| Name: | Sahana Bhattramakki |
| Affiliation: | Raman Research Institute |
| Conference ID : | ASI2024_587 |
| Title : | Increased Number of Independent Beams for SKA-Low TPM |
| Authors : | BHATTRAMAKKI, Sahana ; PA, Kamini ;S, Madhavi; PANDIAN, Arul ; R, Abhishek ;THIAGARAJ, Prabu , Shiv Sethi;B. S., Girish; K.S., Srivani ; Mrs S, Kasturi |
| Authors Affiliation: | Raman Research Institute |
| Mode of Presentation: | Oral |
| Abstract Category : | Facilities, Technologies and Data science |
| Abstract : | Digital beamforming is used in modern radio telescopes, such as the upcoming Square Kilometre Array (SKA), to receive signals from different sky directions. The SKA also needs to form multiple beams to observe the different directions simultaneously. We have enhanced the SKA digital receivers (Tile Processing Module) features to produce up to 48 simultaneous beams. This work involves suitable modifications of the FPGA firmware and software programs and verifying these functionalities. Typically, the beamforming features can't be tested in the lab. For this, we have devised a novel technique that we call a mock observation mode that can simulate actual observations and hence be used to characterise the beamforming functions of the telescope. We have conducted such mock observations and verified the 48 beams formed in the sky. We are currently looking at testing the corner cases and incorporating the efficient memory-based delay processor already designed in the lab. This talk will present the firmware and software functionalities that we have included to achieve the 48 beams and the details of the tests carried out to characterise the multiple beams. It will also present details of our next enhancement, which is about the efficient beamformer delay processor module development and the steps taken to include them in the current FPGA digital beamforming firmware of the digital receiver. |
