In the desert at great altitude or northern Chile is the millimeter matrix/Atacama (soul). Conceived as an association between scientists in Europe, North America, Eastern Asia and Chile, Alma was designed to be a powerful radio-natural radio observatory that could be in the cold and more distant regions of the cosmos, where stars and planets.
What is it?
A publication recently on the X Observatory shows one of the antenna dishes of the telescope under construction, with the legend: “Fifteen years ago, when the antenna … arrived in Chile, they were assembled on the site, piece by piece.”
The work in Alma was in the early 2000s, and in 2011 the variety of antenna dishes begged early scientific operations. The site was chosen by its dryness and altitude, with little light pollution. The thin air allowed the wavelengths of the light millimeter and submilimetric, which are normally absorbed by the atmosphere of the Earth, to reach the antennas with little interference.
Where is?
This photo was tasks in an assembly warehouse near the Chajnantor plateau in Chile, where Alma is located.
Why is it incredible?
Instead of depending on a single telescope, Alma is composed of 66 high precision antennas, each of 23 feet (7 meters) or 39 feet (12 m) in diameter. These antennas can be moved through the plateau using mass transport vehicles, adjusting the matrix configuration. When they extend separately, these dishes act together as a single giant radio telescope with incredible resolution.
Unfortunately, having such a wide matrix can also have its inconveniences, since a snowstorm recently covered the area with unprecedented moisture. The observatory was forced to enter the “survival mode”, with temporarily suspended scientific observations. Grateful, the snowy deserted and measurements could be resumed in this avant -garde observatory.
Why learn more?
You can read more soul findings and telescopes in Chile.
