Fundamentals of Radio Astronomy ─ Observational Methods

Since the Haystack Observatory made inexpensive radio telescopes available in the last decade, attention to radio astronomy has increased. The field of radio astronomy reveals that much of what is known about the universe has been learned through the careful application of physics and the interpretation of detected signals. This textbook provides an extensive introduction to the subject of radio astronomy. The first part of the text focuses on instrumentation, with discussions on both single-dish radio telescopes and telescope arrays. The second part reviews the diverse areas of radio astrophysics and provides key findings from radio astronomical research studies.

Jonathan M. Marr is a lecturer of physics and astronomy at Union College. His research involves high-resolution, radio-wavelength observations of radio galaxies and the Galactic center. He earned a PhD in astronomy from the University of California, Berkeley.

Ronald L. Snell is a professor of astronomy at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. His research interests include the physical and chemical properties of molecular clouds, star formation, and molecular outflows; he also has extensive experience observing at radio wavelengths. He earned a PhD in astronomy from the University of Texas at Austin.

Stanley E. Kurtz is a professor of radio astronomy and astrophysics at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. His research interests include massive star formation, the interstellar medium, and radio astronomy instrumentation and techniques. He earned a PhD in physics from the University of Wisconsin at Madison.