Scheda SKA-4 FINAL




Informazioni generali

Development of a C-band PAF prototype (SKA-4)

SKA-4

Progetto

Programma

R & D

Infrastruttura Internazionale

RSN5

Infrastrutture

Attività: In Itinere; Data inizio: 2017; Data fine: 2024

tonino.pisanu tonino.pisanu@inaf.it

Le survey di grandi aree di cielo con
elevata sensibilità sono uno strumento essenziale per effettuare nuove scoperte
in radioastronomia. Un PAF (Phased Array Feed) posizionato nel piano focale di
un antenna, può aumentare notevolmente il campo di vista e l'efficienza di un
radiotelescopio. In questo programma vogliamo sviluppare un prototipo di PAF in
banda C in cui il beamformer sia basato su schede digitali RFSoC. Il PAF
opererà nel range 4,75 - 6 GHz, utilizzando un sottoinsieme di 32 elementi
collegati agli LNA del totale delle 128 antenne che costituiranno l'array. I 32
segnali verranno poi inviati a 2 schede RFSoC, ognuna delle quali ha 16 canali con
una banda istantanea di 1.25 GHz , per effettuare la canalizzazione ed il beamforming.

High-sensitivity large-scale surveys are an essential tool for new discoveries in radio astronomy. A Phased Array Feed (PAF) placed at the focal plane of an antenna can increase its Field-of-View (FoV) and mapping efficiency. We are developing a prototype of a room-temperature C-band Phased Array Feed (PAF) demonstrator based on Radio Frequency System-on-Chip (RFSoC). The instrument operates across the 4.75-6.00 GHz RF band (C-band). A subset of 32 elements of one of the two polarization channels of the 128 antennas are connected to the LNAs. Following two stages of filtering and signal conditioning, the 32 RF signals are injected in two commercial RFSoC digital boards, each accepting 16 inputs with 1.25 GHz bandwidth that will perform the frequency channelization and the beamforming.

Tecnologie per Astronomia Radio

Tecnologie Informatiche e software

Trasferimento Tecnologico


Team Summary

15. Personale INAF coinvolto
Numero di partecipanti INAF al progetto: 15
Struttura Nfte N0 TI 2023 TI 2024 TI 2025 TD 2023 TD 2024 TD 2025 Nex Extra
O.A. CAGLIARI 9 0 0.70 0.90 0.90 0.10 0.10 0.10 1 0.20
O.A. ARCETRI 2 0 0.30 0.30 0.30 0 0 0 0 0.00
O.A. CATANIA 2 0 0.30 0.30 0.30 0 0 0 0 0.00
Totali 13 0 1.30 1.50 1.50 0.10 0.10 0.10 1 0.20

Fondi a sostegno

21. Totale fondi a disposizione (dato aggregato, k€)
Certi 2023 Certi 2024 Certi 2025 Presunti 2023 Presunti 2024 Presunti 2025
110.0 0.0 0.0 190.0 0.0 0.0

Produzione scientifica e tecnologica

22. Produzione scientifica e tecnologica - Highlights
# DOI Descrizione Azione
1 10.1109/PAST43306.2019.9021018 Titolo: The Warm Receiver Section and the Digital Backend of the PHAROS2 Phased Array Feed Autori:A. Navarrini and A. Scalambra and A. Melis and S. Rusticelli and R. Concu and P. Ortu and G. Naldi .... Publisher:IEEE Anno pubblicazione:2019
2 10.1142/S2251171720500130 Titolo: A Digital Beamformer for the PHAROS2 Phased Array Feed Autori:A. Melis and R. Chiello and G. Comoretto and R. Concu and A. Magro and G. Naldi and A. Navarrini an .... Publisher:World Scientific Pub Co Pte Lt Rivista: Journal of Astronomical Instrumentation Anno pubblicazione:2020
3 10.3390/electronics8060666 Titolo: The Room Temperature Multi-Channel Heterodyne Receiver Section of the PHAROS2 Phased Array Feed Autori:Alessandro Navarrini and Alessandro Scalambra and Simone Rusticelli and Andrea Maccaferri and Aless .... Publisher:MDPI AG Rivista: Electronics Anno pubblicazione:2019
4 https://doi.org/10.23919/AT-AP-RASC54737.2022.9814401 Titolo: Architecture of C-band Phased Array Feed with RFSoC digital beamformer Autori:A. Navarrini and A. Melis and G. Comoretto and T. Pisanu and R. Nesti and P. Marongiu and P. Ortu a .... Publisher:IEEE Anno pubblicazione:2022
5 https://doi.org/10.23919/EuMC48046.2021.9337938 Proceedings of the 50th European Microwave Conference, 12–14 January 2021, Utrecht, The Netherlands; “Preliminary Characterization of the Digitally Formed Beams of PHAROS2 Phased Array Feed”; G. Pupillo, A. Navarrini, A. Melis, R. Concu, P. Ortu, P. Marongiu, G. Naldi, S. Rusticelli, A. Saba, A. Scalambra, L. Schirru, A. Ladu, T. Pisanu, E. Urru



Informazioni Pubbliche

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom: 12.0pt;margin-left:0cm;text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-GB">Observational Astronomy \ Astronomical detectors \ Radio receivers&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom: 12.0pt;margin-left:0cm;text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://astrothesaurus.org/uat/1355"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">http://astrothesaurus.org/uat/1355</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="text-align: justify; font-family: var(--bs-font-sans-serif); font-size: 1rem;">Radio astronomy; Radio telescopes; Interferometers; Radio observatories</span><span style="font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: 1rem;">terferometers; Radio observatories</span><br></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">INAF played a fundamental role in the design, development and deployment of the cryogenic C-band phased array feed prototypes for radio astronomy application. Owing to that, INAF now has a recognized role in the field of PAF technologies in the international context. We are also an important component of the RADIOBLOCKS European Project in which the WP3 is almost exclusively devoted to new research for PAF developments.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom: 12.0pt;margin-left:0cm;text-align:justify"><span lang="it">The INAF Observatories contributing to the proposed activities are: Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari, the Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri and the Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom: 12.0pt;margin-left:0cm;text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-US">The principal Scientific infrastructures interested in the project are: SKA, SRT, MeerKAT<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>


15. Team members, Informazioni generali


15. Personale INAF coinvolto

# Nome E-mail Struttura TI Qualifica Ruolo nel Progetto FTE Impegnate (2023/2024/2025) FTE Presunte (2023/2024/2025) Extra
1 alessandro.navarrini alessandro.navarrini@inaf.it O.A. CAGLIARI Y PRIMO TECNOLOGO Coordinator of system design X X X X X X X OK
2 pierluigi.ortu pierluigi.ortu@inaf.it O.A. CAGLIARI Y C.T.E.R. Monitor and control and bias electronics X X X X X X X OK
3 tonino.pisanu tonino.pisanu@inaf.it O.A. CAGLIARI Y TECNOLOGO System Management of PAF X X X X X X X OK
4 adelaide.ladu adelaide.ladu@inaf.it O.A. CAGLIARI Y TECNOLOGO Design and characterization of RF module X X X X X X X OK
5 pasqualino.marongiu pasqualino.marongiu@inaf.it O.A. CAGLIARI Y C.T.E.R. Mechanical system and cryostat X X X X X X X OK
6 andrea.melis andrea.melis@inaf.it O.A. CAGLIARI Y TECNOLOGO Development of digital beamformer X X X X X X X OK
7 renzo.nesti renzo.nesti@inaf.it O.A. ARCETRI Y TECNOLOGO Electromagnetic design and antenna coupling X X X X X X X OK
8 giovanni.comoretto giovanni.comoretto@inaf.it O.A. ARCETRI Y ASTRONOMO ASSOCIATO Development of digital beamformer X X X X X X X OK
9 luca.schirru luca.schirru@inaf.it O.A. CAGLIARI Y TECNOLOGO Electromagnetic simulations, beam-pattern tests and design and characterization of RF module X X X X X X X OK
10 paolo.maxia paolo.maxia@inaf.it O.A. CAGLIARI N TECNOLOGO Electromagnetic simulations, front end design and development X X X X X X X OK
11 paola.dininni paola.dininni@inaf.it O.A. ARCETRI Y TECNOLOGO Electromagnetic simulations, beam-pattern tests and design and characterization of RF module X X X X X X X OK
12 massimiliano.belluso massimiliano.belluso@inaf.it O.A. CATANIA Y C.T.E.R. Development of digital beamformer/RFSoC X X X X X X X OK
13 sergio.billotta sergio.billotta@inaf.it O.A. CATANIA Y TECNOLOGO Development of digital beamformer/RFSoC X X X X X X X OK
14 alessandro.cabras alessandro.cabras@inaf.it O.A. CAGLIARI N ASSEGNISTA Monitor and control software; X X X X X X X OK
15 francesco.gaudiomonte fgaudiom@oa-cagliari.inaf.it O.A. CAGLIARI Y C.T.E.R. Monitoring and control of the RFI signals and on their impact on the PAF X X X X X X X OK

16. Personale Associato INAF coinvolto

# Nome E-mail Struttura TI Qualifica Ruolo nel Progetto FTE Impegnate (2023/2024/2025) FTE Presunte (2023/2024/2025) Extra

21. Fondi a Sostegno Iniziativa

INAF is part of the SKA Phased Array Feed (PAF) Advanced Instrumentation Program (AIP), which kicked-off in August 26th, 2016 in Cagliari, Italy. Since 2017, PAF activities have been funded by INAF on a yearly basis and conducted by the INAF PAF team in the framework of the SKA PAF AIP. So far, the INAF PAF team has received 365 k€ total funds for the PHAROS2 programme.


Tabella fondi:

# Provenienza Certi 2023 (k€) Certi 2024 (k€) Certi 2025 (k€) Presun. 2023 (k€) Presun. 2024 (k€) Presun. 2025 (k€) Totale Certi (k€) Totale Presunti (k€)
1 1.05.03.32.02 110 0 0 190 0 0 110 190


Tabella fondi Astrofisica Fondamentale e PNRR:
# Provenienza Fondi 2023 (€) Fondi 2024 (€) Fondi 2025 (€)