The Square Kilometre Array: A Giant Leap in Radio Astronomy
By Avani Sharan
Team Cosmofluencer
One of the most ambitious projects in radio astronomy is the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), currently under construction in South Africa and Australia. Once completed, this international project will be the largest and most sensitive radio telescope ever built in the world.
What is the SKA
The SKA is not a single telescope but an array of thousands of antennas spread across vast distances. These antennas will work together as one giant telescope with a total collecting area of one square kilometer, hence its name.
The project is being developed in two phases, known as SKA1 and SKA2. SKA1 will correspond to about 10 percent of the final collecting area, and its deployment will start in 2020 while commissioning activities are expected to start in 2024.
SKA2 will correspond to the full final system and its construction will start, subject to the performance of SKA1, after 2030.
The SKA1 will consist of two arrays:
1. SKA1-Low: Located in Australia, this array will focus on low-frequency radio waves. Dipole antennas covering 50–350 MHz for low-frequency observations will be used here.
2. SKA1-Mid: Located in South Africa, this array will handle mid-frequency observations. Thousands of dish antennas will be operating here between 350 MHz and 14 GHz for higher-frequency studies.
The SKA’s design allows it to achieve unprecedented sensitivity as it wil be 50 times greater than existing radio telescopes and has survey speeds 10,000 times faster than the existing ones. Its data rate will exceed 8 terabits per second during operations. All of this hints to the very fact that SKA is really grounding technology and will be a game changer in the world of astronomical instrumentation.
Key Features of SKA?
- Unmatched Sensitivity: The SKA will be 50 times more sensitive than any existing radio telescope.
- Wide Frequency Range: It will operate across multiple frequencies, enabling diverse scientific research.
- High Resolution: By combining signals from antennas spread over mutliple kilometers, it will produce highly detailed images.
Scientific Goals
The SKA aims to address some of the biggest mysteries in astronomy:
1. Formation of Galaxies: Study how galaxies evolved after the Big Bang by tracing the Hydrogen gas, the building block of stars.
2. Dark Matter and Energy: Explore these elusive components of the universe by mapping the large-scale cosmic structures.
3. Black Holes: Investigate their formation and behavior.
4. Search for Extraterrestrial Life: Detect possible signals from alien civilizations by analyzing the faint signals.
5. Space Weather: Understand the activity of the sun and how it is affecting us.
India’s Role in the SKA
Indian scientists and institutions are actively involved in this international effort. India contributes expertise in areas like software development and data processing for SKA operations. India recently joined as a full member, committing ₹1,250 crore (~$150 million) to the project.
This grants Indian scientists access to the SKA’s cutting-edge tools for research in astrophysics and cosmology. Indian scientists also co-chair the SKA’s Solar Physics Working Group and these collaborative contributions highlight how global partnerships can push scientific boundaries.
Conclusion
The SKA isn’t just for astronomers, its innovations in computing and materials science could ripple into everyday tech, like better medical imaging or faster networks.
The SKA will soon turn today’s cosmic mysteries into tomorrow’s breakthroughs. As construction for this began in 2022, first science operations are expected by 2028 and the future really looks radio-bright. Once complete, the SKA will test Einstein’s theories, trace cosmic evolution, and maybe answer humanity’s oldest question: Are we alone?
References
1. SKA science working groups | SKAO
2. Square Kilometre Array (SKA) | India Science and Technology
3. Square Kilometre Array | Wikipedia
4. Solar physics with the Square Kilometre Array | Phys.org