Calibration of the Logarithmic-Periodic Dipole Antenna (LPDA) Radio Stations at the Pierre Auger Observatory using an Octocopter

Aab, Alexander

doi:10.1088/1748-0221/12/10/T10005

Title: Calibration of the Logarithmic-Periodic Dipole Antenna (LPDA) Radio Stations at the Pierre Auger Observatory using an Octocopter

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Abstract

An in-situ calibration of a logarithmic periodic dipole antenna with a frequency coverage of 30 MHz to 80 MHz is performed. Such antennas are part of a radio station system used for detection of cosmic ray induced air showers at the Engineering Radio Array of the Pierre Auger Observatory, the so-called Auger Engineering Radio Array (AERA). The directional and frequency characteristics of the broadband antenna are investigated using a remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) carrying a small transmitting antenna. The antenna sensitivity is described by the vector effective length relating the measured voltage with the electric-field components perpendicular to the incoming signal direction. The horizontal and meridional components are determined with an overall uncertainty of $$7.4^{+0.9}_{-0.3} %$$ and $$10.3^{+2.8}_{-1.7} %$$ respectively. The measurement is used to correct a simulated response of the frequency and directional response of the antenna. In addition, the influence of the ground conductivity and permitivity on the antenna response is simulated. Both have a negligible influence given the ground conditions measured at the detector site. The overall uncertainties of the vector effective length components result in an uncertainty of $$9.4^{+1.5}_{-1.6} %$$ in the square root of the energy fluence for incoming signal directions with zenith angles smaller than 60°.

Authors:

Aab, Alexander ^[1]

et al.

Publication Date:: 2017-10-16

Research Org.:: Fermi National Accelerator Lab. (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP)

Contributing Org.:: Pierre Auger Collaboration

OSTI Identifier:: 1346359

Report Number(s):: FERMILAB-PUB-17-046; arXiv:1702.01392
Journal ID: ISSN 1748-0221; 1512376

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-07CH11359

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Journal of Instrumentation

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 12; Journal Issue: 10; Journal ID: ISSN 1748-0221

Publisher:: Institute of Physics (IOP)

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS; 46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

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                    Aab, Alexander. Calibration of the Logarithmic-Periodic Dipole Antenna (LPDA) Radio Stations at the Pierre Auger Observatory using an Octocopter.  United States: N. p., 2017. 
Web.  doi:10.1088/1748-0221/12/10/T10005.

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                    Aab, Alexander. Calibration of the Logarithmic-Periodic Dipole Antenna (LPDA) Radio Stations at the Pierre Auger Observatory using an Octocopter.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/12/10/T10005

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                    Aab, Alexander. Mon .  
"Calibration of the Logarithmic-Periodic Dipole Antenna (LPDA) Radio Stations at the Pierre Auger Observatory using an Octocopter".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/12/10/T10005.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1346359.

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@article{osti_1346359,

  title        = {Calibration of the Logarithmic-Periodic Dipole Antenna (LPDA) Radio Stations at the Pierre Auger Observatory using an Octocopter},

  author       = {Aab, Alexander},

  abstractNote = {An in-situ calibration of a logarithmic periodic dipole antenna with a frequency coverage of 30 MHz to 80 MHz is performed. Such antennas are part of a radio station system used for detection of cosmic ray induced air showers at the Engineering Radio Array of the Pierre Auger Observatory, the so-called Auger Engineering Radio Array (AERA). The directional and frequency characteristics of the broadband antenna are investigated using a remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) carrying a small transmitting antenna. The antenna sensitivity is described by the vector effective length relating the measured voltage with the electric-field components perpendicular to the incoming signal direction. The horizontal and meridional components are determined with an overall uncertainty of $7.4^{+0.9}_{-0.3} %$ and $10.3^{+2.8}_{-1.7} %$ respectively. The measurement is used to correct a simulated response of the frequency and directional response of the antenna. In addition, the influence of the ground conductivity and permitivity on the antenna response is simulated. Both have a negligible influence given the ground conditions measured at the detector site. The overall uncertainties of the vector effective length components result in an uncertainty of $9.4^{+1.5}_{-1.6} %$ in the square root of the energy fluence for incoming signal directions with zenith angles smaller than 60°.},

  doi          = {10.1088/1748-0221/12/10/T10005},

  journal      = {Journal of Instrumentation},

  number       = 10,

  volume       = 12,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {2017},

  month        = {10}

}

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