Novel Radar Architectures for Radio Astronomy and Earth Observation

Time: 11.00-12.30
Location: Meeting Room Levico, Polo Scientifico e Tecnologico "Fabio Ferrari" (Building Povo 2), via Sommarive 5 - Povo, Trento 

Speaker

• Prof. Marianna Ivashina, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothnburg,Sweden

Abstract
The methodologies for the synthesis of large-scale radar architectures have a long history because of their application in radio astronomy and passive remote sensing, where they have been used to capture high-resolution images of deep space and Earth objects. More recent work has extended the range of application of these methods to other types of systems, including ‘dense’ phased array feeds (PAFs) for multi-beam reflector antennas. The PAFs represent a ‘radio camera’ that enables snapshot images with full instantaneous coverage of a given field of view, thanks to overlapping beams formed by weighting and combing the outputs of multiple (and electrically small) elements in the layout. In this seminar I will provide an overview of research progress in this area - with the focus on PAF design optimization, minimization of mutual coupling associated receiver noise, and optimal beamforming - and show several examples of the current and planned PAF-based instruments developed around the world.

About the Speaker
Marianna Ivashina received the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering in Ukraine, in 2001. After that, she was a Postdoctoral Researcher and then an Antenna System Scientist at The Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON). During this 10-years period, she carried out research on an innovative phased array feed (PAF) technology for a new-generation radio telescope, known as the Square Kilometer Array (SKA). Her results have led to the definition of APERTIF - a PAF system that is being developed at ASTRON for the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope. She was involved in the development of APERTIF during 2008–2010 and acted as an external reviewer at the Preliminary Design Review of the Australian PAF telescope (ASKAP) in 2009. She stayed as a Visiting Scientist with the European Space Agency (ESA), the Netherlands (2002-2003), the Australia Telescope National Facility, Sydney, Australia (June-July 2003), Pennsylvania State University, State College, USA (June-July 2007), and Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA (April 2010). She is currently an Associate Professor at the Department of Signals and Systems, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden. Her interests are wideband and phased-array antennas, low-noise receivers, antenna system modeling and optimization. She has got 
over 100 international publications, several scientific distinctions and awards (including FP7 MCA Fellowship VINNMER), and was an Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, and Guest Edited a Special Issue of this journal.

Contact Person regarding this Talk: Giacomo Oliveri, giacomo.oliveri [at] unitn.it

Additional information can be found at www.eledia.ing.unitn.it