Quality-controlled deformation analysis of the 26-m HartRAO radio telescope's main reflector: First results

Abstract

Radio telescopes are pivotal in receiving radio frequencies from space. These telescopes, typically featuring parabolic dishes, focus radio waves onto a central receiving point to amplify the incoming signal. The stability of the telescope’s main reflector’s shape across various orientations is crucial, as deformations can distort the received signal. This study focuses on the 26-meter radio telescope at the Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO) in South Africa. A high-end laser scanner is employed to record the surface of the rotating paraboloid reflector in multiple orientations. The telescope is capable of moving through different declinations and hour angles requiring to measuring 88 different positions of the telescope, to provide a complete picture of the deformations. Fitting models are applied to estimate the shape of the rotating paraboloid from the raw data also considering calibration errors of the laser scanner used. First results for deformation patterns and, therefore, the local deformations of the main reflector are shown.