Speaker
Description
Array mutual coupling is increasingly recognised as a major challenge for accurate beam modelling and calibration in low-frequency radio telescopes. In this talk, I will present the evolution of computational electromagnetics developments at the University of Cambridge, from early in-house tools to the Fast Array Simulation Tool (FAST). Drawing on experience with large-N radio telescopes, I will discuss the motivations behind these developments, their applications to understanding complex electromagnetic effects, and how we have integrated our EM modelling tools within a radio interferometer simulator to connect detailed electromagnetic simulations with astronomical observations. Finally, I will highlight ongoing activities, their potential relevance to LOFAR beam modelling and calibration, and some of the scientific and computational challenges that continue to drive this work.