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Nanosecond-level time synchronization of autonomous radio detector stations for extensive air showers
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arxiv 1512.02216 v2 pith:KFDIVRFR submitted 2015-12-07 physics.ins-det hep-ex
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To exploit the full potential of radio measurements of cosmic-ray air showers at MHz frequencies, a detector timing synchronization within 1 ns is needed. Large distributed radio detector arrays such as the Auger Engineering Radio Array (AERA) rely on timing via the Global Positioning System (GPS) for the synchronization of individual detector station clocks. Unfortunately, GPS timing is expected to have an accuracy no better than about 5 ns. In practice, in particular in AERA, the GPS clocks exhibit drifts on the order of tens of ns. We developed a technique to correct for the GPS drifts, and an independent method is used for cross-checks that indeed we reach nanosecond-scale timing accuracy by this correction. First, we operate a "beacon transmitter" which emits defined sine waves detected by AERA antennas recorded within the physics data. The relative phasing of these sine waves can be used to correct for GPS clock drifts. In addition to this, we observe radio pulses emitted by commercial airplanes, the position of which we determine in real time from Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcasts intercepted with a software-defined radio. From the known source location and the measured arrival times of the pulses we determine relative timing offsets between radio detector stations. We demonstrate with a combined analysis that the two methods give a consistent timing calibration with an accuracy of 2 ns or better. Consequently, the beacon method alone can be used in the future to continuously determine and correct for GPS clock drifts in each individual event measured by AERA.
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Cited by 2 Pith papers
Reviewed papers in the Pith corpus that reference this work. Sorted by Pith novelty score. Full citation record
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Instrument design and performance of the first seven stations of RNO-G
astro-ph.IM 2024-11 conditional novelty 6.0 of 10
The first seven RNO-G stations are commissioned and performing to design expectations, with 10-20 ps timing resolution and trigger thresholds near design targets.
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Progress of the GRANDProto300 Project
astro-ph.HE 2025-07 conditional novelty 3.0 of 10
GRANDProto300 reports deployment progress, radio calibration, detection of solar and galactic radio emission, and one candidate cosmic-ray event with 65 antennas operational.
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