An Introduction to Radio Astronomy

by Bernard F. Burke , Francis Graham-Smith

• ISBN13: 9780521005173
• ISBN10: 0521005175
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-04-15
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

Radio astronomy uses unique observational techniques and offers the only way to investigate many phenomena in the Universe. This book, by two founders of the field, presents both a clear introduction to radio telescopes and techniques, and a broad overview of the radio universe. The material in this new edition has been expanded and updated, reflecting the developments in the field over the last decade. New material reflects the increasing use of aperture synthesis and Very Long Baseline Interferometry, and the further exploitation of molecular spectral lines. A new chapter is devoted to the fundamentals of radiation and propagation theory. The second half of the book constitutes a review of radio observations of our Milky Way galaxy. Wide-ranging and clearly written, this book provides a thorough and up-to-date introduction to the subject for graduate students, and an invaluable overview for researchers turning to radio astronomy for the first time.

Table of Contents

Preface to the second edition	x
Introduction	1	(7)
The role of radio observations in astronomy	1	(3)
Thermal and non-thermal processes	4	(2)
Radiation processes and radio observations	6	(2)
Radio telescopes as antennas	8	(13)
Beamwidth, effective area and the jansky	8	(2)
Antenna temperature	10	(3)
Electromagnetic waves	13	(3)
Polarization: the Stokes parameters	16	(5)
Signal detection and noise	21	(19)
Gaussian random noise	21	(2)
Band-limited noise	23	(2)
Detection and integration	25	(2)
Radiometer principles	27	(3)
Radiometers in practice	30	(4)
Spectrometry	34	(4)
Cross-correlation radiometry: interferometry	38	(2)
Single-aperture radio telescopes	40	(16)
Angular resolution	40	(2)
Steerable radio telescopes	42	(1)
Phased arrays	42	(2)
Aperture distributions and beam patterns	44	(4)
Feed systems	48	(3)
Surface accuracy	51	(2)
Millimetre and sub-millimetre telescopes	53	(1)
Smoothing: the response to a sky brightness distribution	54	(2)
The two-element interferometer	56	(23)
The basic two-element interferometer	57	(4)
Interferometers with finite bandwidth	61	(2)
Interferometers and finite source size	63	(2)
Fourier transforms and the u,v-plane	65	(2)
Practical considerations	67	(2)
Very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI)	69	(4)
Beam switching	73	(1)
The interferometer in geodesy and astrometry	74	(1)
Interferometry at millimetre wavelengths	75	(2)
Optical interferometry	77	(2)
Aperture synthesis	79	(25)
Interferometer arrays	80	(2)
The spectral sensitivity function	82	(3)
Filling the u,v-plane	85	(5)
Frequency diversity	90	(1)
Wide fields and wide bandwidths	90	(2)
Synthesis imaging	92	(2)
VLBI arrays	94	(2)
Calibration of interferometer data	96	(1)
Self-calibration	97	(2)
Signal-to-noise limitations and dynamic range	99	(3)
Aperture synthesis at millimetre wavelengths	102	(1)
Space VLBI	103	(1)
Radiation, propagation and absorption of radio waves	104	(24)
Radiative transfer	105	(1)
Synchrotron radiation	106	(4)
A power-law energy distribution	110	(3)
Synchrotron self-absorption	113	(1)
Free-free radiation	113	(3)
Radio spectral lines	116	(2)
Masers	118	(2)
Propagation through ionized gas	120	(1)
Faraday rotation	121	(2)
Scintillation	123	(2)
Propagation in the Earth's atmosphere	125	(3)
Galactic continuum radiation	128	(25)
Stars, dust and gas	129	(3)
Varieties of galaxies	132	(1)
Measurement of sky brightness temperature	133	(1)
The spectrum of the Galactic continuum	134	(3)
Synchrotron radiation: emissivity	137	(2)
The energy spectrum of cosmic rays	139	(2)
Polarization	141	(1)
Faraday rotation: the Galactic magnetic field	142	(6)
Loops and spurs	148	(2)
The Local Bubble	150	(1)
Other galaxies	151	(2)
The interstellar medium	153	(22)
Temperature states of the ISM	153	(1)
Neutral hydrogen (H I)	154	(5)
Ionized hydrogen (H II)	159	(3)
The hot ionized component	162	(1)
Heating and cooling mechanisms	162	(2)
Dense molecular clouds	164	(1)
Radio molecular lines	165	(2)
Supernova remnants (SNRs)	167	(8)
Galactic dynamics	175	(30)
Atoms and molecules in the Milky Way	176	(3)
The circular approximation	179	(4)
Spiral structure	183	(5)
Non-circular motions	188	(5)
The distribution of matter	193	(4)
The Galactic Centre	197	(4)
The scale of the Galaxy	201	(4)
Stars	205	(31)
Surface brightness	205	(3)
The Sun	208	(3)
The planets	211	(4)
Circumstellar envelopes	215	(2)
Circumstellar masers	217	(1)
The silicon oxide masers	218	(1)
The water masers	218	(1)
The hydroxyl masers	219	(2)
Classical novae	221	(5)
Non-thermal radiation from binaries and flare stars	226	(2)
Recurrent novae	228	(1)
X-ray binaries: Cyg X-3 and SS 433	229	(1)
Superluminal motion	230	(6)
Pulsars	236	(32)
Neutron stars	236	(1)
Neutron star structure	237	(2)
Rotational slowdown	239	(1)
Rotational behaviour of the Crab and Vela pulsars	240	(3)
Superfluid rotation	243	(3)
Radio and optical emission from pulsars	246	(5)
The radiation mechanism	251	(2)
The population and evolution of pulsars	253	(2)
Searches and surveys; the constraints	255	(3)
Trigonometric distance and proper motion	258	(1)
X-ray pulsars	259	(1)
Magnetic dipole moments	260	(3)
Binary orbits and interactions	263	(2)
Tests of general relativity	265	(3)
Radio galaxies and quasars	268	(28)
Radio emission from normal galaxies	270	(2)
Spectra and dimensions	272	(1)
Structures	273	(6)
A simple model of active galactic nuclei	279	(2)
The accretion disc	281	(1)
The torus	282	(2)
The core and the jets	284	(3)
Spectra of quasars and other AGNs	287	(2)
The radio brightness temperature of the core	289	(1)
Superluminal motion	290	(2)
The radio jets and lobes	292	(1)
The kiloparsec scale radio sources	293	(3)
Cosmology and the cosmic microwave background	296	(22)
The Hubble flow	297	(1)
A simple Newtonian model	298	(3)
Relativistic cosmology	301	(2)
Two fundamental problems of cosmology	303	(2)
Big Bang cosmology	305	(3)
The cosmic microwave background	308	(3)
Anisotropy and distortions of the CMB	311	(7)
Cosmology: discrete radio sources and gravitational lenses	318	(23)
Evolution and the radio source counts	318	(6)
Angular diameter and expansion velocity	324	(2)
Gravitational lensing	326	(7)
Observations of lenses: rings, quads and others	333	(4)
Weak gravitational imaging	337	(3)
Time delay	340	(1)
The place of radio in astronomy	341	(10)
The cosmic microwave background	342	(1)
The interstellar medium	343	(1)
Angular resolution: stars and quasars	344	(2)
Future developments	346	(1)
The protection of radio frequencies in astronomy	347	(4)
Appendices	351	(23)
Appendix 1 Fourier transforms	351	(9)
A1.1 Definitions	351	(4)
A.1.2 Convolution and cross-correlation	355	(3)
A1.3 Two or more dimensions	358	(2)
Appendix 2 Celestial coordinates, distance and time	360	(7)
A2.1 The celestial coordinate system	360	(3)
A2.2 The astronomical distance scale	363	(1)
A2.3 Time	364	(3)
Appendix 3 The origins of radio astronomy	367	(7)
References	374	(15)
Index	389