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  • © 2010

Thermal Design and Thermal Behaviour of Radio Telescopes and their Enclosures

  • First English language book presenting and reviewing the subject.
  • The basic physics of heat transfer is compiled
  • Explains models for numerical analysis of the thermal state of large mechanical structures. It demonstrates, with examples, the confidence and the precision obtained in calculating, and predicting, the thermal behavior of radio telescopes
  • The thermal tolerances of a telescope structure are explained, and related to the radio performance of a telescope
  • Contains many temperature measurements that illustrate the thermal behavior and achieved thermal stability
  • The climatic parameters of low and high altitude observatory sites defining the thermal environment are summarized
  • The examples provide guidelines for temperature manipulation, thermal protection, and engineering concepts for future telescopes
  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Part of the book series: Astrophysics and Space Science Library (ASSL, volume 364)

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Table of contents (15 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xxiv
  2. Radio Astronomy and Radio Telescopes

    • Albert Greve, Michael Bremer
    Pages 1-12
  3. Radio Telescope Constructions in View of Thermal Aspects

    • Albert Greve, Michael Bremer
    Pages 13-48
  4. Telescope Enclosures

    • Albert Greve, Michael Bremer
    Pages 49-54
  5. The Variable Thermal Environment

    • Albert Greve, Michael Bremer
    Pages 55-83
  6. Calculation of Solar Illumination

    • Albert Greve, Michael Bremer
    Pages 85-106
  7. Temperature Measurements and FEM Thermal Deformation Calculations

    • Albert Greve, Michael Bremer
    Pages 107-121
  8. Heat Transfer

    • Albert Greve, Michael Bremer
    Pages 123-159
  9. Radiative Coupling towards Sky and Ground (External View Factor)

    • Albert Greve, Michael Bremer
    Pages 161-171
  10. Measured Thermal Behaviour of Radio Telescopes

    • Albert Greve, Michael Bremer
    Pages 173-261
  11. Measured Thermal Behaviour of Enclosures

    • Albert Greve, Michael Bremer
    Pages 263-266
  12. Thermal Model Calculations

    • Albert Greve, Michael Bremer
    Pages 267-304
  13. Beam Formation and Beam Degradation

    • Albert Greve, Michael Bremer
    Pages 305-324
  14. Thermal Tolerances

    • Albert Greve, Michael Bremer
    Pages 325-341
  15. Optical Telescopes and Enclosures

    • Albert Greve, Michael Bremer
    Pages 343-346
  16. A Summary and Further Studies

    • Albert Greve, Michael Bremer
    Pages 347-355
  17. Back Matter

    Pages 357-398

About this book

Radio telescopes as well as communication antennas operate under the influence of gravity, temperature and wind. Among those, temperature influences may degrade the performance of a radio telescope through transient changes of the focus, pointing, path length and sensitivity, often in an unpredictable way. Thermal Design and Thermal Behaviour of Radio Telescopes and their Enclosures reviews the design and construction principles of radio telescopes in view of thermal aspects and heat transfer with the variable thermal environment; it explains supporting thermal model calculations and the application and efficiency of thermal protection and temperature control; it presents many measurements illustrating the thermal behaviour of telescopes in the environment of their observatory sites.

The book benefits scientists and radio/communication engineers, telescope designers and construction firms as well as telescope operators, observatory staff, but also the observing astronomer who is directly confronted with the thermal behaviour of a telescope.

Reviews

From the reviews:

“This volume presents a comprehensive treatment of the thermal behavior and design of radio telescopes, reflector antennas, and their enclosures. … The book contains a wealth of interesting and useful material in the form of graphs and tables. … this book will be of indispensable help to designers and operators of telescopes … .” (Jacob W. M. Baars, RSB Radio Science Bulletin, Issue 346, September, 2013)

“The authors of this book provide a detailed study of the thermal behaviour of antennae. They combine theory and modelling of telescopes with a substantial amount of real data from various observatories (most frequently from their home base, IRAM). … The thermal environment, heat transfer, real measurements, and model calculations of the thermal behaviour of antennae are all treated in considerable detail. … This volume appears to me to be a valuable assessment of the current state of this complex set of problems.” (Guy Pooley, The Observatory, Vol. 131 (1224), October, 2011)

Authors and Affiliations

  • Millimetrique IRAM, Inst. de Radio Astronomie, Saint-Martin-d'Heres, France

    Albert Greve, Michael Bremer

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access