Array configuration and total power calibration for the Large-Aperture Experiment to detect the Dark Ages

Abstract

The Large-Aperture Experiment to detect the Dark Ages (LEDA) pursues to answer questions related to the early universe about 100 million years after the Big Bang (http://www.ledatelescope.org). In order to achieve the required observational capabilities LEDA is currently developing signal processing instrumentation that comprises a large-N correlator expected to serve 512 dipole antennas with a 32 input prototype deployed at the first station of the Long Wavelength Array (LWA1) colocated with the Very Large Array in New Mexico. The correlator comprises a packetized CASPER architecture and combines FPGAs and GPUs for the F and X stages. The LEDA backend is going to provide a frequency coverage of 28-88 MHz.