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Design of a feed antenna for the HIRAX telescope
Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613941464563712 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Crews, Madison |
| author2 | De Villiers, D. I. L. (Dirk) |
| author_browse | Crews, Madison De Villiers, D. I. L. (Dirk) |
| author_facet | De Villiers, D. I. L. (Dirk) Crews, Madison |
| author_sort | Crews, Madison |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134577 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:44:08.546Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134577 Design of a feed antenna for the HIRAX telescope Crews, Madison De Villiers, D. I. L. (Dirk) Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Electrical & Electronic Engineering. Radio interferometers -- South Africa Antennas, Reflector -- South Africa Radio astronomy -- South Africa Antennas (Electronics) -- Design and construction Radio telescopes Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. Crews, M. 2025. Design of a feed antenna for the HIRAX telescope. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/8430efbe-c5fc-4a2a-81f5-7ea1530acf7c ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Hydrogen Intensity and Real-time Analysis eXperiment (HIRAX) is a radio interferometer array currently being developed to intensity-map the 21 cm neutral hydrogen line over the 0.775 < z < 2.55 redshift range. This survey of large-scale structures aims to provide constraints on the dark energy equation-of-state parameters. Additionally, HIRAX aims to observe and detect fast radio bursts (FRBs), contribute to HI absorber science, and enable cross-correlation studies [1]. The final project will consist of a 1024-element array located at the South African Radio Astronomy (SARAO) Square Kilometer Array (SKA) site. An initial 256-element array of parabolic reflectors is currently being deployed, operating in the 400–800 MHz band. The reflectors will use 6 m dishes with a f/0.21 focal ratio and dual-polarized feeds [1]. The original HIRAX feed is a modified version of a similar experiment, the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME), which uses a well-performing dual-polarized cloverleaf-shaped antenna as the feed [2, 3]. The current HIRAX feed exhibits significant beam asymmetry and poor polarization purity and therefore requires redesign [3]. This thesis presents a new cloverleaf feed design for the HIRAX telescope. Several variations of the cloverleaf feed exist: the aforementioned CHIME and HIRAX feeds, as well as the novel HIRAX V2 design recently developed by the HIRAX team. The fundamental operating principles of each antenna are explored and described. This analysis helped identify the reasons for the performance limitations of HIRAX V1, provided insight into HIRAX V2, and demonstrated that the CHIME cloverleaf feed has superior beam symmetry and polarization purity due to its fundamentally different feeding method. As a result of this analysis, together with the measurement results of HIRAX V1, V2, and a redesigned CHIME cloverleaf, a version of the CHIME cloverleaf is proposed as a new feed for the HIRAX telescope. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: ’n Aanvanklike 256-element samestelling van paraboliese weerkaatsers word tans ontplooi en funksioneer in die 400–800 MHz band. Die weerkaatsers het ’n deursnee van 6 m met ’n f 0.21 brandpuntsverhouding en dubbelgepolariseerde voere [1]. Die oorspronklike HIRAX-voer is ’n gemodifiseerde weergawe van ’n soortgelyke eksperiment, die Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME), wat ’n goed presterende dubbelgepolariseerde lawerbladantenna as voer gebruik [2, 3]. Die huidige HIRAX-voer toon beduidende bundel-asimmetrie en swak polarisasie suiwerheid, en benodig dus herontwerp [3]. Hierdie tesis bied ’n nuwe klawerblad-voerontwerp vir die HIRAX-teleskoop. Verskeie variasies van die klawerblad-voer bestaan: die voornoemde CHIME- en HIRAX-voere, sowel as die nuwe HIRAX V2-ontwerp wat onlangs deur die HIRAX-span ontwikkel is. Die fundamentele werkingsbeginsels van elke antenna word ondersoek en beskryf. Hierdie analise het gehelp om die redes vir die prestasiebeperkings van HIRAX V1 te identifiseer, insig in HIRAX V2 te verskaf, en te toon dat die CHIME-klawerblad-voer beter bundelsimmetrie en polarisasie suiwerheid het weens sy fundamenteel ander voer-metode. Gevolglik, tesame met die meetresultate van HIRAX V1, V2, en ’n herontwerpte CHIME-klawerblad antenna, word ’n weergawe van die CHIME-klawerblad antenna voorgestel as die nuwe voer vir die HIRAX-teleskoop. Masters 2025-12-15T07:30:37Z 2025-12-15T07:30:37Z 2025-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134577 en Stellenbosch University xiv, 117 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Radio interferometers -- South Africa Antennas, Reflector -- South Africa Radio astronomy -- South Africa Antennas (Electronics) -- Design and construction Radio telescopes Crews, Madison Design of a feed antenna for the HIRAX telescope |
| title | Design of a feed antenna for the HIRAX telescope |
| title_full | Design of a feed antenna for the HIRAX telescope |
| title_fullStr | Design of a feed antenna for the HIRAX telescope |
| title_full_unstemmed | Design of a feed antenna for the HIRAX telescope |
| title_short | Design of a feed antenna for the HIRAX telescope |
| title_sort | design of a feed antenna for the hirax telescope |
| topic | Radio interferometers -- South Africa Antennas, Reflector -- South Africa Radio astronomy -- South Africa Antennas (Electronics) -- Design and construction Radio telescopes |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134577 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT crewsmadison designofafeedantennaforthehiraxtelescope |