{"id":145422,"date":"2026-07-01T09:00:07","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T01:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/research\/?post_type=hdr-r-projects&#038;p=145422"},"modified":"2026-07-01T09:00:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T01:00:11","slug":"classification-and-forecasting-of-tropospheric-ducting-induced-radio-frequency-interference-rf-at-inyarrimanha-ilgari-bundara","status":"publish","type":"hdr-r-projects","link":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/research\/hdr-r-projects\/classification-and-forecasting-of-tropospheric-ducting-induced-radio-frequency-interference-rf-at-inyarrimanha-ilgari-bundara\/","title":{"rendered":"Classification and Forecasting of Tropospheric Ducting-Induced Radio Frequency Interference (RF) at Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/research\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/csiro-murchison-radio-astronomy-telescope-1920x1080-600x0-c-default.jpg\" alt=\"Radio dish in the outback with blue sky.\" class=\"wp-image-118330\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:1200px;height:600px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Australian Radio Quiet Zone (RQZ) is centred at Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, the CSIRO\u2019s Murchison Radio Astronomy Observatory in Western Australia. The RQZ was established to protect radio frequency telescopes from harmful interference.<br>The Observatory currently hosts three operational telescopes: Murchison Widefield Array, ASKAP, and EDGES. Soon, it will also welcome SKA-Low, one of the largest radio telescope projects ever undertaken. SKA-Low will consist of 512 stations, each equipped with 256 antennas, spread across a maximum distance of 74 km within the Observatory.<br>While the RQZ is designed to protect the telescopes from local interference within its regions, there are external interferences that are challenging to mitigate due to tropospheric ducting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-intro-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Aim&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To monitor the radio spectrum at the Observatory and track potential interference, dedicated receivers are used. Scheduling telescope observations, particularly for SKA-Low, is a complex operation and using spectrum monitoring technique alone is not sufficient to develop telescope schedule. In addition, with the computational demands of radio observation, it is vital to understand how tropospheric ducting may affect these observations.<br>The project will utilize the spectrum monitoring data along with the weather observation data recorded at the Observatory to classify tropospheric ducting events, forecast them to optimise the telescope schedule, and compare with existing precursor data from the MWA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-intro-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Objectives&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This project aims to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>classify ducting events and forecast their occurrence, providing valuable information for telescope scheduling regarding the likelihood of atmospheric ducting and developing an optimized scheduling strategy<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>employ artificial intelligence techniques that can be explained, validated and trusted to run the telescope<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>test the impact on low-frequency observations, cross-comparing the monitoring data with calibration solutions and other quality assurance metrics for the MWA Epoch of Reionisation program.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-intro-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Significance&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tropospheric ducting significantly impacts radio frequency propagation by extending the distance signals can travel from remote sources, potentially interfering with radio astronomy observations. This phenomenon primarily occurs when the refractive index of radio signals decreases exponentially with altitude, creating a \u201cduct\u201d or waveguide between the interference source and the telescopes. Various mechanisms can cause ducting, including evaporative ducts, temperature inversions, subsidence, and advection. Therefore, understanding how ducts form is essential for detecting and distinguishing external interference from local interference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-intro-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Ideal Candidate&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Candidates with interest and capabilities in analysing big datasets, machine learning, and an understanding of radio interferometry would be valuable. Candidates should have a strong grounding in writing scientific software for data analysis, such as Python, use of Jupyter Notebooks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Additionally, the applicants should meet the eligibility criteria for entry into a PhD program at Curtin University.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This project is open to Domestic applicants only.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-intro-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Internship\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Through this project you will also have an internship opportunity.\u00a0\u00a0CSIRO\/SKAO as part of this co-supervised program. The student will be an official CSIRO-affiliate student, with all of the benefits that brings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-intro-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Scholarship&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you are identified as the preferred candidate for this project, you may be considered for an&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/study\/scholarships\/research-training-program-rtp-scholarships\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">RTP scholarship<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-intro-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Enquires and How to Apply&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For enquires about this opportunity contact Professor Cathryn Trott at\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:Cathryn.Trott@curtin.edu.au\">Cathryn.Trott@curtin.edu.au<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To formally apply submit an\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/forms.curtin.edu.au\/Produce\/Form\/External%20Forms\/Graduate%20Research\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Expression of Interest<\/a>\u00a0to  Professor Cathryn Trott during the Central Scholarship round (July 1st &#8211; July 31st 2026)\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":125,"featured_media":0,"template":"","faculties":[51],"hdr_types":[5487],"research_areas":[35],"class_list":["post-145422","hdr-r-projects","type-hdr-r-projects","status-publish","hentry","faculties-science-and-engineering","hdr_types-rtp-scholarship","research_areas-space"],"acf":false,"featured_image":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hdr-r-projects\/145422","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hdr-r-projects"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/hdr-r-projects"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/125"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hdr-r-projects\/145422\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=145422"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"faculties","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/faculties?post=145422"},{"taxonomy":"hdr_types","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hdr_types?post=145422"},{"taxonomy":"research_areas","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/research_areas?post=145422"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}