Journal of Radio Electronics. eISSN 1684-1719. 2025. №12

Full text in Russian (pdf)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30898/1684-1719.2025.12.9

RADIO-ASTROPHYSICAL OBSERVATIONS
IN THE SUB-terahertz FREQUENCY RANGE
AT THE BTA OPTICAL TELESCOPE

V.F. Vdovin^2,1, A.M. Krasilnikov^2,1, D.E. Kukushkin¹, M.A. Mansfeld²,
A.S. Marukhno^2,1, V.A. Stolyarov¹, M.A. Tarasov³, A.M. Chekukshin³,
R.A. Yusupov³, M.V. Yushkin¹

¹Special Astrophysical Observatory of RAS,
369167, Russia, Karachay-Cherkessia, N. Arkhyz

²A.V. Gaponov-Grekhov Institute of Applied Physics of RAS,
603155, Russia, Nizhny Novgorod, Ulyanova str., 46

³V.A. Kotelnikov Institute of Radio Engineering and Electronics of RAS,
125009, Russia, Moscow, Mokhovaya str., 11, Building 7

The paper was received December, 8, 2025.

Abstract. The main purpose of the presented work is to provide an experimental proof of the hypothesis that radio astronomical observations on an optical telescope in the sub-THz frequency range, which has been theoretically proven and experimentally tested in a laboratory setting, and is protected by a patent held by the co-authoring organizations of this article. The most convincing method used was an experiment in which a sub-terahertz frequency receiver was aligned with the optical system of the 6-meter BTA SAO optical telescope and focused on the Moon. As a result of the experiment performed on November 2, 2025, the hypothesis was confirmed. The signal from the Moon was received using a non-cooled detector that has orders of magnitude lower sensitivity than the 3 mm range superconducting SINIS receiver, which is being used for the project.

Key words: sub-terahertz waves, radio telescope, quasi-optics, superconducting receiver, radio astronomical observations, skin-layer thickness.

Financing: RSCF project 23-62-10013.

Corresponding author: Mikhail Aleksandrovich Tarasov, tarasov@hitech.cplire.ru

References

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5. https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/facilities-technology/telescopes-instruments/south-pole-telescope-antarctica

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7. Patent «Sub-THz Frequency Range Radio Telescope for Astronomical Research Using the Reflector of the BTA Optical Telescope.» – Russia. – 2850391. – 12.11.2025. – IPM RAS, SAO RAS, IRE RAS

8. https://www.tydexoptics.com/

For citation:

Vdovin V.F., Krasilnikov A.M., Kukushkin D.E., Mansfeld M.A., Marukhno A.S., Stolyarov V.A., Tarasov M.A., Chekushkin A.M., Yusupov R.A., Yushkin M.V. Radio-astronomical observations in the subterahertz frequency range at the BTA optical telescope. // Journal of Radio Electronics. – 2025. – №. 12. https://doi.org/10.30898/1684-1719.2025.12.9 (In Russian)