Noise properties measurements and monitoring/testing of the BINGO receiver components

• Grant number: 19/18912-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: November 11, 2019
• End date: August 10, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Astronomy - Astronomical Instrumentation
• Principal Investigator: Carlos Alexandre Wuensche de Souza
• Grantee: Vincenzo Liccardo
• Supervisor: Richard Antony Battye
• Host Institution: Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brasil). São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Manchester, England
• Associated to the scholarship: 18/02026-0 - Development and characterization of the BINGO Telescope instrumentation, BP.PD

Abstract

BINGO is a unique radio telescope designed to make the first detection of Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO) at radio frequencies by measuring the distribution of neutral hydrogen gas at cosmological distances. Along with the cosmic microwave background, the scale of BAO is one the most powerful probes of cosmological parameters, including dark energy. The main BINGO partners are Brazil, United Kingdom and Switzerland. Assembly will take place in Brazil with most of the components supplied by Brazilian industry. An important motivation for the project is the training of Brazilian engineers, technicians and postdocs in the skills required so that in the future they can get involved in state-of-the-art radio astronomy systems, specially the Square Kilometer Array. This proposal is linked to "Projeto Temático 2014/07885-0" and contemplates an important contribution to the BINGO receiver system and instrumentation calibration. In order to carry this out, the work needs to be conducted at the University of Manchester, and will require involvement with the hardware and electronics working groups. This working plan will focus on the integration and testing of the receiver components, noise characterization and modelling at the University of Manchester, during the next 9 months.