Multipurpose Spectrometer Instrumentation for SETI and Radio Astronomy

University Of California-Berkeley, Berkeley CA

Investigators

Abstract

This is a program to design and build a modular general-purpose spectrometer for SETI and radio astronomy applications. The instrument will mainly be used to conduct multibeam SETI and astronomical observations at NSF's Arecibo Observatory. The investigators are working closely with several radio astronomy groups who will use the instrument and/or its technology in other traditional radio astronomy applications. The spectrometer is a two billion channel instrument, dubbed "SERENDIP V". The SERENDIP V system includes new capabilities not found in any other instrument. SERENDIP V is designed to operate in conjunction with a seven-beam receiver system which will be installed at the Arecibo telescope in 2003. The SERENDIP V system will analyze signals from all beams simultaneously in dual polarization, effectively observing seven points on the sky simultaneously. This instrument will be used to perform SETI, HI, continuum polarization, and dispersed pulse surveys concurrently with a large-scale pulsar survey of the galactic plane that is to be performed using the multibeam receiver.