Experience from geodetic very long baseline interferometry observations at Onsala using a digital backend

Abstract

The Onsala Space Observatory has installed a modern digital backend for geodetic and astronomical Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI). This system consists of a Digital Base-Band Converter (DBBC) and a Mark 5B+ recorder. From 2011 until late 2014 this new system was run for geodetic VLBI observations in parallel with the old system consisting of a Mark 4 rack and Mark 5A recording system. Several of these observed sessions were correlated at the correlator in Bonn including both data sets. We present results from the analysis and comparison of these sessions. Both the original observed delays and corresponding geodetic parameters are compared. No significant differences are detected, for either the raw observations or for the geodetic parameters. This shows that the digital backend can be used operationally for geodetic VLBI observations.

Keywords

• digital base-band converter
• geodetic very long baseline interferometry
• Mark 4
• VLBI2010 Global Observing System