Optical wavelengths make up only a small part of the spectrum of light. At much lower frequencies, radio waves convey information about the processes that generated them. The Allen Telescope Array (ATA) at the Hat Creek Radio Observatory is a radio telescope that observes these faint radio signals in an effort to answer fundamental questions about the composition of the universe, further our understanding of physics, and also to answer the age-old question: “Are We Alone?”
The ATA was
developed in a changing paradigm as
reductions in computing costs continue to drive radio
telescopes away from a
large, single-dish to a large number of small dishes (LNSD),
which provide more
versatile capabilities. In this talk, Dr. Barott will
present the science driving instruments like the ATA, as
well as the
instrumentation, engineering, correlating, and beamforming
required to move
from photons to science data. Examples of science conducted
with the ATA will
be presented, including the hunt for pulsars, gravity waves,
lunar water,
martian lightening, and intelligent life.