Beamforming of LOFAR Radio-Telescope for Passive Radiolocation Purposes
This paper presents the results of investigations on the beamforming of a low-frequency radio-telescope LOFAR which can be used as a receiver in passive coherent location (PCL) radars for aerial and space object detection and tracking. The use of a LOFAR radio-telescope for the passive tracking of s...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Remote Sensing |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/13/4/810 |
| _version_ | 1797395607855300608 |
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| author | Aleksander Droszcz Konrad Jędrzejewski Julia Kłos Krzysztof Kulpa Mariusz Pożoga |
| author_facet | Aleksander Droszcz Konrad Jędrzejewski Julia Kłos Krzysztof Kulpa Mariusz Pożoga |
| author_sort | Aleksander Droszcz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper presents the results of investigations on the beamforming of a low-frequency radio-telescope LOFAR which can be used as a receiver in passive coherent location (PCL) radars for aerial and space object detection and tracking. The use of a LOFAR radio-telescope for the passive tracking of space objects can be a highly cost-effective solution due to the fact that most of the necessary equipment needed for passive radiolocation already exists in the form of LOFAR stations. The capability of the radiolocation of planes by a single LOFAR station in Borowiec is considered to be ‘proof of concept’ for future research focused on the localization of space objects. Beam patterns of single sets of LOFAR antennas (known as tiles), as well as for the entire LOFAR station, are presented and thoroughly discussed in the paper. Issues related to grating lobes in LOFAR beam patterns are also highlighted. A beamforming algorithm used for passive radiolocation purposes, exploiting data collected by a LOFAR station, is also discussed. The results of preliminary experiments carried out with real signals collected by the LOFAR station in Borowiec, Poland confirm that the appropriate beamforming can significantly increase the radar’s detection range, as well as the detection’s certainty. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:37:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ea8a0063dfa74aedac6a30fca00ddc49 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-4292 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:37:56Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Remote Sensing |
| spelling | doaj.art-ea8a0063dfa74aedac6a30fca00ddc492023-12-11T18:05:25ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922021-02-0113481010.3390/rs13040810Beamforming of LOFAR Radio-Telescope for Passive Radiolocation PurposesAleksander Droszcz0Konrad Jędrzejewski1Julia Kłos2Krzysztof Kulpa3Mariusz Pożoga4Institute of Electronic Systems, Faculty of Electronics and Information Technology, Warsaw University of Technology, Nowowiejska 15/19, 00-665 Warsaw, PolandInstitute of Electronic Systems, Faculty of Electronics and Information Technology, Warsaw University of Technology, Nowowiejska 15/19, 00-665 Warsaw, PolandInstitute of Electronic Systems, Faculty of Electronics and Information Technology, Warsaw University of Technology, Nowowiejska 15/19, 00-665 Warsaw, PolandInstitute of Electronic Systems, Faculty of Electronics and Information Technology, Warsaw University of Technology, Nowowiejska 15/19, 00-665 Warsaw, PolandSpace Research Centre of Polish Academy of Sciences, Bartycka Str. 18A, 00-716 Warsaw, PolandThis paper presents the results of investigations on the beamforming of a low-frequency radio-telescope LOFAR which can be used as a receiver in passive coherent location (PCL) radars for aerial and space object detection and tracking. The use of a LOFAR radio-telescope for the passive tracking of space objects can be a highly cost-effective solution due to the fact that most of the necessary equipment needed for passive radiolocation already exists in the form of LOFAR stations. The capability of the radiolocation of planes by a single LOFAR station in Borowiec is considered to be ‘proof of concept’ for future research focused on the localization of space objects. Beam patterns of single sets of LOFAR antennas (known as tiles), as well as for the entire LOFAR station, are presented and thoroughly discussed in the paper. Issues related to grating lobes in LOFAR beam patterns are also highlighted. A beamforming algorithm used for passive radiolocation purposes, exploiting data collected by a LOFAR station, is also discussed. The results of preliminary experiments carried out with real signals collected by the LOFAR station in Borowiec, Poland confirm that the appropriate beamforming can significantly increase the radar’s detection range, as well as the detection’s certainty.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/13/4/810passive radiolocationLOFARPCLbeamformingantenna arraysgrating lobes |
| spellingShingle | Aleksander Droszcz Konrad Jędrzejewski Julia Kłos Krzysztof Kulpa Mariusz Pożoga Beamforming of LOFAR Radio-Telescope for Passive Radiolocation Purposes Remote Sensing passive radiolocation LOFAR PCL beamforming antenna arrays grating lobes |
| title | Beamforming of LOFAR Radio-Telescope for Passive Radiolocation Purposes |
| title_full | Beamforming of LOFAR Radio-Telescope for Passive Radiolocation Purposes |
| title_fullStr | Beamforming of LOFAR Radio-Telescope for Passive Radiolocation Purposes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Beamforming of LOFAR Radio-Telescope for Passive Radiolocation Purposes |
| title_short | Beamforming of LOFAR Radio-Telescope for Passive Radiolocation Purposes |
| title_sort | beamforming of lofar radio telescope for passive radiolocation purposes |
| topic | passive radiolocation LOFAR PCL beamforming antenna arrays grating lobes |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/13/4/810 |
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