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Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) is a type of interferometry in which the data received at each antenna in the array is paired with timing information, usually from a local atomic clock, and then stored for later analysis on magnetic tape or hard disk. At that later time, the data is correlated with data from other antennas similarly recorded, to produce the resulting image. The resolution achievable using interferometry is inversely proportional to the distace between the antennas furthest apart in the array. The VLBI technique enables this distance to be much greater than that possible with conventional interferometry, which requires antennas to be physically connected by coaxial cable, waveguide, optical fiber, or other type of transmission line. VLBI can therefore produce images with superior resolution. VLBI is most often performed at radio wavelengths; however, the technique has recently been extended to optics.
VLBI is most well-known for imaging distant cosmic radio sources, spacecraft tracking, and for applications in astrometry. However, since the VLBI technique measures the time differences between the arrival of radio waves at separate antennas, it can also be used "in reverse" to perform earth rotation studies, map movements of tectonic plates very precisely (within millimetres), and perform other types of geodesy. Using VLBI in this manner requires large numbers of time difference measurements from distant sources (such as quasars) observed with a global network of antennas over a period of time.
Some of the scientific results derived from VLBI include:
- Imaging high-energy particles being ejected from black holes at enormous velocities (see quasar)
- Imaging the surfaces of nearby stars at radio wavelengths (see also interferometry)
- Definition of the celestial reference frame
- Motion of the Earth's tectonic plates
- Regional deformation and local uplift or subsidence.
- Variations in the Earth's orientation and length of day.
- Maintenance of the terrestrial reference frame
- Measurement of gravitational forces of the Sun and Moon on the Earth and the deep structure of the Earth
- Improvement of atmospheric models.
There are several VLBI arrays located in Europe, the US and Japan. The most sensitive VLBI array in the world is the European VLBI Network (EVN (http://www.evlbi.org)). This is a part-time array with the data being processed at the Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe (JIVE) (http://www.jive.nl). In the US the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) operates all year round. The EVN and VLBA mostly conduct astronomical observations - the combination of the EVN and VLBA is known as Global VLBI. This provides the highest resolution of all astronomical instruments, capable of imaging the sky with a level of detail measured in milliarcseconds.
Recently it has become possible to connect the VLBI radio telescopes in real-time, while still employing the local time references of the VLBI technique. In Europe, 6 telescopes are now connected to JIVE with optical fibres at 1 Gigabit per second and the first astronomical experiments using this new technique (e-VLBI) have been successfully conducted.
Space VLBI
The latest development in radio astronomy observations is the Space Very Long Baseline Interferometry (SVLBI) program. This is used to perform radio astronomy with an extended baseline VLBI, of which one element is a space-based antenna.
The JPL SVLBI project, funded by NASA, supports the VSOP (VLBI Space Observatory Program) mission developed by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) in Japan. The VSOP spacecraft consists of an eight meter radio telescope. It was launched in February 1997 and is now in an elliptical orbit around the Earth to enable VLBI observations on baselines between space and ground telescopes. The primary targets are active galactic nuclei; water masers, OH masers, radio stars, and pulsars will also be observed.
The baselines between space and ground telescopes will provide 3 to 10 times the resolution available for ground VLBI at the same observing frequencies. Four ground tracking stations are involved with the SVLBI project.
The whole system was supposed to operate automatically, needing only the observing schedule, Doppler predictions, and spacecraft state vectors to perform all the acquisition and tracking functions, with no operator inputs. This however has not yet been achieved and an operator presently is required to support this system.
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