaw
- ORCiD
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia , 6224 Agricultural Road, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada
- Seth R. Siegel
- ORCiD
- Department of Physics, McGill University , 3600 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2T8, Canada ; [email protected]; Trottier Space Institute, McGill University , 3550 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada; Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics , 31 Caroline Street N, Waterloo, ON N25 2YL, Canada
- Rick J. Smegal
- ORCiD
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia , 6224 Agricultural Road, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada
- Tomas Cassanelli
- ORCiD
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Universidad de Chile , Av. Tupper 2007, Santiago 8370451, Chile
- Shami Chatterjee
- ORCiD
- Cornell Center for Astrophysics and Planetary Science, Cornell University , Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Alice P. Curtin
- ORCiD
- Department of Physics, McGill University , 3600 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2T8, Canada ; [email protected]; Trottier Space Institute, McGill University , 3550 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada
- Matt Dobbs
- ORCiD
- Department of Physics, McGill University , 3600 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2T8, Canada ; [email protected]; Trottier Space Institute, McGill University , 3550 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada
- Fengqiu Adam Dong
- ORCiD
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia , 6224 Agricultural Road, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada
- Mark Halpern
- ORCiD
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia , 6224 Agricultural Road, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada
- Hans Hopkins
- ORCiD
- Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics , 31 Caroline Street N, Waterloo, ON N25 2YL, Canada
- Victoria M. Kaspi
- ORCiD
- Department of Physics, McGill University , 3600 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2T8, Canada ; [email protected]; Trottier Space Institute, McGill University , 3550 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada
- Kholoud Khairy
- ORCiD
- Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, 1220 Evansdale Drive, P.O. Box 6109, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA; Center for Gravitational Waves and Cosmology, West Virginia University , Chestnut Ridge Research Building, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA
- Kiyoshi W. Masui
- ORCiD
- MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Bradley W. Meyers
- ORCiD
- International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research, Curtin University , Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
- Daniele Michilli
- ORCiD
- MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Emily Petroff
- ORCiD
- Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics , 31 Caroline Street N, Waterloo, ON N25 2YL, Canada
- Tristan Pinsonneault-Marotte
- ORCiD
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia , 6224 Agricultural Road, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada
- Ziggy Pleunis
- ORCiD
- Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics, University of Toronto , 50 St George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3H4, Canada
- Masoud Rafiei-Ravandi
- ORCiD
- Department of Physics, McGill University , 3600 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2T8, Canada ; [email protected]; Trottier Space Institute, McGill University , 3550 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada
- Kaitlyn Shin
- ORCiD
- MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Kendrick Smith
- ORCiD
- Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics , 31 Caroline Street N, Waterloo, ON N25 2YL, Canada
- Keith Vanderlinde
- ORCiD
- David A. Dunlap Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics, University of Toronto , 50 St George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3H4, Canada; Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics, University of Toronto , 50 St George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3H4, Canada
- Tarik J. Zegmott
- ORCiD
- Department of Physics, McGill University , 3600 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2T8, Canada ; [email protected]; Trottier Space Institute, McGill University , 3550 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2A7, Canada
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/ad5838
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 168,
no. 2
p. 87
Abstract
Localizing fast radio bursts (FRBs) to their host galaxies is an essential step to better understanding their origins and using them as cosmic probes. The Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME)/FRB Outriggers program aims to add very long baseline interferometry localization capabilities to CHIME, such that FRBs may be localized to tens of milliarcsecond precision at the time of their discovery, more than sufficient for host galaxy identification. The first-built outrigger telescope is the Outrigger (KKO), located 66 km west of CHIME. Cross-correlating KKO with CHIME can achieve arcsecond precision along the baseline axis while avoiding the worst effects of the ionosphere. Since the CHIME–KKO baseline is mostly east/west, this improvement is mostly in right ascension. This paper presents measurements of KKO’s performance throughout its commissioning phase, as well as a summary of its design and function. We demonstrate KKO’s capabilities as a standalone instrument by producing full-sky images, mapping the angular and frequency structure of the primary beam, and measuring feed positions. To demonstrate the localization capabilities of the CHIME–KKO baseline, we collected five separate observations each, for a set of 20 bright pulsars, and aimed to measure their positions to within 5″. All of these pulses were successfully localized to within this specification. The next two outriggers are expected to be commissioned in 2024 and will enable subarcsecond localizations for approximately hundreds of FRBs each year.
Keywords
- Radio telescopes
- Astronomical instrumentation
- Radio interferometers
- Very long baseline interferometry
- Radio transient sources
- Telescopes
