6–10 Jul 2026
University of the Western Cape
Africa/Johannesburg timezone
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Development of a GPU-Based Wideband Spectrometer for Radio Astronomy

7 Jul 2026, 09:30
20m
Lecture Hall C5 (University of the Western Cape)

Lecture Hall C5

University of the Western Cape

Oral Presentation Track D - Astrophysics & Space Science Astrophysics & Space Science

Speaker

André DeGoede (North West University)

Description

This paper presents the design and development of a GPU-based wideband spectrometer for radio astronomy. The system aims to provide a cost-effective alternative to FPGA-based spectrometers by utilizing commercially available graphics processing units (GPUs) for high-speed signal processing. Implemented using an NVIDIA RTX 4090 GPU, the spectrometer achieves real-time Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) processing across a 400~MHz bandwidth and 1024 frequency channels. The project follows a mixed methodology combining design science and a waterfall approach. Validation against existing systems demonstrates comparable spectral resolution and accuracy, with significant reductions in cost and development time. The proposed system offers a scalable, modular framework for future astronomical instrumentation.

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Author

André DeGoede (North West University)

Presentation materials