Reflector Antenna Aperture Field Recovery using Phase Shift Holography with Three Fixed Reference Waves

Abstract

A method is proposed for reconstructing the aperture field of a reflector antenna by recording three holograms having fixed phase shifts of the reference wave. Mathematical analysis and simulation of the method in the autocollimation mode of the RATAN-600 radio telescope were performed and initial experimental results are presented. Using this proposed method on a radio telescope does not require special receiving equipment and a standard radio astronomy receiver can be used for holography measurements with a coherent remote ground or space signal source. The influence of the surface layer atmospheric turbulence on the process of consecutive recording of three holograms will limit the usability of the method for large ground radio telescopes. However, due to its simplicity, the method can be successfully applied to holographic measurement of smaller precision ground reflector antennas (up to 50 m) or any precision space radio telescope with an active surface.