N. N. Bursov

RATAN-600 7.6-cm deep sky strip surveys at the declination of the SS433 source during the 1980–1999 period. Data reduction and the catalog of radio sources in the right-ascension interval 7h ≤ R.A. < 17h

We use two independent methods to reduce the data of the surveys made with RATAN600 radio telescope at 7.6 cm in 1988–1999 at the declination of the SS433 source. We also reprocess the data of the “Cold” survey (1980–1981). The resulting RCR (RATAN COLD REFINED) catalog contains the right ascensions and fluxes of objects identified with those of the NVSS catalog in the right-ascension interval 7 ≤ R.A. < 17. We obtain the spectra of the radio sources and determine their spectral indices at 3.94 and 0.5 GHz. The spectra are based on the data from all known catalogs available from the CATS, Vizier, and NED databases, and the flux estimates inferred from the maps of the VLSS and GB6 surveys. For 245 of the 550 objects of the RCR catalog the fluxes are known at two frequencies only: 3.94 GHz (RCR) and 1.4 GHz (NVSS). These are mostly sources with fluxes smaller than 30 mJy. About 65% of these sources have flat or inverse spectra (α > −0.5). We analyze the reliability of the results obtained for the entire list of objects and construct the histograms of the spectral indices and fluxes of the sources. Our main conclusion is that all 10–15 mJy objects found in the considered right-ascension interval were already included in the decimeter-wave catalogs.We use two independent methods to reduce the data of the surveys made with RATAN-600 radio telescope at 7.6 cm in 1988–1999 at the declination of the SS433 source. We also reprocess the data of the “Cold” survey (1980–1981). The resulting RCR (RATAN COLD REFINED) catalog contains the right ascensions and fluxes of objects identified with those of the NVSS catalog in the right-ascension interval 7h ≤ R.A. < 17h. We obtain the spectra of the radio sources and determine their spectral indices at 3.94 and 0.5 GHz. The spectra are based on the data from all known catalogs available from the CATS, Vizier, and NED databases, and the flux estimates inferred from the maps of the VLSS and GB6 surveys. For 245 of the 550 objects of the RCR catalog the fluxes are known at two frequencies only: 3.94 GHz (RCR) and 1.4 GHz (NVSS). These are mostly sources with fluxes smaller than 30mJy. About 65% of these sources have flat or inverse spectra (α > −0.5). We analyze the reliability of the results obtained for the entire list of objects and construct the histograms of the spectral indices and fluxes of the sources. Our main conclusion is that all 10–15 mJy objects found in the considered right-ascension interval were already included in the decimeter-wave catalogs.

The field of view and flux sensitivity of RATAN-600

The refined data on the diffraction scattering of RATAN-600 allowed the telescope field of view to be increased substantially at large elevations. Amethod, which can be used to reconstruct the parameters of the sources passing at angular distances fromthe beamaxis that are several dozen times greater than the half-power width of the beam, is analyzed. The knowledge about wide scattering of RATAN-600 allowed the noise from background radio sources at zenith to be reduced by one order of magnitude and flux sensitivity of the radio telescope to be increased by the same factor without resorting to two-dimensional mapping. Methods for cleaning one-dimensional records of the RZF survey are suggested that use model scans based on the data of the NVSS survey and MHAT filtering. The latter proved to be an especially efficient tool for suppressing sky noise and identifying sources in the central section of the survey. The flux sensitivity of RATAN-600 is estimated with new opportunities taken into account.

Small-scale galactic emission fluctuation observations with RATAN-600 radio telescope

We present the estimates of Galactic synchrotron and free-free emission power at intermediate and small scales (500 < l < 1000, 20′ < θ < 40′), based on the RATAN-600 radio telescope observations (SAO RAS). The observations were conducted in the frequency range of 2.3–11.2 GHz using the transit scan mode, in the declination range of 40.7° s δ < 42.3°. The power spectrum estimates of synchrotron and free-free components were obtained. They can be further used in the data processing stage of the high-resolution cosmological experiments like Planck.

Multi-frequency survey of background radiations of the Universe. The “Cosmological Gene” project. First results

The results of the first stage of the “Cosmological Gene” project of the Russian Academy of Sciences are reported. These results consist in the accumulation of multi-frequency data in 31 frequency channels in the wavelength interval 1–55 cm with maximum achievable statistical sensitivity limited by the noise of background radio sources at all wavelengths exceeding 1.38 cm. The survey region is determined by constraints 00h < RA < 24h and 40°30′ < DEC < 42°30′. The scientific goals of the project are refined in view of recent proposals to use cosmological background radiation data for the development of a unified physical theory. Experimental data obtained with the RATAN-600 radio telescope are used to refine the contribution of the main “screens” located between the observer and the formation epoch of cosmic background radiation (z = 1100). Experimental data for synchrotron radiation and free-free noise on scales that are of interest for the anisotropy of cosmic microwave background are reported as well as the contribution of these noise components in millimeter-wave experiments to be performed in the nearest years. The role of dipole radio emission of fullerene-type dust nanostructures is shown to be small. The most precise estimates of the role of background radio sources with inverted spectra are given and these sources are shown to create no serious interference in experiments. The average spectral indices of the weakest sources of the NVSS and FIRST catalogs are estimated. The “saturation” data for all wavelengths allowed a constraint to be imposed on the Sunyaev-Zeldovich noise (the SZ noise) at all wavelengths, and made it possible to obtain independent estimates of the average sky temperature from sources, substantially weaker than those listed in the NVSS catalog. These estimates are inconsistent with the existence of powerful extragalactic synchrotron background associated with radio sources. Appreciable “quadrupole” anisotropy in is detected in the distribution of the spectral index of the synchrotron radiation of the Galaxy, and this anisotropy should be taken into account when estimating the polarization of the cosmic microwave background on small l. All the results are compared to the results obtained by foreign researchers in recent years.

Galactic synchrotron emission according to the data of the RZF survey conducted at the RATAN-600 radio telescope

Deep 1–49 cm surveys of the circumzenithal sky area performed using the RATAN-600 radio telescope allowed the spectral index of Galactic synchrotron emission in the 7.6–49 cm wavelength interval to be refined. The data obtained are inconsistent with the model of synchrotron emission adopted to interpret the results of the first year of the WMAP mission, which led to the hypothesis of the early secondary ionization of the Universe at redshifts Z > 10–30. New observations made with the RATAN-600 demonstrated the possibility of deep studies of the intensity and polarization of the microwave background (the E component) in ground-based experiments at short centimeter wavelengths. Galactic synchrotron emission may as well limit the possibilities of space- and ground-based studies of the polarization of cosmic microwave background radiation arising as a result of scattering induced by relic gravitational waves (the B component). The sky area studied with the RATAN-600 is intended to be used to interpret the PLANCK mission data in order to ensure a more detailed account of the role of the Galactic synchrotron emission.

Small scale I, U, Q galaxy noise at cm. waves

It is shown that the “spinning dust” component does not prevent observation of the CMB anysotropy at high l, values, as well as observation of the CMB polarization at scales which are the most interesting (l=1000). These results were obtained with the 600-meter reflector RATAN-600, equipped with a multi-frequency feed array with an angular resolution up to 0.1×1 arcmin and with a temperature resolution below 100 μK.

Detection of Five New RRATs at 111 MHz

Results of 111-MHz monitoring observations carried out on the Big Scanning Antenna of the Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory during September 1–28, 2015 are presented. Fifty-four pulsating sources were detected at declinations −9° < δ < 42°. Forty-seven of these are known pulsars, five are new sources, and two are previously discovered transients. Estimates of the peak flux densities and dispersion measures are presented for all these sources.

Deep 7.6 cm RATAN-600 sky surveys at the declination of SS 433 during the 1980–1999 period. Catalog of radio sources in the right-ascension interval 2h ≤ RA < 7h

We present a catalog of radio sources extending the RCR (RATAN Cold Refined) catalog to the right-ascension interval 2h ≤ RA < 7h. The list of objects was obtained in the process of a reprocessing of the observations of the “Cold” experiment conducted in 1980–1981 on RATAN-600 radio telescope at the declination of SS433, and the reduction of the 1987–1999 surveys of the same experiment.We report the right ascensions and integrated flux densities for 237 sources found at 7.6 cm (3.94 GHz) and their spectral exponents at 3.94 and 0.5 GHz. Twenty-nine sources of the list, which are mostly weaker than 30 mJy at 3.94 GHz, have available data only at two frequencies—1.4 and 3.94 Hz.We approximated the spectra of the sources using all catalogs available in the CATS and VizieR databases that meet the survey strip, and, in some cases, using the flux densities estimates from VLSSr,GLEAM, TGSS, and GB6 survey maps.We constructed the histograms of the spectral indices of the sources and verified the reliability of the identifications of sources found in the scans by comparing the coordinates and integrated flux densities with the corresponding parameters listed in the NVSS catalog. In the right ascension interval considered we found no objects at the 10–15 mJy level lacking in decimeter-wave catalogs.

A high-resolution study of Jupiter at a frequency of 30 GHz

We present the results of our study of Jupiter and its radiation belts with a resolution of 6 arcsec at a frequency of 30 GHz using the RATAN-600 radio telescope and a MARS matrix radiometer with a sensitivity of about 6 mK −1/2. We monitored the integrated emission from the Jovian disk with a signal-to-noise ratio of more than 1000 for 30 days and showed its radio emission to be highly stable (≈1%). Based on daily data for the one-dimensional radio brightness distribution over the disk, we mapped the longitudinal radio brightness distribution over 100 rotation periods of Jupiter around its axis. Neither hot nor cold spots with a temperature contrast of more than 1 K were detected; their contribution to the total radio flux from the Jovian disk was no more than 0.2%. The one-dimensional latitudinal (longitude-averaged) distribution obtained on VLA with a similar resolution is shown to be an order of magnitude less uniform than the one-dimensional longitudinal (latitude-averaged) distribution obtained on RATAN-600. We have studied the radiation belts at such high frequencies for the first time and estimated their intensities and variability levels under the effect of external factors. The variable component of the radiation belts was shown to have not exceeded 0.5% of the integrated spectrum of Jupiter over the entire period of its observations. We estimated the contribution of the Galilean satellites (“Galilean noise”) in low-resolution observations; the accuracy of allowing for this noise is determined by the accuracy of estimating the temperatures of the satellites at the observing frequency. The uncertainty in the total flux does not exceed 0.1%.

Statistical radio astronomy of the 21st century

The exponential development of radio-astronomy methods (sensitivity, resolution, depth of surveys, etc) has led to the need for new methods aimed at distinguishing weak signals in the midst of numerous background signals, as has long been the case for radio astronomy at meter wavelengths. Centimeter-wavelength data accumulated with existing radio telescopes (such as the RATAN-600 reflector—the largest radio telescope in Russia) are presented, and expected problems for major new radio telescopes of the 21st century, such as the Square Kilometer Array, are discussed. The effectiveness of using certain tested methods to derive astrophysically important results through reasonable statistical processing of large datasets is shown. In experiments conducted with RATAN-600, these methods lead to an enhancement in sensitivity by an order of magnitude compared with the sensitivity of a resolving element.