PoS(IX EVN Symposium)053

http://pos.sissa.it reAlike Licence. reAlike Licence. The VLBI Network “Quasar” Network “Quasar” up to 2011 is ntrol and data processing center. A and EVN Users Meeting Meeting Users EVN and

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@ipa.nw.ru @ipa.nw.ru @ipa.nw.ru @ipa.nw.ru @ipa.nw.ru @ipa.nw.ru S. Smolentsev This paper describes Russian VLBI Network “Quasar”. consists of three 32-m antennas and involves the co brief review of upgrade and development of the VLBI presented. 1 Copyright owned by the author(s) under terms owned the Copyright author(s) by the of

on Symposium Network VLBI European 9th The Astronomy Radio for Age Golden the of in VLBI The role Bologna, 2008 23-26, September

S. Smolentsev RAS Astronomy of Applied Institute Petersburg, St. 191187 10 nab. Kutuzova, E-mail: smolen A. Ipatov RAS Astronomy of Applied Institute Russia Petersburg, St. 191187 10 nab. Kutuzova, E-mail: ipatov A. Finkelstein, RAS Astronomy of Applied Institute Russia Petersburg, St. 191187 10 nab. Kutuzova, amf E-mail: Russian VLBI Network “Quasar”: from 2006 to 2011

PoS(IX EVN Symposium)053

Finkelstein Finkelstein

kskaya”, c — “Badary”, c — “Badary”, kskaya”, o carry out astrometrical and tloe” (Sv), “Zelenchukskaya” (Zc) Quasar” uses as much as possible eerable eerable 32 meters . The rocessing Center in St. Petersburg. The twork “Quasar” with baselines of about ws the circle while the rotation of the or focuses the emission of radio sources grain scheme with a main quasi-parabolic gth to another is performed by the rotation extention of Russian territory, which allows sources with sources different declinations (Fig. 1). and the secondary quasi-hyperbolic mirror of

2 d — Control and Processing Center, St. Petersburg). Center, Processing and dControl — VLBI Network “Quasar” (a — “Svetloe”, b — “Zelenchu — b “Svetloe”, — (a “Quasar” Network VLBI Figure 1: Figure The basic element of each observatory is a fully st Three Russian radio astronomical observatories “Sve 4 meters in diameter. The asymmetric secondary mirr antenna was designed on the basis of modified Casse reflector with focal distance of about 11.4 meters aside of the main dish axis secondary and reflector. Fast the transfer from one focal wavelen point dra of the secondary tomirror a given angle(Fig. 2). 1. The VLBI VLBI Network “Quasar”: 2006–2008 The 1. Russian VLBI Network “Quasar”: from 2006 to 2011 2011 2006 to from Network “Quasar”: VLBI Russian A. guideline of the Russian VLBI Network “Quasar” is t and “Badary” (Bd) make up the three-element VLBI Ne 2015×4282×4404 km assembling with the Control and P geodynamical investigations [1]. The VLBI powerful advantage of Network longitudinal and latitudinal “ us to acieve wide enough mutual visibility of radio PoS(IX EVN Symposium)053

Finkelstein Finkelstein copes. sar” have different data cks are synchronized by the cal plane). cal , K SEFD, Jy sys eloped on the basis of hydrogen sists sists of 1.35, 6, 18–21, 3.5 and 13 /s /s along azimuth and elevation angle accuracy. The system of transforming, der in observatory “Svetloe”, VLBA 4 with similar receiving facilities — the P 1000 DAS [2] with Mark 5A recorder up to the end of 2008 in the frame of systems systems of formatting radio signals are ng the radio source is less than 10''. Each oaxial link. VLBI modes operates in the 100–1000 MHz tion) cryogenic radiometers (Table 1), the last

, K T r 3 T

Focusing system of radio telescope of telescope radio system Focusing Figure 2: 2: Figure Parameters of the VLBI Network “Quasar” radio teles radio “Quasar” Network VLBI of the Parameters band, GHz band, instability for 1000 s time of averaging. Site clo (1 — main dish, 2 — subreflector, 3 — horns, F — fo F horns,— — 3 — 2subreflector, dish, (1 — main -15 Table 1: Table 6 4.60–5.10 8 27 140 13 2.15–2.50 10 48 330 3.5 8.18–9.08 11 34 200 1.35 22.02–22.52 20 80 710 21/1 1.38–1.72 8 43 240

The time-keeping complex of each observatory is dev The slewing velocities are of about 1.6°/s and 1.0° Nowadays the observatories of the VLBI Network “Qua Wavelength, cm cm Wavelength, Frequency centimeter double-channels (left and right polariza two being forused joint reception S/Xin range. telescope of the VLBI Network “Quasar” is equipped low-noise multi-wave receiving SHF-system which con correspondingly. The accuracy of pointing and guidi Russian VLBI Network “Quasar”: from 2006 to 2011 2011 2006 to from Network “Quasar”: VLBI Russian A. masers with 3×10 GPS/GLONASS signals with better than 50 nanosecond acquisition systems: Mark IV DAS with Mark 5A recor formatting and receiving signal for radiometric and connected theto outputs receivers byof wideband c DAS with Mark 5A terminal in “Zelenchukskaya”, and in “Badary” observatory. Recorder S2 is to be domestic geodetic programs only. used basic range of intermediate frequencies. Different PoS(IX EVN Symposium)053 Finkelstein Finkelstein s s µ µ mestic programs programs mestic observatories “Svetloe”, and astrophysical observational t into operation. It will provide linked to the Control and Processing 6 and the main goal of the programs ial pole coordinates) and Ru-U — out using 2-stations MicroParsec domestic observational programs are oe”, “Zelenchukskaya” and “Badary” in in and “Badary” oe”, “Zelenchukskaya” king stations of x86 architecture and for determining all Earth orientation d in the IAA RAS on the basis of NASA and domestic VLBI programs is presented d international IVS (60 sessions per year) here are two domestic programs: Ru-E — s s will be equipped with Mark 5B recorders rsal rsal Time. Preliminary processing the VLBI nnels nnels with 16MHz bandwidth and two-byte 100 Mbps100 rate.

4 and EOP IERS 05 C04 series. series. 05 C04 IERS and EOP 27 27 0.82 mas 0.97 mas 27 27 0.75 mas 0.72 mas c c p p X Y X Y UT 27 44 2006 2007 2008 international and domestic observational programs. programs. observational domestic and international RMS differences between EOP obtained within the do the within obtained EOP between differences RMS Program Program Nsess RMS Sv Zc Bd Sv Zc Bd Sv Zc Bd Table 3: Table Activities of the Network “Quasar” stations “Svetl “Quasar” of Network the Activities The domestic astrometrical, geodynamical, geodetic Observational activity of the VLBI Network “Quasar” The results of obtaining EOP from the all available

In 2009 the 6-station correlator ARC [5] will be pu All observatories of the VLBI Network “Quasar” are Domestic observational programs were started in 200 Ru-E Ru-U UT 30 132 IVS 46 63 – 44 37 12 71 69 36 Ru-E 9 9 9 9 9 9 24 24 24 Ru-U 5 5 – 7 8 16 – 24 24 Table 2: Table parameters (polar motion, Universal Time and celest is is to determine the Earth orientation parameters. T diurnal observations on 3-baselines interferometer observations of 8-hour duration for obtaining Unive observational data recorded correlator [3]. in S2 format is carried SKED system [4]. sessions are planned using program package develope “Zelenchukskaya” and “Badary” in bothinternational in Table 2. presented in Table 3. 2. The VLBI VLBI Network “Quasar”: 2009 The 2. Programs Programs Russian VLBI Network “Quasar”: from 2006 to 2011 2011 2006 to from Network “Quasar”: VLBI Russian A. processing input signals in VSI-H format for 16 cha sampling for each of 15 baselines. All observatorie for carrying out domestic (52 sessions per year) an Center by optical fiber lines and network facilities providing data transmission with equipped with wor PoS(IX EVN Symposium)053 Finkelstein Finkelstein

st). ''. ''. sical sical programs and deep space

ssian satellite laser ranging system Fig. 3) will be equipped with S/X determination of UT in the frame of e heights 400–23000 km, optical system system optical km, e 400–23000 heights energy 2.5 mJ, mass 120 kg, kg, 120 mass mJ, 2.5 energy ecoder for joining the VLBI Network sy techniques (Fig. 4). ed; d: ron space mission the RDR recorders [6] mestic mestic and international (together with EVN)

5 Upgrade of radio telescope RT-70 (Ussurijsk, Far Ea Far (Ussurijsk, RT-70 radio telescope of Upgrade normal points precision 1 cm, angular precision 1–2 precision angular 1 pointsprecision cm, normal Figure 3: Figure diameter 25 cm, laser pulse frequency 300 Hz, pulse Hz, 300 frequency laser pulse 25 cm, diameter Satellite Laser Ranging System “Sazhen-TM”. Satellit “Sazhen-TM”. LaserSystem Ranging Satellite In the same year e-VLBI mode will be developed for In this theperiod following problems will be solve Diurnal 1-hour session e-VLBIin mode will be start The RT-70 radio telescope in Ussurijsk (Far East) ( The “Quasar” observatories will be equipped with Ru receivers, P 1002 digital DAS [7] and the Mark 5B r “Quasar” to carry out both astrometric and astrophy missions; “Sazhen-TM” for colocation differentof geodespace

- - - Figure 4: Figure 3. The VLBI Network “Quasar”: 2010–2011 VLBI Network “Quasar”: 2010–2011 The 3. Russian VLBI Network “Quasar”: from 2006 to 2011 2011 2006 to from Network “Quasar”: VLBI Russian programs. These facilities will be used also for do A. programs. For observations in the frame of Radioast will be installed in all observatories. 1-hourdomestic sessions Ru-UInt. PoS(IX EVN Symposium)053 , , , , a. a. tions Finkelstein Finkelstein in

. AA RAS Transactions RAS AA IVS 2004 General General 2004 IVS A. Finkelstein, D. Behrend D. Behrend A.Finkelstein, ”, 12255, 2004, 161–165. 161–165. 2004, 12255, in proceedings of of proceedings in n). . 2009 in print (in Russian) (in print in 2009

The IAA RAS 6-stations VLBI Correlator. Correlator. VLBI 6-stations RAS IAA The 6 Digital signal converter for radio astronomical astronomical radio for converter signal Digital One board VLBI Correlator “MicroParsec”. IAA IAA “MicroParsec”. Correlator board VLBI One Observatories Svetloe, Svetloe, Observatories Astronomy Radio Network QUASAR, Network

Digital processing of “RADIOASTRON” space mission dat mission space “RADIOASTRON” of processing Digital VLBI-terminal of the Nertwork “Quasar”. IAA RAS Transac RAS IAA “Quasar”. Nertwork of the VLBI-terminal , St. Petersburg, 2004, 22 p. 2004, Petersburg, , St. VLBI scheduling system of the IAA RAS based on SKED. I on SKED. based RAS IAA of the system scheduling VLBI 162 No 34. Moscow, 2000, 16 p. (in Russian). Russian). p.(in 16 2000, 34. Moscow, No , the Fifth IVS General Meeting “Measuring the Future “Measuring General Meeting IVS the Fifth N.R. Vandenberg, K.D. Baver (eds.), NASA/CP-2004-2 (eds.), Baver K.D. Vandenberg, N.R. , “Nauka”, St. Petersburg, 2006, 76–97 (in Russian) (in 76–97 2006, Petersburg, St. , “Nauka”, , “Nauka”, St. Petersburg, 2007, 298–302 (in Russia (in 298–302 2007, Petersburg, St. , “Nauka”, A. Finkelstein, A. Ipatov, S. Smolentsev, S. Smolentsev, A.Ipatov, A.Finkelstein,

15 systems, Instrumental and experimental techniques, techniques, experimental and Instrumental systems, 17 Communications Preprint PHIAN, Preprint (eds.), “Nauka”, St. Petersburg, 2008, 124–128. 124–128. 2008, Petersburg, St. (eds.), “Nauka”, proceedings of proceedings Meeting, Zelenchukskaya and Badary of VLBI Badary and Zelenchukskaya [4] A.E. Melnikov, A.E. Melnikov, [4] [5] I. Surkis, V. Zimovsky, A. Melnikov, et al, al, et A. Melnikov, V. Zimovsky, I.[5] Surkis, [7] L.V. Fedotov, N.E. Koltsov, E.V. Nosov, Nosov, E.V. N.E. Koltsov, Fedotov, [7] L.V. [3] V.G. Grachev, L.A. Kuptsov, I.F. Surkis, I.F. Surkis, Kuptsov, L.A. Grachev, V.G.[3] [6] K.G. Belousov, S.F. Likhachev, Likhachev, S.F. K.G.[6] Belousov, [2] L.V. Fedotov, N.E. Koltsov, N.E. Koltsov, Fedotov, [2] L.V. [1]

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