XV Reunión de la Sociedad Española de Astronomía
Published August 30, 2022 | Version 1
Poster Open

The 40m radio telescope at the Yebes Observatory

Authors/Creators

  • 1. Observatorio Astronómico Nacional, Observatorio de Yebesl
  • 2. Observatorio Astronómico Nacional, Observatorio de Yebes
  • 3. Observatorio de Yebes
  • 4. Observatorio Astronómico Nacional
  • 5. Instituto de Física Fundamental

Description

Yebes Observatory is one of the six Spanish ICTS in astronomy and manages a 40m radio telescope as its main facility with open and competitive access. The Yebes 40 m radio telescope is devoted to very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) and single-dish observations since 2010. It covers frequency bands between 2 GHz and 90 GHz in discontinuous windows.

Since 2019, thanks to the Nanocosmos project, observations at 31.5 - 50 GHz (Q band) and 72 - 90.5 GHz (W band) with an instantaneous bandwidth of 18 GHz (38 kHz of spectral resolution) are available, making it possible to observe many molecular transitions with single tunings in single-dish mode. This reduces the observing time and maximises the output from
the telescope. This opens up the possibility to study the spectrum of different astrophysical media with unprecedented sensitivity. The most remarkable result bringing by this upgrade is the detection of more than 50 new molecular species in space in the last three years in a wide variety of astrophysical environments.

In addition, Yebes Observatory has recently built and installed a new C band receiver which covers the frequency range 4.5 - 9 GHz. Its main goal is to be used for VLBI, cover three main EVN observing bands and provide an instantaneous wide band of 4 GHz. This is a transition receiver which will work until an ultra wide one between 4 and 18 GHz is built and installed.

New technological developments for radio astronomical receivers are being carried out at Yebes Observatory thanks to Spanish and European projects. One of the main goals is the design, construction, measurement, installation and commissioning of a high
sensitive cryogenic receiver with an instantaneous bandwidth between 18 GHz and 32 GHz that will be deployed at the Yebes 40m radio telescope. This receiver will be a step forward in completing an ultimate goal consisting in having a full frequency coverage between 4 and 90 GHz at the 40m radio telescope, with the exception of the 50 and 72 GHz interval for which observations are hampered due to the presence of Oxygen in the atmosphere. This receiver will be used for the detection of heavy molecules in the circumstellar and interstellar media.

All these receivers have been designed and built at the Observatory of Yebes which is considered a center for technological developments in the international Radioastronomy world.

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