Noise modeling of a 4×4 prototype array for the mid frequency aperture array

An important requirement of the Mid Frequency Aperture Array (MFAA) is the noise temperature. In this paper we will describe the noise modeling of a small 4×4 Vivaldi array. This array is a prototype for the MFAA demonstrator that will be build at ASTRON. The model is verified by measurements. The purpose is to verify the noise modeling of the array and to identify possibilities to improve the design. Achieving the lowest possible system noise temperature is not yet the goal of this prototype.