Chilbolton Observatory

Chilbolton Observatory
Hampshire
Chilbolton Observatory
Type:	Observatory
Location
Grid reference:	SU39373851
Location:	51°8’40"N, 1°26’19"W
Village:	Chilbolton
History
	Built 1963-1967
	Observatory
Information
Owned by:	Science and Technology Facilities Council
Website:	www.chilbolton.stfc.ac.uk

The Chilbolton Observatory is a facility for atmospheric and radio research located on the edge of the village of Chilbolton near Stockbridge in Hampshire. The facilities are run by a branch of the Science and Technology Facilities Council; the STFC Radio Communications Research Unit of the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.

Overview

The Chilbolton Observatory operates many pieces of research equipment associated with radar propagation and meteorology. These include:

• An S band Doppler weather radar with its distinctive, fully steerable, 25 metre parabolic antenna. This equipment can be referred to as CAMRa (Chilbolton Advanced Meteorological Radar).
• An L band Clear-air radar
• A W band bistatic zenith radar
• A UV Raman Lidar
• Multiple K_a band radiometers
• Multiple rain gauges

The observatory also hosts the United Kingdom's Low-Frequency Array ('LOFAR') station.

History

The equipment rooms at the Observatory

Construction of Chilbolton Observatory started in 1963. It was built partially on the site of RAF Chilbolton, which was decommissioned in 1946. Several sites around the south-east of England were considered for the construction. The site at Chilbolton, on the edge of Salisbury Plain, was chosen in part because of excellent visibility of the horizon and its relative remoteness from major roads whose cars could cause interference.

The facility was opened in April 1967. Within several months of being commissioned the azimuth bearing of the antenna suffered a catastrophic failure. GEC were contracted to repair the bearing and devised a system to replace the failed part while leaving the 400-ton dish ostensibly in-place.

Originally, the antenna was engaged in K_u band radio astronomy, but now operates as a S and L band radar.

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Observatory Chilbolton Observatory)

• Chilbolton Observatory Facilities

References

• ESA News 'GIOVE A transmits loud and clear', ESA Portal - Improving Daily Life, 9 March 2006