Preliminary study of vehicular traffic effect on radio signal for radio

Abstract

Radio signals detected from the ground are very weak since it travels far from the universe. Radio wave carries photons with low energies compared to other electromagnetic spectra such as visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays, and the most energetic electromagnetic wave is gamma-rays. The microwave region is the shortest wavelength of radio waves. Hence, microwave photons have greater energy. Radio astronomy studies are restricted due to radio frequency interference (RFI) that produces by human daily activities. If this disturbance is not shrinkage, it poses critical problems in radio observation. There are many factors of man-made RFI, such as, the availability of mobile telecommunications, radio transmission, TV broadcasting, satellite communication, vehicular traffic area, power transmission line and many more. In this paper, we present a preliminary study of the radio sources (electronic system in the car) from the vehicular traffic area (highway) on radio astronomy observation. This study is important to assess how the vehicles affect the radio signal in radio astronomical sources of low frequency such as hydrogen line and deuterium (which wavelength more than 1mm). These research findings would benefit radio astronomy research, especially to profile the RFI pattern in Malaysia.