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M. J Claussen, R. Beresford, K. Sowinski, J. S. Ulvestad (NRAO)
We report on the implementation of a 104-km fiber-optic link between the NRAO's VLA and the Pie Town (NM) VLBA antenna (Pt), in order to transmit analog intermediate frequency (IF) and local oscillator (LO) signals, and also to transmit digital monitor and control signals to and from the two instruments. The IF signal from the Pt antenna is successfully returned to the VLA over the fiber-optic link, and is fed into the real-time correlator, where it is treated just as any other VLA signal (except for the larger delay). Using the VLA-Pt link, the angular resolution of the VLA can be effectively doubled for objects in much of the sky, while maintaining the full sensitivity of the 27-antenna VLA. We will describe the details of the link and its implementation, and show the first images made with the link operating. We expect full operation of the VLA-Pt link as a user facility to be available in the next A configuration during the last quarter of 2000. NRAO's proposal deadline for that configuration will be 1 June 2000.
The success of the VLA-Pt link is founded on the efforts of a large number of individuals at The National Radio Astronomy Observatory. The NRAO is a facility of the National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.
The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: mclausse@nrao.edu