Planetary Radio Astronomy

Instrumentation for Planetary Radio Astronomy Results—Planets and Comets Prospects for the Future 

Antenna temperature Measure of the noise power collected by the antenna and delivered to the radio receiver. Specifically, the temperature at which a resistor, substituted for the antenna, would have to be maintained in order to deliver the same noise power to the receiver in the same frequency bandwidth. 

Blackbody Idealized object that absorbs all electromagnetic radiation that is incident on it. The radiation properties of blackbody radiators are described by the Planck function. Planetary radio astronomers use the properties of blackbody radiators to describe the radiation from planets. 

Brightness temperature The definition is not unique great care is needed to decipher the intention of a given author. The temperature at which a blackbody radiator would radiate an intensity of electromagnetic radiation identical to that of the planet for a specific frequency, frequency bandwidth, and polarization under consideration is one definition of brightness temperature. A second definition is that it is the intensity of radiation under consideration divided (normalized) by the factor jlk). The normalization factor dimensionally scales 

Effective area Equivalent cross section or collecting area of aradio telescope to an incident radio wave a measure of a radio telescope s capability to detect weak radio signals. 

---

Gamma-Ray Astronomy Gravitational Wave Astronomy Millimeter Astronomy Primitive Solar System Objects Asteroids and Comets Radar Radio Astronomy, Planetary Solar System, General Ultraviolet Space Astronomy X-Ray Astronomy... 

---