TheLovellTelescope…throughitssurfaces
SimonGarrington,JBO/UniversityofManchester
• Originaldesign&redesign:1950-1957
• Radicalmodification&newsurface:1971
• Replacementofsurface:2001
• Replacementoforiginalsurface:2018
• Otherconsequences:foundations
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PictureA.Holloway
OriginalMkIproposalandchanges• Concept&proposals:1950-1
• Lovell-HusbandSep1949• RadioAstronomyCttee1950• railtrack;towers,cradle,4-inchmesh
• 2-inchmesh/5-inprofileby20Mar1951submission
• Designchanges• 21cmlinediscovered(Ewen25Mar1951)
• Inner100’mesh1x2-in‘atnocost’?Sep1952
• InterestfromAirMinistry:10cmradar
• March1954:3/4-inmesh->strongercradle…butAirMinistrystepback
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OriginalMkIproposalandchanges• Concept&proposals:1950-1
• Lovell-HusbandSep1949• RadioAstronomyCttee1950• railtrack;towers,cradle,4-inchmesh
• 2-inchmesh/5-inprofileby20Mar1951submission
• Designchanges• 21cmlinediscovered(Ewen25Mar1951)
• Inner100’mesh1x2-in‘atnocost’?Sep1952
• InterestfromAirMinistry:10cmradar
• March1954:3/4-inmesh->strongercradle…butAirMinistrystepback
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OriginalMkIproposalandchanges• Concept&proposals:1950-1
• Lovell-HusbandSep1949• RadioAstronomyCttee1950• railtrack;towers,cradle,4-inchmesh
• 2-inchmesh/5-inprofileby20Mar1951submission
• Designchanges• 21cmlinediscovered(Ewen25Mar1951)
• Inner100’mesh1x2-in‘atnocost’?Sep1952
• InterestfromAirMinistry:10cmradar
• March1954:3/4-inmesh->strongercradle…butAirMinistrystepback
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OriginalMkIproposalandchanges• Concept&proposals:1950-1
• Lovell-HusbandSep1949• RadioAstronomyCttee1950• railtrack;towers,cradle,4-inchmesh
• 2-inchmesh/5-inprofileby20Mar1951submission
• Designchanges• 21cmlinediscovered(Ewen25Mar1951)
• Inner100’mesh1x2-in‘atnocost’?Sep1952
• InterestfromAirMinistry:10cmradar
• March1954:3/4-inmesh->strongercradle…butAirMinistrystepback
�5
OriginalMkIproposalandchanges• Concept&proposals:1950-1
• Lovell-HusbandSep1949• RadioAstronomyCttee1950• railtrack;towers,cradle,4-inchmesh
• 2-inchmesh/5-inprofileby20Mar1951submission
• Designchanges• 21cmlinediscovered(Ewen25Mar1951)
• Inner100’mesh1x2-in‘atnocost’?Sep1952
• InterestfromAirMinistry:10cmradar
• March1954:3/4-inmesh->strongercradle…butAirMinistrystepback
�6
OriginalMkIproposalandchanges• Concept&proposals:1950-1
• Lovell-HusbandSep1949• RadioAstronomyCttee1950• railtrack;towers,cradle,4-inchmesh
• 2-inchmesh/5-inprofileby20Mar1951submission
• Designchanges• 21cmlinediscovered(Ewen25Mar1951)
• Inner100’mesh1x2-in‘atnocost’?Sep1952
• InterestfromAirMinistry:10cmradar
• March1954:3/4-inmesh->strongercradle…butAirMinistrystepback
�6
OriginalMkIproposalandchanges• Concept&proposals:1950-1
• Lovell-HusbandSep1949• RadioAstronomyCttee1950• railtrack;towers,cradle,4-inchmesh
• 2-inchmesh/5-inprofileby20Mar1951submission
• Designchanges• 21cmlinediscovered(Ewen25Mar1951)
• Inner100’mesh1x2-in‘atnocost’?Sep1952
• InterestfromAirMinistry:10cmradar
• March1954:3/4-inmesh->strongercradle…butAirMinistrystepback
�6
MKI-bowl&surfaceredesign
• New‘drum’support-Aug/Sep1954[homology?]
• Majorredesign…inmid-construction
• Cost,weightincrease…PublicInquiry’57
• Husbandsuggestssolidsurface(continuous,fullywelded)• conductivity
• ExperimentsJun-Sep’55• 1-inchprofile
• Mainstructurecompletebythispoint…
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MKI-bowl&surfaceredesign
• New‘drum’support-Aug/Sep1954[homology?]
• Majorredesign…inmid-construction
• Cost,weightincrease…PublicInquiry’57
• Husbandsuggestssolidsurface(continuous,fullywelded)• conductivity
• ExperimentsJun-Sep’55• 1-inchprofile
• Mainstructurecompletebythispoint…
�7
MKI-bowl&surfaceredesign
• New‘drum’support-Aug/Sep1954[homology?]
• Majorredesign…inmid-construction
• Cost,weightincrease…PublicInquiry’57
• Husbandsuggestssolidsurface(continuous,fullywelded)• conductivity
• ExperimentsJun-Sep’55• 1-inchprofile
• Mainstructurecompletebythispoint…
200kmofwire2Minterconnections30,000tie-backs
�7
MKI-bowl&surfaceredesign
• New‘drum’support-Aug/Sep1954[homology?]
• Majorredesign…inmid-construction
• Cost,weightincrease…PublicInquiry’57
• Husbandsuggestssolidsurface(continuous,fullywelded)• conductivity
• ExperimentsJun-Sep’55• 1-inchprofile
• Mainstructurecompletebythispoint…
200kmofwire2Minterconnections30,000tie-backs
�7
MKI-bowl&surfaceredesign
• New‘drum’support-Aug/Sep1954[homology?]
• Majorredesign…inmid-construction
• Cost,weightincrease…PublicInquiry’57
• Husbandsuggestssolidsurface(continuous,fullywelded)• conductivity
• ExperimentsJun-Sep’55• 1-inchprofile
• Mainstructurecompletebythispoint…
200kmofwire2Minterconnections30,000tie-backs
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TheMkI,completed
• Surfaceinstalled1956-7;7000plates;13/welder/day
• Drivesinstalled…Sputniklaunched4Oct57,carrierrocketdetected11Oct57
• EfficiencyofMkIat21cm…12%
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ConversiontoMkIA
• ‘ImprovedMkI’1961,alongside…
LovellNov1961
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ConversiontoMkIA
• ‘ImprovedMkI’1961,alongside…
• MkII(1964)
LovellNov1961
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ConversiontoMkIA
• ‘ImprovedMkI’1961,alongside…
• MkII(1964)• MkIII(1966)
LovellNov1961
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ConversiontoMkIA
• ‘ImprovedMkI’1961,alongside…
• MkII(1964)• MkIII(1966)• MkIV[500’x1500-15000’!]
LovellNov1961
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ConversiontoMkIA
• ‘ImprovedMkI’1961,alongside…
• MkII(1964)• MkIII(1966)• MkIV[500’x1500-15000’!]
• MkV[initiallyc200’nrJBO,latera400’monster,cancellation->MERLINin1974]
LovellNov1961
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ConversiontoMkIA
• ‘ImprovedMkI’1961,alongside…
• MkII(1964)• MkIII(1966)• MkIV[500’x1500-15000’!]
• MkV[initiallyc200’nrJBO,latera400’monster,cancellation->MERLINin1974]
LovellNov1961
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MkIA-motivation[Fleckctee1961-5;£4m(=£80m)forradioastron.’64-’72]• Husbandproposal1964
• centralsupport• newsurface
• Tactically-LovellagreedtodelayMkVinDec’67
• Reality:foundationsandstructurefailing
• c.200tloadreliefonbearings/foundation
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MkIA-motivation[Fleckctee1961-5;£4m(=£80m)forradioastron.’64-’72]• Husbandproposal1964
• centralsupport• newsurface
• Tactically-LovellagreedtodelayMkVinDec’67
• Reality:foundationsandstructurefailing
• c.200tloadreliefonbearings/foundation
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MkIA-motivation[Fleckctee1961-5;£4m(=£80m)forradioastron.’64-’72]• Husbandproposal1964
• centralsupport• newsurface
• Tactically-LovellagreedtodelayMkVinDec’67
• Reality:foundationsandstructurefailing
• c.200tloadreliefonbearings/foundation
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MkIA-motivation[Fleckctee1961-5;£4m(=£80m)forradioastron.’64-’72]• Husbandproposal1964
• centralsupport• newsurface
• Tactically-LovellagreedtodelayMkVinDec’67
• Reality:foundationsandstructurefailing
• c.200tloadreliefonbearings/foundation
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MkIA• 1968report:265’• Changedduringconstructionto250’• 1968-1972• Cost£665k(c0.5MkI)• Husband’s‘hardestjob’• Newf/D=0.3surface
• 60%at18cm• 14%at6cm
• HI,OH,MERLIN,EVN,pulsars,quasars,gravitationallenses,+…
• Wheelgirder+centraltrack:c.960t(96piles)
1971-picturecredit:RWPorcas�15
MkIA• 1968report:265’• Changedduringconstructionto250’• 1968-1972• Cost£665k(c0.5MkI)• Husband’s‘hardestjob’• Newf/D=0.3surface
• 60%at18cm• 14%at6cm
• HI,OH,MERLIN,EVN,pulsars,quasars,gravitationallenses,+…
• Wheelgirder+centraltrack:c.960t(96piles)
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MkIA• 1968report:265’• Changedduringconstructionto250’• 1968-1972• Cost£665k(c0.5MkI)• Husband’s‘hardestjob’• Newf/D=0.3surface
• 60%at18cm• 14%at6cm
• HI,OH,MERLIN,EVN,pulsars,quasars,gravitationallenses,+…
• Wheelgirder+centraltrack:c.960t(96piles)
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Surfacereplacement(2001-2)
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Surfacereplacement(2001-2)
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Improvementinsurface
STG2000-2003
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Surfacedeformation
TotalStationmeasurementsbyJABattilana(analysisbySTG) �18
Surfacedeformation
TotalStationmeasurementsbyJABattilana(analysisbySTG) �18
Surfacedeformation
TotalStationmeasurementsbyJABattilana(analysisbySTG) �18
Replacingthe1957surface
• Consideredremoval,repair,replacement
• Nowreplacingwithfullygalvanisedandpaintedpanels,boltedtonewanglebeams
• Profilenotimportantbutfittooriginalparabola
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MkIbowlframeworkSpring1956
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LiDARScan(OgilvieGeomatics)
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!22
Bowlframeworklayout
Recalloriginalspec:5-8in.=130-200mm!23
Bowlframeworklayout
Recalloriginalspec:5-8in.=130-200mm!23
Bowlframeworklayout
Recalloriginalspec:5-8in.=130-200mm!23
Surfacereplacement2018
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Foundations• Originaldesign
Foundations• Originaldesign
Conclusion• Telescopeshavemanyhistories:scientific,technological,personal,social,international• Thishasbeenav.partialengineeringperspective,lookingatchangesindesign,theirmotivation,implementation,andconsequences,setagainstacomplexbackground
• TheLovell(MkI/IA)Telescope[surface]isauniquecaseofdesignchangeduringconstructionandmajormodification12yrslatertoaddanewsurface…andwehavenowreplacedboth‘old’and‘new’surfaces,aswellaswiderangeofmajorandminorrepairs
• Indoingso,wecontinuetolearnaboutandaddtoitsfascinatinghistory
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ThankstoPhilClarkeandalltheJBOengineeringteamJamesPeters@JohnRylandsArchive
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