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Five-Hundred-Meter Aperture Spherical Telescope Project

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 April 2016

B. Peng ,
R. Nan ,
Y. Su ,
Y. Qiu ,
L. Zhu  and
W. Zhu
B. Peng
Affiliation:
Beijing Astronomical Observatory, National Astronomical Observatories, CAS, RR. China. E-mail: pb@bao.ac.cn
R. Nan
Affiliation:
Beijing Astronomical Observatory, National Astronomical Observatories, CAS, RR. China. E-mail: pb@bao.ac.cn
Y. Su
Affiliation:
Beijing Astronomical Observatory, National Astronomical Observatories, CAS, RR. China. E-mail: pb@bao.ac.cn
Y. Qiu
Affiliation:
Beijing Astronomical Observatory, National Astronomical Observatories, CAS, RR. China. E-mail: pb@bao.ac.cn
L. Zhu
Affiliation:
Beijing Astronomical Observatory, National Astronomical Observatories, CAS, RR. China. E-mail: pb@bao.ac.cn
W. Zhu
Affiliation:
Beijing Astronomical Observatory, National Astronomical Observatories, CAS, RR. China. E-mail: pb@bao.ac.cn

Abstract

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A Five hundred meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST) is proposed to be built in the unique karst area of southwest China, and will act, in a sense, as a prototype for the Square Kilometer Array (SKA). It will be over twice as large as the Arecibo telescope coupled with much wider sky coverage. Some results from site surveys for such a SKA concept are briefly reported. Technically, FAST is not simply a copy of the existing Arecibo telescope but has rather a number of innovations. Firstly, the proposed main spherical reflector, by conforming to a paraboloid of revolution in real time through actuated active control, enables the realization of both wide bandwidth and full polarization capability while using standard feed design. Secondly, a feed support system which integrates optical, mechanical and electronic technologies will effectively reduce the cost of the support structure and control system. Pre-research on FAST has become a key project in the CAS.

Keywords

Spherical telescopekarst depressionactive reflectorcable supporting
Type
Chapter Five Future Large Telescope Projects: SKA and FAST
Information
International Astronomical Union Colloquium , Volume 182: Sources and Scintillations: Refraction and Scattering in Radio Astronomy , 2001 , pp. 219 - 224
Copyright
Copyright © Kluwer 2001

References

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