4 ms·
Actually the proposal is a bit more complicated than using a 12 meter large antenna, it is sending this antenna at 550 AU (the FOCAL in "FOCAL antenna"). Geoffr
by JPLeRouzic 9y ago
Actually the proposal is a bit more complicated than using a 12 meter large antenna, it is sending this antenna at 550 AU (the FOCAL in "FOCAL antenna"). Geoffrey A. Landis wrote:
"The gravitational field of the sun will focus light from a distant source to a focal point at a minimal distance of 550 Astronomical Units from the sun.
A proposed mission to this gravitational focus could use the sun as a very large lens, allowing (in principle) a large amplification of signal from the target, and a very high magnification."
https://arxiv.org/abs/1604.06351 https://arxiv.org/abs/1604.06351
- JPLeRouzic 9y agoSome people as Louis Friedmann says that only moving 10 meters away from the focal point (at 550 au) would reduce the gain by 10 dB. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEZ6zYZ6lDQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEZ6zYZ6lDQ That said I like people proposing big ideas.
- kurthr 9y agoWhat's interesting about this is that with closed loop control (using multiple antennas on the very signal they are receiving) one might well be able to achieve that 10m accuracy.