Science with an ngVLA: The ngVLA Reference Design

Abstract

The next-generation Very Large Array (ngVLA) is an astronomical observatory planned to operate at centimeter wavelengths (25 to 0.26 centimeters, corresponding to a frequency range extending from 1.2 to 116 GHz). The observatory will be a synthesis radio telescope constituted of approximately 244 reflector antennas each of 18 meters diameter, and 19 reflector antennas each of 6 meters diameter, operating in a phased or interferometric mode. We provide a technical overview of the Reference Design of the ngVLA. This Reference Design forms a baseline for a technical readiness assessment and the construction and operations cost estimate of the ngVLA. The concepts for major system elements such as the antenna, receiving electronics, and central signal processing are presented.

arXiv commentTo be published in the ASP Monograph Series, "Science with a Next-Generation VLA", ed. E. J. Murphy (ASP, San Francisco, CA). arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1806.08405

References in corpus (4)

• The North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves
• 230 GHz VLBI observations of M87: event-horizon-scale structure at the enhanced very-high-energy $\gamma$-ray state in 2012
• Key Science Goals for the Next Generation Very Large Array (ngVLA): Report from the ngVLA Science Advisory Council
• A Next Generation Low Band Observatory: A Community Study Exploring Low Frequency Options for ngVLA

Cited by in corpus (1)

• Phase synchronisation system receiver module for the Mid-Frequency Square Kilometre Array