Whistle of Wind represents a pioneering initiative in the field of radio astronomy. It consists of a scalable network of medium-radio telescopes, which has the objective of carrying out mapping of the sky, monitoring radio sources (such as pulsars, active galaxies and other radio sources), observing phenomena such as the climate and weather events, and detect electromagnetic disturbances.
Thanks to the use of medium-sized radio telescopes, the project has the advantage of being able to be scaled, i.e. expanded with the addition of new instruments and stations. This allows you to create a collaborative network between various observation sites, optimizing sky coverage and improving the resolution of the data collected. This feature also makes the system suitable for various applications, not only astronomical but also meteorological and for monitoring the electromagnetic environment.
Whistle of Wind exploits radio interferometry, a technique that allows you to combine the signals received from multiple radio telescopes to obtain greater spatial resolution, as if you were observing the sky with a telescope of equal to the distance between the individual radio telescopes. In the specific case of this network, the working band covers frequencies between 1 GHz and 20 GHz, making it possible to observe various phenomena, including in particular neutral hydrogen, which has a characteristic emission line at 1.42 GHz (21 cm). This observation is crucial for studying the structure of the galaxy and the universe.
One of the most interesting features of the system is that, with a distance of approximately 100 meters between the various antennas, it is possible to obtain a maximum angular resolution of 25 arc seconds (25''). This is a remarkable achievement, considering that it is achieved without the use of atomic clocks or dedicated hardware to synchronize the telescopes. The technique used allows us to overcome one of the main technological limitations of traditional radio interferometry systems, which often require extremely precise synchronization through the use of atomic clocks (such as cesium or rubidium).
This more accessible approach therefore allows the creation of a functional and scalable radio astronomy network, which can be easily extended, while maintaining lower costs compared to large international projects that use advanced synchronization technologies.
Whistle of Wind makes use of advanced software already developed and used in the OneBeWhole laboratories. These software tools enable scanning and acquisition of spectrograms, while also offering capabilities for visualization and analysis of data efficiently. These capabilities are fundamental for interpreting the radio signals collected by radio telescopes and for processing information from astrophysical and atmospheric phenomena.
In the context of radio interferometry, the local oscillators used in network antennas are connected to each other and oscillate in phase, allowing sufficient temporal coherence to combine signals without the need for atomic clocks . This synchronization between oscillators is essential for obtaining accurate data from the radio telescope network.
The data collected by each antenna is processed in real time via dedicated software that performs the calculations necessary for interferometry. This software is publicly available on collaborative development platforms such as GitHub, thus allowing the scientific community and enthusiasts to access and contribute to the development of the project. The availability of the software in open-source on GitHub facilitates the expansion of the system and the integration of new technologies or improvements, increasing participation and accessibility for radio astronomy research.
Whistle of Wind highlights the growing need for a highly skilled workforce, trained in telecommunications, research, data analysis, computer science, physics and mathematics.
As the project expands, there will be an increased demand for experts who can manage and interpret the vast amounts of data it collects, making training a critical component of its long-term success. This initiative provides an ideal platform to establish an innovative training program built around its technological and scientific infrastructure, which is unique not only in Italy but also in Europe.
Such a school would foster the development of multidisciplinary skills, ensuring that future generations of researchers, engineers and scientists are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to advance the fields of radio astronomy, telecommunications and atmospheric sciences.
The school would focus on providing hands-on experience in cutting-edge fields, blending theoretical knowledge with practical application.
Students and professionals would have access to software, data analysis tools and radio telescope networks, allowing them to test new technologies, acquire or experiment with existing instrumentation.