Speaker
Dr
Patrick Allison
(Ohio State University)
Description
The Askaryan Radio Array (ARA) is an ultrahigh energy radio neutrino detector currently in the prototype and development phase. A testbed to examine the RF environment was deployed in the 2010-2011 polar season and is currently operating. A prototype ARA station is due to be deployed in 2011-2012. The testbed consisted of custom digitization and triggering for 8 antennas, digitized at 1 and 2 GSa/s, along with a commercial off-the-shelf single-board computer. The prototype ARA station, with 16 wider spaced antennas, presents additional challenges, with digitization at 3.2 GSa/s, and requiring an analog buffer of approximately 10 microseconds. The design and performance of the testbed, as well as the design of the prototype station, will be presented.
Author
Dr
Patrick Allison
(Ohio State University)