Multiscale Analysis of Panel Gaps in a Large Parabolic Reflector

摘要

The effect of the gaps between the panels of a reflector, used as a radio-telescope, is analyzed in this paper via the multiscale and array factor approach. Initially, the simulation is carried out by numerical integration as well as the Finite Difference Tune Domain (FDTD) Method for a reflector with a moderately large diameter, and the results are then scaled for the actual size, which is thousands of wavelengths in diameter in the frequency range of interest. The array factor concept is employed to demonstrate the fact that the grating lobe cannot arise for the typical gap size of the reflector.