ALMA Telescope: Discoveries, Location & New Brain | UPSC Science & Technology

An Overview of Atacama Large Millimeter/Sub-millimeter Array (ALMA)

ALMA, the largest terrestrial telescope currently in existence, is stationed in the arid expanses of the Atacama Desert. It's designed to observe space objects at millimetre and sub-millimetre wavelengths, ranging from 0.32 to 3.6 millimetres. The celestial bodies emitting electromagnetic radiations at these wavelengths are usually just a few degrees above absolute zero, which includes some of the earliest and most remote galaxies in the universe. Astronomers harness this data to examine the gas & dust clouds in the universe, the birthplaces of stars and planets.

This impressive telescope is the product of international collaboration, including 16 European countries, the USA, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and its host country, Chile. Officially inaugurated in 2013, the telescope has been operational since 2011 as a partially constructed array.

The ALMA telescope produces images that are tenfold sharper than those generated by the Hubble Space Telescope, making it a groundbreaking tool in the field of space exploration.

ALMA's Remarkable Discoveries

1. ALMA's observations of the HL Tauri Protoplanetary disc, a mere one million years old at the time, revealed that planets can form in very young protoplanetary discs.
2. It achieved unprecedented resolution in capturing images of the "Einstein Ring" Phenomena, outpacing all other telescopes.
3. The telescope enabled the detection of complex organic substances crucial for the emergence of carbon-based life forms in distant protoplanetary discs. This discovery affirmed that the conditions necessary for life aren't exclusive to our Solar System.

Why the Atacama Desert?

The presence of water vapour in the atmosphere can interfere with signals from space, leading to potential loss of data. To avoid this, telescopes need to be situated in high and dry locations. The Atacama Desert, being one of the driest places on Earth, offers the perfect setting for the ALMA telescope.

The Upcoming "Brain" Upgrade for ALMA

ALMA's 66 high-precision antennae each have a receiver that picks up millimetre and sub-millimetre signals from space. These signals are compiled by a device called a correlator, likened to the "Brain of ALMA". Similar to how our brain interprets signals from our eyes, the correlator interprets space signals.

The correlator is essentially a supercomputer, and ALMA's current "brain" is among the world's fastest. However, in a bid to enhance the precision of images, it has been decided to replace this supercomputer to boost the overall observing speed. This upgrade will be a collaborative effort between various agencies, including the Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Centre of the National Research Council of Canada, the United States' National Science Foundation, the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and an industry partner from Canada.