ECRA dynamic spectrograph - design and test results

Abstract

Eastern Centre for Research in Astrophysics (ECRA) set up by the University Grants Commission in 1993, involving Universities and Research Institues of Eastern Region with Calcutta University as the nodal centre, started initial activities with a thrust in Solar Radio Astronomy. For studies of the dynamic spectra of solar meterwave bursts a dynamic spectrograph was developed for ECRA at the Institute of Radio Physics and Electronics, University of Calcutta in collaboration with the GMRT group of NCRA (TIFR).The development was planned in two stages. Firstly, a dynamic spectrograph based on spectrum analyzer was developed and installed at the low nise ECRA field site at Kalyani University campus. Secondly, the design of a high resolution dynamic spectrograph based on a hardware based FFT system of GMRT electronics has been completed and its development is underway for completion by 1997. The structure of the dynamic spectrographs of ECRA and their salient features together with some initial studies of RFI in the field site made by the dynamic spectrograph are presented in this paper