Enhancing the sensitivity of radio telescopes using fiber-optic networks

Optical fibers are key components of current and future radio telescopes. They enable the transmission of the large bandwidths required for high-sensitivity radio astronomy. Fiber-optic connectivity can increase the sensitivity ofa radio telescope 10-fold, due to its ability to carry large amounts ofdata over long distances. This means that distant galaxies, only glimpsed by extended observations today, will routinely be available to the astronomers of tomorrow, in a fraction of the time. This paper will give an overview of optical-fiber technology and its related transmission characteristics, and will describe current fiberrelated activities taking place in radio-astronomy observatories across the globe.