RAPID: Accelerated Deployment of EDGES for Cosmic Dawn Observations

Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, Cambridge MA

Investigators

Abstract

This project is a highly targeted, urgent and short-term continuation of an existing program which studies the early Universe by deploying instrumentation to remote, radio-quiet locations. This enables sensitive observations with unprecedented absolute calibration. The current observations are being made from a remote location in Australia. The next step is to repeat the Australian measurement from the northern hemisphere, but this is already seriously compromised and may become impossible, due to rapidly strengthening anomalous emission near 63 MHz. It is urgent to deploy equipment during the 2024/25 winter season and take measurements before this interference comes to dominate. As there is evidence the signal comes from satellites in low earth orbit, the PI and team will also be working with the probable operator, to characterize, identify, and mitigate the spurious emission, in close coordination with the NSF Spectrum Management Office. This work is of strong practical utility world-wide, will raise awareness of unintended science impacts from industrial efforts, and forge connections with remote communities, helping scientific use of extraordinary locations. The need for urgent action is a swiftly deteriorating global RFI situation due to satellite mega-constellations, which cannot be avoided by relocating, and which threaten to make this measurement soon impossible from anywhere on the surface of the Earth. The PI has identified a location from which to make the necessary observations: remote Adak island, 1930 km from the nearest substantial concentration of FM radio transmitters, is superior to the site in western Australia, and will provide long winter nights for data-gathering. The proposal describes other characteristics of this impressive site. This study is urgently needed to run these tests before the environmental changes render them impossible. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.