The Aperture Array Verification System 1: System overview and early commissioning results

Abstract

The design and development process for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio\ntelescope, the Low Frequency Aperture Array component, was progressed during\nthe SKA pre-construction phase by an international consortium, with the goal of\nmeeting requirements for a critical design review. As part of the development\nprocess a full-sized prototype SKA Low station was deployed, the Aperture Array\nVerification System 1 (AAVS1). We provide a system overview and describe the\ncommissioning results of AAVS1, which is a low frequency radio telescope with\n256 dual-polarisation log-periodic dipole antennas working as a phased array. A\ndetailed system description is provided, including an in-depth overview of\nrelevant sub-systems, ranging from hardware, firmware, software,\ncalibration,and control sub-systems. Early commissioning results cover initial\nbootstrapping, array calibration, stability testing, beam-forming,and on-sky\nsensitivity validation. Lessons learned are presented, along with future\ndevelopments.\n