Distributed software correlator at the rapid prototyping array

Gerald R. Harp

doi:10.1117/12.460949

13 December 2002 A Distributed Software Correlator at the Rapid Prototyping Array

Gerald R. Harp

Proceedings Volume 4848, Advanced Telescope and Instrumentation Control Software II; (2002) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.460949
Event: Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation, 2002, Waikoloa, Hawai'i, United States

Abstract

The Rapid Prototyping Array (RPA) is a toy radio telescope located 30 miles from U. C. Berkeley in Lafayette, CA. It serves primarily as a software development test bed for the Allen Telescope Array (ATA). We have developed a minimally functional prototype of the ATA control system founded on C++, Java, and a CORBA-based distributed architecture. The system controls RPA pointing, electronics, and data processing, culminating in a real-time software correlator (i.e. an imaging system). This system has helped us characterize our preliminary design of the ATA control system. Overall, the distributed architecture provided successful, versatile control supporting a wide range of experiments from satellite tracking to beam characterization to celestial observation. However, some weaknesses in the CORBA communications layer were identified, and the synergies of mixing C++ and Java were balanced by paradigm mismatch between the languages. We learned that Java was as fast as C++ and supported more ready-made libraries. Based on these experiences, we changed our design to eliminate CORBA and build a pure Java system at the ATA, which is now under development.

Citation Download Citation

Gerald R. Harp "A Distributed Software Correlator at the Rapid Prototyping Array", Proc. SPIE 4848, Advanced Telescope and Instrumentation Control Software II, (13 December 2002); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.460949

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