Scientists Improve Detection of Radio Waves from Distant Quasars in Space

We may be getting a better look at radio waves. Scientists have developed a very sensitive high frequency amplifier for radio telescopes used on Earth, which may help measure our planet from space more precisely than before.

"Because the radio telescopes are placed far apart at sites all round the world, they detect the radio waves at different times," said Mikko Kotiranta, one of the researchers, in a news release. "This information is useful for a number of applications, for instance determining satellites' orbits with greater precision."

The radio waves in question actually come from quasars, which are supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies that are billions of light-years away from Earth. Quasars are constantly moving through space, but they are so far away from Earth that from our perspective, they appear to stand still. In fact, the fact that these points are "fixe" makes them ideal points of reference for measuring Earth. Yet by the time radio waves are picked up by the radio telescopes on Earth, the signal is extremely weak.

The researchers decided to address this problem by creating a new instrument. They took a previous model of amplifier and put it in an extra-cold freezer at a temperature of minus 251 degrees Celsius. Then, they created a mathematical model that described how radio frequency circuits should be designed if they are to function at extremely low temperatures.

"Initial trials are already being conducted," said Kotiranta. "Most telescopes date back to the 1970s and 1980s, and their technology is no longer state of the art. The new generation of telescopes will offer considerably more performance and provide us with information about our planet that is more accurate than ever before."

For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).