MCCT-SKADS Technical Workshop:
The SKA and Digital Signal Processing.
9th -13th November 2009, The University of Manchester, UK.
A combined SKA and Marie Curie Conference and Training Course under MCCT-SKADS on the digital signal processing and beam-forming requirements and available technologies for the Square Kilometre Array.
SKA Inner 5 km Schematic, 2-PAD at JBO, Embrace under construction
The University of Manchester's Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics is pleased to announce a technical workshop on enabling technologies for the Square Kilometre Array, specialising on digital signal processing (DSP) and beam-forming. The SKA presents major technical challenges for DSP due to the high data rates and the very large number of receptor elements. This workshop aims to confront these challenges by looking at the SKA hardware and algorithm requirements. Discussions will include developments on current pathfinders, emerging technologies and how these can be scaled to those required for the SKA. The participants are expected to be a mixture of experts from the astronomical and industrial communities and newcomers.
The workshop will consist of invited and contributed talks, with time for discussion.
The meeting is part sponsored by the Marie Curie SKADS programme, under the European Union 6th Framework programme. Female and young researchers are especially encouraged to participate.
The meeting will be held in the Alan Turing Building of the University of Manchester, with one day of the workshop at Jodrell Bank Observatory.(Locations)
Programme & Presentations
Click the link for the detailed programme. Below are the presentations from the speakers.
1) Setting the scene – Turing Building, Manchester
Introduction to radio astronomy signal conditioning and digital signal processing
Introduction to the SKA Telescope - Peter Dewdney
Introduction to Analogue Systems in Radio Astronomy - Richard Davis
Introduction to Systems and Digital Signal Processing - Ralph Spencer
Signal Processing requirements for the SKA - Wallace Turner
2) The status of current developments and pathfinders
Introduction to 2-PAD - Georgina Harris
Signal Processing for 2-PAD - Chris Shenton
e-MERLIN - Simon Garrington
e-MERLIN correlator - Roger Noble
Beamforming for 2-PAD - Aziz Ahmedsaid
Beamformer architecture using the CASPER system - Giovanni Naldi
3) Signal processing algorithms requirements
Beamforming Techniques for EMBRACE and LOFAR - Gijs Schoonderbeek
2-PAD Digital Beamforming - Kris Zarb Adami
Uniboard - Bringing Radio Telescope Processing to the Next Level - Gijs Schoonderbeek
2-PAD, digital beamforming systems - Jack Hickish
3D space-time filtering of FPA signals - Bruton
FPGA Based Correlators Using CASPER and the PAPER project - Foster
Non-Imaging Applications - Stappers
Tools for FPGA Design
Technologies & platforms - DSP Industry Day
Workshop Assessment Form
At the end of the meeting would all registered particpants (not including visiting speakers) please complete the feedback form
SOC
Ralph Spencer (Chair), Wallace Turner, Peter Wilkinson, Chris Shenton, Kris Zabadami, Stelio Montebugnoli, Phillipe Picard, Albert-Jan Boonstra.
LOC
Lisa McDermot, Georgina Harris, Richard Davis, Tom Wise, Anthony Holloway, Althea Wilkinson, James Sexton.
