The Committee on Radio Astronomy Frequencies (CRAF) is a committee of
the European Science Foundation (ESF).
The CRAF Committee is the coordination body of European radio astronomy research institutions and observatories in 17 countries of Europe and the international organisations European Space Agency (ESA), the Institute for mm-Wave Radio Astronomy (IRAM), and the European Incoherent Scatter Facility (EISCAT) charged with the task to coordinate the activities of European radio astronomers to keep the frequency bands used for radio astronomy in Europe as free from interference as possible. CRAF is currently chaired by Dr. Jim Cohen of Jodrell Bank Observatory, U.K..
The protection of quiet frequency bands for radio astronomy is a matter of increasing concern since the explosive growth in telecommunications and global satellite systems. Just one satellite can cause harmful interference to radio telescopes anywhere on the Earth's surface. Not only the intentional emissions but also the unintentional or unwanted emissions, such as modulation sidebands, can interfere with radio astronomy. CRAF is being recognised as the voice for European radio astronomy on these issues. CRAF represents European radio astronomy interests in various European and international telecommunications forums where spectrum management issues are discussed. Since 1998 CRAF is a Sector Member (with no vote) of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). At the European level, CRAF cooperates intensively with the Conference of European Post and Telecommunication Administrations, CEPT, which addresses European frequency management issues in close collaboration with the European Commission. The relation of CRAF with the CEPT will soon be formalised to observer status. This will give CRAF a formal voice in European frequency management issues.
CRAF Secretariat, CRAF Frequency Manager
Since 1997 the activities of CRAF have been greatly strengthened by the appointment of a full-time Frequency Manager for European Radio Astronomy. The secretariat is based at the Netherlands Foundation for Research Astronomy (NFRA). The position is being funded by individual European radio astronomy observatories and their funding bodies. The CRAF frequency manager participates actively in the relevant working groups, project teams, and planning groups of CEPT, ITU and of the up-coming ITU World Radiocommunications. Furthermore, the Frequency Manager clears local issues with individual European Administrations. Dr. Titus Spoelstra of NFRA has been charged with this position and task. In his work he is advised by the CRAF Chairman and assisted by individual CRAF members.
Activities in 1999 (status 20 October 1999)
In 1998, ESF/CRAF reached a "Framework Agreement" with IRIDIUM LLC on the protection of European radio astronomy against harmful interference from the Iridium satellite system. One of the most pressing duties of CRAF and of the CRAF frequency manager in 1998/99 has been to reach a special agreement with IRIDIUM LLC for the interim period 1 May 1999 - 1 January 2006 complying with the Framework Agreement. After tedious negotiations this 'Interim-Agreement' was finally reached in May 1999. The Milestone Review Committee (MRC) of the CEPT attended the negotiations as an observer. In the agreement Iridium LLC agreed to keep below radio astronomy interference thresholds during specified times and periods between 1 May 1999 and 1 January 2006. The ESF press release on this Interim-Agreement attracted world-wide attention.
Background information notice: transmissions of the satellites of the Iridium system cause harmful interference to radio astronomy at 1.6 GHz which degrades observations in a nearby frequency band used for spectral line measurements of the hydroxyl radical OH. Also the inter-satellite link traffic of the Iridium satellite system is causing interference to radio astronomy stations as has been proven recently by the station of the Institute for mm-Wave Radio Astronomy (IRAM) at Plateau de Bure (France).
Reaching such agreements with telecommunications industry/commerce implies that the CRAF negotiation team concentrates intensely on all technical aspects involved. In addition the legal and juridical aspects of such agreements require very special consideration based on dedicated legal advice. In the agreements with IRIDIUM such advice was acquired by the ESF and its lawyer as well as by the CRAF Frequency Manager in contact with expert institutes. It may be mentioned that Iridium LLC had ample legal support in its delegation.
Since at the international and national level, frequency allocation and assignment is regulated by public law, CRAF is concerned that agreements between private parties will dilute the status of these public treaties and regulations, especially when private agreements are used in regulatory procedures. CRAF considers that any time when the request for an agreement is made, the experience with Iridium and the legal relevance must be evaluated very carefully before entering the related negotiation process.
The question of setting regulations to the unwanted emissions from satellite systems such as Iridium is under study within Task Group 1/5 of the International Telecommunications Union, Radiocommunications Sector (ITU-R). At the present time the Radio Regulations set no limits at all to the unwanted emissions from spacecraft. Technical studies have shown that radio astronomy can be effectively protected provided that the level of unwanted emissions is given priority early in the design phase. Regulations are needed to ensure that system designers have the necessary incentive to consider the pollution levels of their systems. Other radio astronomy related issues are studied in ITU-R Working Party 7D. CRAF is actively participating in the work of both bodies.
Great effort is put into the preparations for the World Radiocommunications Conference, which will be held in 2000 (WRC-2000). The agenda of this ITU conference contains many issues which are relevant to and very important for radio astronomy. At ITU-R level and CEPT level, CRAF is active in the preparation of this conference. This work is done in close collaboration with the UNESCO Scientific Commission on the Allocation of Frequencies for Radio Astronomy and Space Science (IUCAF) which addresses the frequency protection issues for radio astronomy at a global scale.
Within the CEPT, CRAF participates actively in various project teams of the CEPT Spectrum Engineering Working Group (SE) and the Frequency Management Working Group (FM). The SE studies are dealing with e.g. spurious emission studies, the introduction of Digital Video Broadcasting in Europe and its coordination with other applications of radio and with coordination of various satellite issues with terrestrial services. The FM activities address the regulatory process of spectrum management of which the allocation of radio frequencies is a major aspect.
The CEPT is already well advanced in preparing European positions for the next World Radio Conference WRC-2000. High on the agenda is consideration of the work of Task Group 1/5. In this task, CRAF maintains a good level of communication with IUCAF.
CRAF is also working actively in several other CEPT project teams which are dealing with various WRC-2000 agenda items. CRAF participates in the project team PT3 of the CEPT European Radiocommunications Committee and in the CEPT Conference Preparatory Group (CPG) which develops the European Common Positions for the WRC-2000.
The CEPT is preparing a European Common Allocation Table for all frequences below 105 GHz. This table must come into effect in 2008. The 3rd phase of this work started in 1998 and CRAF is involved in this work as well.
The European Commission published a policy document on spectrum policy. CRAF contributed in the consultation phase on this document.
CRAF had two formal meetings in 1999, in Torun (Poland), 12-13 April, and in Cambridge (England), 6-7 September. In addition CRAF members met regularly in smaller teams to deal with specific issues. The pace of developments is such that more effort is needed to maintain good communications between members of the different teams. Teleconferences were held on February 26th and June 14th.
The CRAF Newsletter which is available on the World Wide Web, enjoys a wide interest among administrations, industry and research organizations. CRAF is starting to produce a hardcopy edition with the help of the ESF, to enable it to widen it audience even further. The CRAF website (http://www.astron.nl/craf) is frequently seen by many visitors from all over the world. Industry turns out to have great interest in the information provided
CRAF recognizes that the increasing pressure on radio frequencies urges increasing cooperation of CRAF with other radio spectrum users and regulatory authorities. CRAF is actively contributing to this cooperation.