TheChilbolton Observatoryis a facility for atmospheric and radio research located on the edge of the village ofChilboltonnearStockbridgeinHampshire,England. The facilities are run by theSTFCRadio Communications Research Unit of theRutherford Appleton Laboratoryand form part of theScience and Technology Facilities Council.
 The 25 metre (82') steerable antenna installation at the Chilbolton Observatory. | |
| Organization | |
|---|---|
| Location | Chilbolton,Test Valley,Hampshire,South East England,England |
| Coordinates | 51°08′40″N1°26′19″W/ 51.14456°N 1.43858°W |
| Website | www |
| Telescopes |
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  Location of Chilbolton Observatory | |
 Related media on Commons | |
Overview
editThe Chilbolton Observatory operates many pieces of research equipment associated withradarpropagation andmeteorology.As of 2007[update],these include:[1]
- AnS bandDopplerweather radarwith its distinctive, fully steerable, 25 metre (82') parabolic antenna. This equipment can be referred to asCAMRa(Chilbolton Advanced Meteorological Radar).
- AnL bandClear-air radar
- AW bandbistatic zenith radar
- AUVRamanLidar
- MultipleKabandradiometers
- Multiplerain gauges
The observatory also hosts the UK'sLOFARstation.
Timeline of projects
edit- 1998 - CLARE'98 Cloud Lidar and Radar experiment,[2]which eventually fed into theEuropean Space AgencyEarthCARE programme[3]
- 2001 to 2004 - CLOUDMAP2[4]project to assist inNumerical weather predictionmodels
- 2006 - Chilbolton Observatory joined forces with several European Space Agency sites to verify the L band radio transmissions from theGIOVE-Asatellite[5]
- 2006 -NERCCirrus and Anvils: European Satellite and Airborne Radiation measurements project
- 2008 - In-Orbit Test (IOT) performed for GIOVE-B
- 2008-9 - APPRAISE,[6]during which the CAMRa and Lidar were used to direct airborne measurements in mixed-phase clouds
- 2010 -LOFARstation UK608 constructed
History
edit
Construction of Chilbolton Observatory started in 1963. It was built partially on the site ofRAF Chilbolton,which was decommissioned in 1946. Several sites around the south-east of England were considered for the construction. The site at Chilbolton, on the edge ofSalisbury Plain,was chosen in part because of excellent visibility of the horizon and its relative remoteness from major roads whose cars could cause interference.
The facility was opened in April 1967. Within several months of being commissioned theazimuthbearing of the antenna suffered a catastrophic failure.GECwere contracted to repair the bearing and devised a system to replace the failed part while leaving the 400tonnedish ostensibly in-place.
Originally, the antenna was engaged inKubandradio astronomy,but now operates as a S and L band radar.
References
edit- ^"Chilbolton Facilities".Chilbolton.rl.ac.uk. 10 March 2011.Retrieved23 February2021.
- ^"Chilbolton Observatory".Archived fromthe originalon 9 October 2006.Retrieved23 February2021.
- ^"ESA - Living Planet Programme - EarthCARE".Archived fromthe originalon 12 January 2007.Retrieved7 January2007.
- ^"CLOUDMAP2 at CCLRC".Archived fromthe originalon 10 May 2006.Retrieved23 February2021.
- ^"ESA - GIOVE A transmits loud and clear".Esa.int. 28 December 2005.Retrieved23 February2021.
- ^"appraise - Home".Archived fromthe originalon 25 June 2009.Retrieved23 February2021.
External links
edit- Chilbolton Observatory Facilitiesretrieved May 17, 2006
- CLOUDMAP2 project homepage
- ESA News 'GIOVE A transmits loud and clear',ESA Portal - Improving Daily Life,March 9, 2006, retrieved May 17, 2006