Radio Telescope

Malta now has a radio telescope. This is a great step forward for the University of Malta as it helps speed up research.

The Department of Physics, Faculty of Science and the Institute of Space Sciences & Astronomy (ISSA; both at the University of Malta) have just acquired a 5.3m dual-reflector parabolic dish, as part of a European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) project to extend postgraduate research lab facilities. The radio telescope will now allow students and researchers to study celestial objects such as the sun or the centre of the galaxy through the radio waves they emit.

Quick Specs
Dish diameter: 5.3m

Feed horns: L-Band and K-band

Gain: 44 dBi @ 4GHz

Observing modes: Continuum and line observation

Total weight (including pedestal): 1900 kg

Surface accuracy: 0.5mm

PC-based automated control unit

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toolkit02When pointed to a radio-loud celestial object (an object which emits large amounts of radio waves, such as the sun), the telescope will receive radio waves from these sources and convert them to voltage readings in the feed. The converted signal is then transmitted to a digitiser that converts these signals into bits and bytes.

The digitised signals are then processed and broken down into the different frequency counterparts (similar to what a car radio does with the radio waves it receives from its antenna), which allows for continuum observation of the skies above. The telescope provides a test-bed for several research initiatives being undertaken at ISSA.

Some of its specialisations include improving the hardware and software processing back-ends for radio telescopes. The on-site telescope can speed up this sort of research immensely. ISSA is part of the largest radio telescope project in the world: the SKA (Square Kilometre Array).

Future-Safe Malta

Words by Prof. Saviour Formosa
“Extreme weather leaves Mediterranean countries picking up the pieces. Egypt and Lebanon were the hardest hit with over 1.2 million people displaced overnight. Malta didn’t fare much better. The authorities have reported over 2,300 dead or missing, thousand injured and 74,000 persons displaced. Power cuts have been reported all over the island after Turbine Two tripped at the Delimara Power Station. Enemalta have not replied. The islands have taken a major blow to their infrastructure. Debris has been reported 1 km away from the coasts. The AFM and emergency responses were immediately dispatched and are starting to clear arterial roads. Insurance companies are still counting the costs. Valletta, Floriana and parts of Isla were protected from the storm surge by centuries-old Knight’s fortifications. The following localities have been affected: Birgu, Bormia, Kalkara, Marsa, Gzira, Msida, Pietà, San Giljan, Sliema, Ta’Xbiex, Xghajra, Birzebbuga, Marsascala, Marsaxlokk, Xlendi and Marsalforn. “

The above cutout could become reality if a Category 3 storm lashes Malta with 178 to 208 km per hour winds. The chances are minimal but too probable to ignore, since in 1995 a similar storm formed close to the Maltese Islands followed by others in 1996, 2006, and 2011.  Below are two scenarios that compare Malta as it currently stands against an island with a solid disaster management plan.

 [ SCENARIO 1 – AN UNPREPARED ISLAND]

The emergency forces have been inundated with calls for help and have few plans to operate a workable rescue effort. Key personnel were lost at home or while rushing to the scene, since the infrastructure has been knocked out, paralysing the island.  Power surges or power cuts have caused fires all over the Islands creating an apocalyptic scenario. With the storm still raging, the lack of a back-end ICT network has rendered communication near impossible.

 [ SCENARIO 2 – THE IDEAL SCENARIO]

A fleet of small aerial drones is monitoring the disaster. The authorities are using them to identify the hardest hit areas and map out corridors that allow access on the ground. Emergency vehicles are being deployed safely. Services will be redeployed after safety assessments and clearing of the main infrastructure. Paramedics, NGO rescue teams, and armed forces help move people to safer grounds and carry out rescue operations. Community buildings on higher ground are converted into temporary shelters. In turn, decision-makers are kept informed using an Emergency Room for effective relief.Continue reading

Space: the final frontier for Malta

Think meets up with Dr Kris Zarb Adami to have a chat about Malta’s space opportunities. His research covers subjects from searching for extraterrestrial life to new theories of gravity.

How can a small country like Malta have a role in Space?

As an EU member Malta can continue strengthening our existing cooperation agreement with the European Space Agency to full membership. This will automatically give us access to all its projects. By participating in these projects, we will be able to leverage so that research and development for future space missions is carried out in Malta. In Malta we are already contributing to a European Space project, namely EUCLID. This satellite is due to be launched in 2017 and will be the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope. Researchers at the Department of Physics are developing image-processing algorithms that can accurately measure the shapes of the Universe’s furthest galaxies and its expansion.
Moreover, they also collaborate with the University of Bologna to monitor ‘space debris’ and near earth-objects. This is important to ensure the successful navigation of satellites to prevent accidental collisions, which cost millions of euros. Collisions are not as rare as we might think.

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What are the benefits of Space research for Malta?

From the invention of disposable diapers to the development of laptops and satellite TV, space research has traditionally been a very strong contributor to everyday technology. For Malta space research can help us monitor our climate and atmospheric pollution, while providing an early warning system for tidal waves.
Conducting space research locally would bring us to the forefront of technology: ranging from biotechnology and long-lasting foods for space journeys, to the development of faster and more sensitive communication systems capable of receiving signals from deep space. Malta has just been awarded ERDF funding for new laboratory facilities at University and will contribute significantly to the future of the European Space Programme. In return, Malta will be able to leverage significant funds from this programme and also funds designated to commercialising the technologies. We need more support to get involved in more projects and attract funds to Malta.

What is the future of Space Research?

The next step lies in the development of space vehicles capable of running commercially feasible missions, such as turning the space shuttle into a commercial ‘airliner’ business. Such programmes are beginning to emerge in the US, but Europe lags far behind. Commercial spaceflights will certainly play an important role in future space research. Apart from research into transportation, researchers are trying to figure out how to live on a planet besides our own. How can future generations be able to create food products and live in space?
In Malta I would like University and the whole country to become more involved in space technology and biotech. We could also contribute to landing and docking systems for satellites and shuttles, plus space-traffic control through the University’s expertise in the Engineering Faculty.

Is there anything to lose?

The danger with taking on some new research area is that funding from other streams is spread too thinly. However, if we can manage to leverage extra funding from large Europe-wide space programmes we will be able to launch Malta’s name into space!