XAO--Xinjiang Astronomy Observatory--Chinese Academy of Sciences

From 3-4 May, the “Symposium of the Candidate Site Survey for the Prototype Verification System of SKA2 High Frequency Antenna Array Construction in Northern Hemisphere” was held in Karamay city, Xinjiang. More than 10 experts and leaders from related institutes took part in the symposium, including WU Xiangping, CAS Member, and SKA Chief Scientist of Ministry of Science and Technology of the People ’s Republic of China, and HUO Maomin, Deputy Mayor of Karamay city.

SKA (Square Kilometre Array) is the largest aperture synthesis radio telescope which plan to construct by the international astronomical community, and it be known for the total receiving area is about one square kilometer. From 2019, Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory cooperate with the National Astronomical Observatory, CAS, Shanghai Astronomical Observatory and the 54th Research Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation and other related institutes to promoting the progress of the SKA2 project. XAO made a great effort at the early stage of site survey, and we got two sites as the best options to build the project in Tuoli county, Karamay city.

At the symposium, research fellow CUI Lang, from XAO introduced the progress of site survey for the prototype verification system of SKA2 high frequency antenna array construction in northern hemisphere, and the geographic character, environment, meteorological conditions, electromagnet interference and other related conditions of the candidate sites. the leaders and experts fully affirmed the conditions of the candidate sites could meet the qualification of the project construction in every aspect, and they also gave suggestions to make further efforts on site monitoring in order to provide input parameters for the prototype verification system.

During the meeting, site inspection was carried out with the companions of WANG Wei, President of the Institute of Silk Road Innovation Studies, CHEN Maozheng, Deputy director of XAO, and YAN Lijun, Deputy secretary general of Karamay city.

Group photo

Site investigation