1. Sunspot Radio Telescope Problem Definition Review
Adam Hargrave Brendan Parke Jeffrey Kaiser
Jeffrey Sylor Nathaniel Peck Zachary Smith
Faculty Lead: Martin Pepe Project Guide: Prof. Beato
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2. Agenda Slide No. Team Introductions & Roles 4 Project Introduction 5
Current Progress
Project Deliverables
Use Scenario Flowchart
Key Stakeholders
Customer Requirements
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3. Agenda (Cont.) Slide No. Engineering Requirements 15
Benchmarking: DAQ & Controls
Tentative Project Schedule
MSD I Deliverable Gantt Chart
Questions?
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4. Team Members & Roles Team Member Title by Major Team Role
Adam Hargrave
Electrical Engineer
EE Lead Engineer*
Brendan Parke
Mechanical Engineer
Team Lead, ME Lead Eng.
Jeffrey Kaiser
Purchasing, EE Support
Jeffrey Sylor
EDGE Admin. , EE Support
Nathaniel Peck
Facilitator, EE Support
Zachary Smith
Computer Engineer
Customer Interface, CE Lead Eng.
*Lead EE Engineer role changes based on experience with problem at hand.
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5. Project Introduction: What are Sunspots & Why do we care about them?
From Space.com [1] :
“ Sunspots are darker, cooler areas on the surface of the sun in a region called the photosphere …They are caused by interactions with the Sun's magnetic field which are not fully understood. But a sunspot is somewhat like the cap on a soda bottle: shake it up, and you can generate a big eruption. Sunspots occur over regions of intense magnetic activity, and when that energy is released, solar flares and big storms called coronal mass ejections erupt from sunspots [producing a lot of potentially harmful radiation to the earth].
They are not visible on the surface of the Sun from earth in the visible light portion of the EMS. However, they can be seen from their radio frequency signature >> viewable using a Solar Spectrograph which will have the ability to separate the freq. signals coming off the surface of the sun and record them.
A major center for Sunspot research and observation takes place in Zurich, Switzerland.
In order to further understand these sunspots, CZ researchers want to be able to monitor the sun’s sunspot’s eruptions at all times at all times.
Currently there is a big blank area above the North-Eastern part of the US leaving the Sun’s activity unmonitored for hours each day. It is our hope as well as that of the ASRAS [2] to be able to fill this void and further the understanding of this phenomena (as well as break new ground for freq. image processing).
[1] < >.
[2] Astronomy Section Rochester Academy of Science.
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6. Example Pictures to Help Explain Sunspots
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7. Current Progress
The last MSD team (P15571 – SunTracker) was able to successfully demonstrate an autonomous ability to track the Sun’s movements accurately (~to a few degrees of actual position).
This method worked in all weather conditions and will continue to serve as P17571 method for tracking the Sun’s location.
With the current parts they were able to create a working, manual operated ‘proof of concept’ model of the Solar Spectrograph, using most of the parts that will be included in the final design.
A low valley in Ionia, NY is where the observatory was built. It was determined that the location of the device during final operation should be best placed very solitude location from outside radio interference.
Budget stands at $500, but this might be increased if time permitting, we can attack the more auxiliary features that customer has requested.
Our main customer, Martin Pepe has listed out, in order of priority, the additions he would like added to the system.
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8. Final Product for SunTracker , P15571 MSD II
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9. Project Deliverables
Design & develop a completely autonomous Solar Spectrograph (with only minimal periodic maintenance) that can track the sun daily from sunrise to sunset for the entire year (triggered from Radio Eyes).
Collect data on the RF emissions from the Sun
A sub-system to perform self-calibration.
Upload data to a central server (Local & CZ servers) for analysis.
Remote operation (via on campus TeamViewer) would allow students to contribute to the detailed global knowledge of our nearest Star.
Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS, for temporary AC power loss).
A small visible coronal video camera (optical spotter scope).
Noise reduction techniques (and/or Low Noise Amplifier LNU to look at planets).
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10. Example Pictures of Deliverables
Top-row, left to right: LabVIEW GUI, UPS, Logarithmic Feed Horn Antenna & Remote Antenna Switch.
Bottom-row, left to right: Remote data file x-fer, Waterfall plot analysis (and other image processing), Low Noise Amplifier (LNA).
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11. Use Scenario: Acquisition & Transmission of RF Data to CZ
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12. Key Stakeholders: Support & Users
Radio Telescope Researchers & Astronomers in Zurich, CZ
Astronomy Section Rochester Academy of Sciencce (ASRAS)
SUPPORTING UNIVERSITIES
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13. Key Stakeholders: Funding
Farash Foundation
Frontier™ Communications Inc.
Anonymous Donors
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14. Customer Requirements
CATEGORY
Requirement No.
Importance (A = Highest…)
Description
SOFTWARE / SYSTEM DESIGN
CR1 A
Autonomous recording and ability to enable other functions through use of Radio Eyes.
CR2
LabVIEW GUI to control telescope operation.
CR3
A - B
Solar tracking feature executable through Radio Eyes.
CR4
Callisto operation executable through Radio Eyes.
CR5
Teamviewer & File Transfer to Zurich, Switzerland servers (FTP) executable through Radio Eyes.
HARDWARE DESIGN
CR6
Backup Uninterruptable AC Power Supply (UPS) Implementation.
CR7
Selection of Feedhorn Antenna in the MHz frequency range.
CR8 B
Remote periodic calibration of device executable through use of a Remote Antenna Switch.
CR9 D
Optical Spotter Scope implementation connected via a web-cam for RF data comparison.
CR10 E
Implement Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) & Surge Protection to enable greater sesnsity for measuring lower RF sources.
CR11
"Proof of concept" testing for selected Feedhorn Antenna.
ALL
CR12
Documentation of all lessons-learned, schematics, recommendations, saftware files and hardware.
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15. Engineering Requirements: In Progress
Actively being put together within our group. Unfortunately this project has a different metrics involved and parsing them into individual groups is only half the battle, ranking these specifications requires a bit of additional customer interaction/research.
Expected: Sept. 1st or 2nd , 2016.
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16. Benchmarking: DAQ & Controls
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17. Project Schedule: Preliminary
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18. Gantt Chart: For MSD I Deliverable Tracking
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19. Questions? ?
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