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GMRT - A unique radio telescope for basic science research

The National Centre for Radio Astrophysics near Pune has set up the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope to carry out challenging basic science programmes. Professor Nissim Kanekar, a scientist at the facility, elaborates

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Image credit: Website of the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR)
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The National Centre for Radio Astrophysics, an affiliate of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), has installed the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) at its premises near Pune to facilitate radio astronomical research at metre wavelengths. One of the most sensitive telescopes in the world (within its range), the GMRT has an effective diameter of 25 kilometres and is made of 30 smaller dish antennas. The telescope is used to observe the sky at different frequencies. 

Ideally, one would like to study the sky at a larger range of frequencies because celestial bodies often look very different at varied frequencies. This tells us a lot about the way they emit radiation. Since 2002, the radio astronomy community has used the GMRT to study the sun, planets and other objects of the solar system. It has been used to study different objects in the Milky Way and also the content, structure and nature of gases in external galaxies. Additionally, the telescope's massive reach has been helpful in studying the effect of radiation from the first ever stars on different galaxies. 

A few of these topics can only be studied at low radio frequencies which the GMRT enables. For example, pulsars (a type of star) appear to be extremely bright at low frequencies but become faint as one moves to higher frequencies. Pulsar studies are extremely important to understand conditions at extremely high densities, the physics of strong gravitational fields, and even to detect the presence of gravitational waves. 

Since hydrogen is the primary constituent of the universe, it is important to study the transition and resultant emission of radiation from the hydrogen atom. Telescopes like GMRT can be used to conduct such observations which give us a crucial window on the different conditions in the Milky Way and other galaxies. These studies are fast developing in the field of cosmology. The GMRT is also carrying out a search for the Epoch of Reionization, which occurred around a billion years after the Big Bang and was an important milestone in the creation of the universe.

The GMRT is currently being upgraded with a new suite of frequency bands and electronics, which will allow it to retain its premier status in the low-frequency astronomy community for at least the next decade.

(As told to Sanchayan Bhattacharjee)

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