Radio Astronomers Raise Spectrum Horizon Concerns
The National Academy of Sciences’ Committee on Radio Frequencies (CORF) and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) raised warnings about protecting radio astronomy, as the FCC examines spectrum horizons -- bands above 95 GHz. The two filed early. The FCC…
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said in a Monday Federal Register notice comments are due May 2, replies May 17 in docket 18-21. “As the Commission has also long recognized, radio astronomy is a vitally important tool,” CORF said. It said radio astronomy is particularly sensitive to interference. “The emissions that radio astronomers receive are extremely weak -- a radio telescope receives less than 1 percent of one-billionth of one-billionth of a watt (10-20 W) from a typical cosmic object,” CORF said: When creating rules to protect key passive scientific observation in these bands, “attention must be paid not just to the impact of frequency on attenuation, but also to the altitude of the observatory ... and to the impact of atmospheric water vapor in the best of conditions.” NRAO expressed similar concerns. “Compatibility with radio astronomy operations above 95 GHz requires that local conditions be taken into account, not merely assuming the standard atmosphere,” the group said. In February, commissioners approved 5-0 an NPRM examining spectrum above 95 GHz for new services and technologies (see 1802220048).