STARFIRE

July 27, 2023

RFI-It is the conduction or radiation of radio frequency energy that causes an electronic or electrical device to produce noise that typically interferes with the function of an adjacent device.

Scientists at Raman Research Institute (RRI), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology, have developed an algorithm called STARFIRE which can estimate the Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) emitted by FM radio stations, WiFi networks, mobile towers, radar, satellites, and communication devices, and use this calculation for designing and fine-tuning the antennas and other instrument components of missions like India’s Probing ReionizATion of the Universe using Signal from Hydrogen (PRATUSH).
- PRATUSH is one of the several mission opportunities in space contemplated to address the growing RFI on land, to study the birth of the first stars and galaxies in the Universe using the 21-cm hydrogen line obtained from the far side of the moon.
The scientists used information on the FM transmitter stations from six countries in the world.
Data from Canada, USA, Japan, Australia, Germany and South Africa were used as inputs for developing the model and testing STARFIRE – Simulation of TerrestriAl Radio Frequency Interference in oRbits around Earth.
These RFI effects were studied at altitudes 400 kms, 3,795 kms, and 36,000 kms from the Earth’s surface, which correspond to the Low Earth Orbit, Medium Earth Orbit, and Geo-stationary orbit.
Advantages
- This algorithm can be handy in orbit selection for future missions.
- Another advantage of STARFIRE would be the flexibility for users to change properties of the antennas that transmit and receive RFI along with including the astrophysical radio signals from our own galaxy and the cosmos to derive meaningful conclusions about experiment sensitivity.