A NEW HIGH-RESOLUTION DIGITAL SPECTROMETER FOR RADIOASTRONOMY APPLICATIONS

We describe a real-time, fast Fourier transform digital spectrometer, based on the new Sharp LH9124 chip. The system is fully programable, a nd in the present configuration it can measure the power spectrum of a n incoming signal with a bandwidth of up to 20 MHz, a time resolution of 30 ms, a frequency resolution of up to 128 K channels, and a tempor al duty cycle of 45% at 6 MHz bandwidth. An upgrade of the spectromete r is in progress, which will allow a duty cycle (efficiency) of 100% a t 12 MHz bandwidth (single channel) or 6 MHz (dual channel). This new approach to the spectrum analysis will open new observational capabili ties in radio astronomy and other fields. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.