The activity of the Arecibo radio telescope observatory has been suspended due to safety issues

The old and famous telescope listened to radio signals from space, helped in the discovery of astronomical phenomena, but despite the long listening, it failed to receive radio signals from aliens

[Translation by Dr. Moshe Nachmani]

Following a review of engineer assessments that found that the damage to the Arecibo observatory could not be stabilized without risk to the construction workers and staff at the facility, the US National Science Foundation (NSF) is beginning to plan to decommission the 305-meter telescope that has served as the first source of light for 57 years For research in the fields of astronomy, the stars, the solar system and geospace.   

The decision was made after the foundation evaluated a number of estimates by independent engineers who found that the telescope's structure is in danger of catastrophic failure and that its cables may no longer withstand the originally designed load. In addition, several assessments stated that any attempt to correct these failures may put the workers in a situation of risking their lives. Even in the case of a successful repair, the engineers estimate that the structure may give rise to stability problems in the long term. "The National Science Foundation of the United States puts the safety of the employees, staff and visitors at the observatory at the top of its agenda, a fact that unfortunately makes this decision necessary," said the director of the foundation. "For six decades the Arecibo Observatory has served as a beacon for groundbreaking science and a positive example of cooperation with the community." Although this is a significant change, we hope to find ways to help the scientific community and preserve the courageous relationship with the people of Puerto Rico."

Engineers have been examining the telescope at the Arecibo Observatory since August, when one of its support cables snapped. The foundation authorized the University of Central Florida, which manages the facility, to take all reasonable measures and use all available budget to address the situation while maintaining the highest level of safety required. The University of Central Florida acted quickly, and the inspection process was launched on a clear schedule, taking into account the age of the facility, the complexity of its design and the risk it posed to its employees. The engineering teams planned and were ready to implement emergency operations for the structural stabilization of the cable system. While the observatory waits to receive two replacement cable sets, as well as two temporary cables, a main cable snapped in the same tower on November 6. Based on the stress in the second broken cable - which should be within its stability range without breaking - the engineers concluded that the other cables are probably weaker than originally expected. "Administrators at the observatory and the University of Central Florida have acted appropriately in addressing this issue, moving quickly and exploring every option available to preserve this amazing facility," said the director of the Foundation's Department of Astronomical Sciences. "Until these estimates were received, our question was not whether it was necessary to renovate the observatory, but how. But in the end, a huge amount of data proved to us that we simply could not do this renovation safely. And this is a line that we cannot cross."      

The decommissioning will only apply to the telescope, with those responsible planning to safely preserve other parts of the observatory that could be damaged or destroyed in the event of an unplanned failure. The plan seeks to preserve as much of the observatory's infrastructure as possible in order to make it accessible for future research and education missions. The decommissioning process involves developing a technical execution plan and meeting a series of legal, environmental, safety and cultural requirements for the next few weeks. The foundation has approved a high-resolution photographic survey using drones, and is considering using forensic assessments of the broken cable - if it can be done safely - to see if any new evidence could change the resulting plans. This work has already begun and will continue throughout the decommissioning plan. Equipment and other materials will be temporarily moved to buildings located outside the hazardous area. When all necessary preparations are completed, the telescope will be dismantled in a controlled manner.

After the telescope is decommissioned, the foundation intends to restore activity at sites such as the LIDAR facility at the Arecibo Observatory - a very important facility for geospace research - as well as reopen the visitor center and the facility that analyzes cloud cover and precipitation data. The foundation also intends to examine options for expanding the educational capabilities of the study center. Appropriate safety measures will be taken in light of the outbreak of the Corona epidemic.

Certain activities carried out at Arecibo related to the analysis and cataloging of archival data collected by the telescope will continue as usual. The University of Central Florida already promised increased capabilities for data storage and analysis in the cloud back in 2019 by signing an agreement with Microsoft and the observatory is working to export data from the site itself to other external areas that were not affected. Other potentially damaged areas have also been evacuated since the cable ruptured in November and will remain closed to unauthorized workers during the process. The foundation and the university will work together to reduce the risks in the area in the event of an unplanned collapse.

The US National Science Foundation recognizes the cultural and economic importance of the Arecibo Observatory for Puerto Rico, and how the telescope serves as an inspiration to the country's residents in the cultural and employment context. The goal of the foundation is to work together with the government of Puerto Rico and other stakeholders/partners in order to examine the possibility of utilizing resources from the observatory for educational purposes. "Over its lifetime, the Arecibo Observatory has helped transform our understanding of the ionosphere while showing us how density, composition, and other factors interact to shape this vital region at the interface between Earth's atmosphere and space," said one of the researchers. "While I am disappointed by the loss of research capabilities, I believe that this process is an essential step in preserving the ability of the scientific community to use other assets of the Arecibo Observatory and hopefully ensure that important work can continue at the facility."    

More of the topic in Hayadan:

• The Arecibo radio telescope has undergone an upgrade and its sensitivity has been improved
• China has installed the last panel in the world's largest radio telescope
• "The search for extraterrestrials does not require equipment and a budget of tens of millions of dollars"