GARUDA: Gigahertz Array for Radio Universe Discovery & Analysis

Overview

GARUDA (Gigahertz Array for Radio Universe Discovery & Analysis) is an instrument-development initiative aimed at opening a complementary observing window on the dynamic radio sky. Its planned 3–8 GHz frequency coverage is intended to support wide-field searches for fast radio bursts (FRBs) and other radio transients.

Scientific motivation

FRBs provide probes of extreme astrophysical environments and the ionized matter between galaxies. Observations across complementary radio-frequency ranges can help characterize burst spectra, propagation effects, and the diversity of transient sources. A dedicated wide-field instrument can contribute to this effort by enabling systematic discovery and follow-up strategies.

Instrumentation and development

The project brings together radio-frequency hardware, antenna systems, signal processing, and digital-backend development. The design and implementation work is intended to connect practical instrumentation research with time-domain astrophysics.

Research goals

• Develop a wide-field radio observing capability targeting the 3–8 GHz range.
• Explore strategies for detecting and characterizing FRBs and other radio transients.
• Integrate antenna, RF, and digital-backend development with science-driven requirements.
• Build a platform for student research spanning radio instrumentation, signal processing, and transient astronomy.

GARUDA is under development; specific performance figures and operational capabilities will be added as they are established and validated.