Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory

Materials for the Press and Media

Please also refer to the KAIRA Blog for information about the project. Below please find hi-res images and other material, which we will make available here as the project develops.

2014-06-24
Very large panorama of the KAIRA site (stitched from multiple images). The LBA array is visible on the right with the HBA (black boxes) on the left. On the far left is the RF container, which contains the receiver electronics. Image is 10,337 x 3,616 pixel, 15MB. (LINK).
Credit: "Photo: Thomas Ulich, SGO"
2014-06-24
Panorama of the KAIRA site (single frame). The LBA array is visible on the right with the HBA (black boxes) on the left. On the far left is the RF container, which contains the receiver electronics. Lower resolution than the composite panorama above, 5472 x 3648 pixel, 9.4MB. (LINK).
Credit: "Photo: Thomas Ulich, SGO"
2013-11-03
Panorama of the KAIRA site. The mountain in the left background is Pikku Malla. The LBA array is visible in the central foreground with the HBA array behind and to the right. A full-scale version (9600x3000 pixels, 30MB) is also available (LINK).
Credit: "Photo: D. McKay-Bukowski"
2013-06-06
Visitors mill around the edge of the High-Band Antenna array at the official opening.
Credit: "Photo: www.sgo.fi" or "Photo: Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, Finland"
2013-06-06
The ribbon for the KAIRA facility is cut by Oulu University Rector, Lauri Lajunen, who commenced the proceedings with a brief introduction and welcome. To his left is Prof. Marrku Lehtinen and to his right is the Director of Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, Esa Turunen.
Credit: "Photo: www.sgo.fi" or "Photo: Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, Finland"
2012-06-06
From left-to-right: Esa Turunen (director of Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, Oulu University Rector, Lauri Lajunen, and Prof. Markku Lehtinen. A toast to KAIRA, and all its to-be-made scientific discoveries had just been made,
Credit: "Photo: www.sgo.fi" or "Photo: Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, Finland"
2012-08-14
The newly completed KAIRA site. The black tiles are the High-Band Antenna (HBA) array and the faintly visible brown and grey aerials to the right are the Low-Band Antenna (LBA) field.
Credit: "Photo: www.sgo.fi" or "Photo: Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, Finland"
KAIRA map
A map of northern Fenno-Scandianvia, showing the location of KAIRA. Also plotted are the locations of the EISCAT facility.
Credit: "Photo: www.sgo.fi" or "Photo: Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, Finland"
Array layout
The placement of antennas within the KAIRA facility. The regular grid to the top-left are the high-band panel antennas (approx. 100 to 270 MHz) and the scattered pattern to the lower-right are the low-band aerials (approx. 10 to 85 MHz).
Credit: "Image: www.sgo.fi" or "Image: Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, Finland"
2012-08-16
The completed Low-Band Antenna (LBA) field. Each aerial is 1.8 metres tall and has a metal ground mesh 3 x 3 metres. It can receive radio waves from approx. 10 MHz to 85 MHz.
Credit: "Photo: www.sgo.fi" or "Photo: Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, Finland"
2012-08-12
Snow-and-wind panels have been installed on the sides of the High-Band Antenna (HBA) array. These slow down air-flow under the tiles, but still allow some degree of circulation. Robustness against snow/ice and wind is an important consideration.
Credit: "Photo: www.sgo.fi" or "Photo: Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, Finland"
2012-07-28
A view along the side of the High-Band Antenna (HBA) array. The grey shipping container at the end contains the electronics. It has been specially shielded electrically, to prevent the faint radio waves from the electronics from interfering with the signals we are trying to receive from space.
Credit: "Photo: www.sgo.fi" or "Photo: Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, Finland"
2011-07-29
Underneath the raised tile are the cable-trays and ducts which bring the signals back from the antennas to the central processing electronics.
Credit: "Photo: www.sgo.fi" or "Photo: Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, Finland"
2011-07-23
A view of the completed High-Band Antenna (HBA) array. There are 48 black tiles, each 5 x 5 metres in size. Each tile contains 16 individual antennas.
Credit: "Photo: www.sgo.fi" or "Photo: Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, Finland"
2011-07-09
A view of the High-Band Antenna (HBA) array, part-way through its construction.
Credit: "Photo: www.sgo.fi" or "Photo: Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, Finland"
2011-06-10
View in the direction of the KAIRA site from the top of Saana, Kilpisjärvi. One can just make out the site as a bright spot to the north (right) of the customs station, which is by the road to Norway, in the middle of the photo, just east (below) the lake Siilasjärvi. Please also refer to the respective blog post about this image.
Credit: "Photo: www.sgo.fi" or "Photo: Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, Finland"
2011-05-11
At the end of the winter test, the raised HBA tile was loaded with snow to the point of collapse in order to see how much snow load these purely polystyrene structures can take. This video shows the moment of collapse (HD, 16:9). Watch on YouTube.
Credit: "Video: www.sgo.fi" or "Video: Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, Finland"
2011-05-10
Partly the snow has been cleared off the KAIRA winter testing site. Snow is gone completely from the raised High-Band-Array (HBA) tile in the foreground. The HBA will be used for work with the EISCAT_3D project; it covers frequencies of 120 to 240 MHz.
Credit: "Photo: www.sgo.fi" or "Photo: Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, Finland"
2011-03-01
Overview of the Kilpisjärvi site of KAIRA. Two HBA tiles are deployed to find out how they fare in the Arctic winter conditions. One tiles is flat on the ground, barely distinguishable from the surroundings under the snow cover on the left, the other tile is clearly visible since it is deployed on a wooden frame. Also the snow cover ontop of the raised tile is much less than in the surrounding area.
Credit: "Photo: www.sgo.fi" or "Photo: Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, Finland"
2011-03-01
The HBA tile deployed in the standard LOFAR fashion on the ground is covered completely by snow.
Credit: "Photo: www.sgo.fi" or "Photo: Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, Finland"
2011-03-01
Clearly the snow cover ontop of the raised tile is much less than on the ground. The HBA tile is roughly half a metre high, and the snow cover is about 15 cm. In the vicinity the snow thickness varies greatly due to drifts, but it is nearly a metre on average.
Credit: "Photo: www.sgo.fi" or "Photo: Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, Finland"
2010-10-19
One of the completed winter-testing units. This has been built to ensure that the antenna technology used will withstand the harsh Arctic winter conditions.
Credit: "Photo: www.sgo.fi" or "Photo: Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, Finland"
2010-10-19
Installing a High-Band Antenna (HBA). The antenna comes folded and, as it is lowered into place, it expands out to lie flat on the frame. However, in this raised state, without the cover, it is possible to see the internal latice structure.
Credit: "Photo: www.sgo.fi" or "Photo: Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, Finland"

Last modified: 13 February 2020, 12:08:25.

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