171 



Areclbo, PR., U.S.A. 



1000-FOOT RADIO/RADAR TELESCOPE 



Arecibo Observatory 



National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center (NAIC) 



"Big Science" Descriptor : Radio astronomy, radar astronomy, and atmo- 

 spheric physics 



Description of Facility/Instrument : NAIC, with headquarters at 



Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., provides unique instrumenta- 

 tion and facilities for basic research in radio astronomy, radar 

 astronomy, and atmospheric physics. The major NAIC observing 

 instrument is a 1000-foot diameter fixed reflector which together 

 with sensitive receivers and very high-power transmitters is the 

 world's largest radio/radar telescope. 



Date of Construction : Completed in 1963, upgraded in 1974 



Construction Cost : Original : 18.1 million 



1984 $$ : 46.1 million 



Present International Cooperation 



Nationality(s) of Ownership : U.S. 

 Nationality(s) of Operational Funding : U.S. 

 Nationality(s) of Management Staff : U.S. 



Natlonality(s) of Researchers ; Mostly U.S.A. with some foreign 

 nationals. 



The NAIC Arecibo Observatory always has had a strong 

 component of international cooperation in its research 

 operations. Aside from foreign scientists regularly making 

 use of the lOOO-foot telescope for competitively-reviewed 

 observing programs, in recent years NAIC has participated in 

 numerous Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) experi- 

 ments with intercontinental baselines, which are continuing; 

 coordinated incoherent scatter radar observations of the 

 ionosphere In support of International World Day programs, 

 also continuing; hosted support for temporary on-site in- 

 strumentation of foreign institutions (for example, German 

 50 MHz middle-atmosphere radar and French meteor radar; and 

 engaged in international research campaigns (for example, 

 search for radio pulsations from gamma ray sources and 

 simultaneous measurements for Faraday rotation measures of 

 pulsars). 



Potential for Future International Cooperation : This is very high due 

 to the international nature of radio astronomy which involves very 

 long baseline interferometry. Also, atmospheric physics research 

 using incoherent scatter radars is strongly international in 

 nature. 



