Pierre Kauffman Radio Observatory, Radio observatory in Atibaia, Brazil.
The Pierre Kauffman Radio Observatory is an astronomical observatory in Atibaia with a 13.7-meter dish antenna enclosed in a protective radome. The facility operates at frequencies between 18 and 50 GHz to observe the sky in the radio spectrum.
The facility was founded in 1970 under the management of Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie. In 1982, the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais took control and has operated it since.
The name comes from the Itapetinga neighbourhood where the site stands; in 2016 the observatory was renamed after Pierre Kauffman. Students, researchers and engineers from INPE, Mackenzie, Univap and USP use the telescopes for astrophysics and geophysics campaigns, staying in on-site lodgings during observing runs.
The observatory lies near Rodovia Fernão Dias, about 7.5 km south of Atibaia and 40 km north of São Paulo, inside a small radio quiet zone. It has three radio telescope systems plus living quarters and a kitchen for researchers on campaigns. Visits require prior arrangement.
The site includes solar monitoring equipment with multiple 1.5-meter dish antennas that detect radio waves from the Sun at 12 GHz. These specialized instruments allow the facility to track solar activity continuously.
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