Feasibility Study for a Prospect Hill Interferometer

摘要

High resolution millimeter-wave studies of the spatial distribution of brightness within solar active regions provide the means whereby mechanisms for the generation of flare-related radio bursts may be explored. This report examines the feasibility of coupling the existing AFCRL 29-foot millimeter-wave antenna located at Prospect Hill, Waltham, Massachusetts with one or more smaller antennas in order to produce a system capable of operating as a solar interferometer. The configuration studied provides a single fixed baseline of 4433 lambda at the operating wavelength of 8.6 mm, with a minimum fringe spacing of 45 arc-seconds. Theoretical aspects of radio interferometry are reviewed for the present application, and the fundamental limitations of the system are examined. It is found that scale-size and position estimates of single-source distributions may be readily obtained, and that certain multiple source distributions may be studied using model-fitting procedures. (Author)