VSRT and MOSAIC Memo Series

Very Small Radio Telescope (VSRT)

The Very Small Radio Telescope (VSRT) interferometer is an educational system developed with the support of the National Science Foundation. The VSRT uses 0.45 m diameter dishes with 12 GHz satellite TV electronics and other inexpensive consumer parts that can be purchased from retail outlets or over the web. The system can be used in the classroom to demonstrate the basics of interferometry and physical principles related to the propagation and polarization of the electromagnetic radiation. The VSRT can also be used for radio observations of the Sun.

Mesospheric Ozone System for Atmospheric Investigations in the Classroom (MOSAIC)

The Mesospheric Ozone System for Atmospheric Investigations in the Classroom (MOSAIC) is an array of single-telescope systems based on VSRT hardware observing the 11 GHz line of ozone in the mesosphere. Several MOSAIC systems will be deployed to conduct original research measuring the diurnal, seasonal, and latitudinal variations in mesospheric ozone concentration. The educational goal of the MOSAIC project is to provide students with an opportunity to analyze and interpret data in a networked collaborative environment.

VSRT and MOSAIC Memos

MemoTitleAuthorDate
001Preliminary concept for VSRT image processingA.E.E. Rogers20061115
002Test signals for VSRTA.E.E. Rogers20061120
003Sign ambiguity in the closure phaseA.E.E. Rogers20061121
004Parts for initial tests of VSRTA.E.E. Rogers20071107
005Inexpensive Sun tracking hardwareA.E.E. Rogers20071106
006Tests of compact fluorescent lamp as microwave sourcesA.E.E. Rogers20071205
007Video Detector characteristicsA.E.E. Rogers20071301
008Laboratory demonstration projectsA.E.E. Rogers20070208
0092 axis mount for VSRT tests – RevisedA.E.E. Rogers20070227
010In-line amplifier configurations for the VSRTA.E.E. Rogers20070202
011Ku Band satellite signalsA.E.E. Rogers20070228
012Science ideas for a single baseline VSRTA.E.E. Rogers20070301
013Demonstration of the sense of circular polarizationA.E.E. Rogers20070302
014Sample srt.cat file for VSRTA.E.E. Rogers20070314
015Direct TV Feed AssembliesA.E.E. Rogers20070326
016Frame Grabber ConfigurationA.E.E. Rogers20070423
017Tests and laboratory demonstrations with a single LNBA.E.E. Rogers20070425
018Sample data from short baselineA.E.E. Rogers20070427
019A Method for detecting active solar regions at 12 GHzA.E.E. Rogers20070618
020VSRT fringe detection theoryA.E.E. Rogers20070619
021Calculating the visibility of solar diskA.E.E. Rogers20070709
022Correction for feed and axis offsetsA.E.E. Rogers20070710
023LNB Local oscillator frequency adjustmentA.E.E. Rogers20070802
024Development of a solar imaging array of Very Small Radio TelescopesT. Tsiligaridis, A.E.E. Rogers20070814
025Laboratory demonstrations/experimentsA.E.E. Rogers, P. Pratap20070907
026Calibration of 2-element interferometerA.E.E. Rogers20070816
027Measurement of solar diameter with single baseline VSRT interferometerA.E.E. Rogers20081100
028Simplest laboratory set-up to demonstrate the principles of radio interferometryA.E.E. Rogers20070910
029Detection of the 313-404 11 GHz transition of ozone in the mesosphere using       VSRT components.A.E.E. Rogers20071015
030 REVISED:: Simple set-up to observe fringes on the Sun and measure the solar diameter.A.E.E. Rogers et al.20080404
031Ozone spectrometer set-up for Chelmsford High SchoolA.E.E. Rogers20081105
032Polarization demonstration using VSRTA.E.E. Rogers20080215
033Modeling an atmospheric spectral line of ozoneA.E.E. Rogers20080303
034The single baseline LNBF interferometerA.E.E. Rogers20080310
035Near field geometry and dielectric constant measurements.A.E.E. Rogers20080310
036Microwave properties of water and iceA.E.E. Rogers20080310
037Antenna lab – a feasibility studyA.E.E. Rogers20080310
038Measurement of the electron temperature and opacity of a CFLA.E.E. Rogers20080714
039Calculation of a geometry of antenna beam intersection with the mesosphereA.E.E. Rogers20080404
040Modeling the diurnal variation of ozoneA.E.E. Rogers20080414
041Satellite TV dish offset geometryA.E.E. Rogers20080619
042Least squares fitting of a curve to the ozone spectrumA.E.E. Rogers20080625
043Ozone kinetic temperature in the lower thermosphereA.E.E. Rogers20080701
044Demonstration of microwave noise output from a heated resistorA.E.E. Rogers20080703
045System noise in Ozone spectrometerA.E.E. Rogers20080826
046Adding a ground screen to the direct TV dishA.E.E. Rogers20080916
047Parts for basic of VSRTA.E.E. Rogers, P. Pratap20081022
048Calculation of Equinox time for ozone diurnal variationsA.E.E. Rogers20081022
049Modeling the seasonal variation of nighttime ozone in the mesopauseA.E.E. Rogers20081106
050Installation of Ozone SpectrometerA.E.E. Rogers20081216
051Updated: Ozone spectrometer data file formatA.E.E. Rogers20170221
052Simplified radiation balance needed to explain Global warming and upper atmospheric coolingA.E.E. Rogers20090223
053Effect of standing waves on the LNBF cableA.E.E. Rogers20090206
054Script for simple MOSAIC data analysis using GNU OctaveV. Fish20090209
055Alternate USB 2.0 frame grabberA.E.E. Rogers20090303
056Diurnal ozone variations, smoothing of MOSAIC data, and signal-to-noise ratiosV. Fish20090310
057Frequency calibration of ozone spectrometerA.E.E. Rogers20090317
058Equation for the buildup of ozone at sunsetV. Fish20090324
059Curve fitting: Nighttime ozone concentrationV. Fish20090324
060Testing GNU Octave under WindowsV. Fish20090511
061Absorber for calibration of ozone spectrometerA.E.E. Rogers20090518
062Suggested Ozone spectrometer projects for studentsA.E.E. Rogers20090601
063Development of an Optimized Antenna and Other Enhancements of a Spectrometer for the study of Ozone in the MesosphereS. Tenneti, A.E.E. Rogers20090701
064Measurements of system noise changes at 11 GHz during heavy rainA.E.E. Rogers20090813
065On the Feasibility of a Low-cost Methanol Radio TelescopeV. Fish, A.E.E. Rogers20090921
066Model of a Thermally Driven Pump to Assist in Driving the Meridional Circulation from Summer to Winter Pole Via the MesosphereA.E.E. Rogers20091008
067One-dimensional vertical model of wind and temperature over the summer poleA.E.E. Rogers20091201
068Measurements of the fraction on linear polarizationA.E.E. Rogers20100503
069Simplified derivation of the conversion of observed ozone line temperature to ozone density concentrationA.E.E. Rogers20100726
070Parts list for Ozone spectrometerA.E.E. Rogers20120806
071Use of DVB-T RTL2832U dongle with Rafael R820T tunerA.E.E. Rogers20130916
072Simplified version of the VSRT using a TV dongleA.E.E. Rogers20131119
073Noise injections calibrationA.E.E. Rogers, E. True20140708
074Ozone Spectrometer Construction and HardwareE. True20140723
075Cooling USB DonglesA.E.E. Rogers, E. True20140730
076Development of a Low Cost Multichannel Spectrometer for the Study of Ozone in the MesosphereE. True20140808
077Two channel spectrometer using Intel NUCA.E.E. Rogers, O.B. Alam20150826
078Evaluation of Star Com LNBFs for ozone observationsA.E.E. Rogers20171108
079Sensitivity of ozone spectrometer to interference.A.E.E. Rogers20171108
080Level of RFI emissions from Ozone spectrometer.A.E.E. Rogers20170523
081Comparison of ozone line at 11.072 and 142 GHz.A.E.E. Rogers20170523
082Spectrometers for the Ground Observation of Mesospheric Water and Ozone.R. Boedicker20180921