{{Short description|Former astronomical observatory}} {{Infobox telescope}}
The '''Plateau de Bure Interferometer''' ('''PdBI''') was a six-antenna interferometer on the Pic de Bure (2550 m) in the French Alps, operated by the Institut de radioastronomie millimétrique. In 2014, it has been replaced by the Northern Extended Millimeter Array.<ref>{{Cite web|title=First step for NOEMA: MPG President, INSU Director and German Ambassadress inaugurate 1st antenna!|url=https://www.iram-institute.org/EN/news/2014/95.html|access-date=2020-11-16|website=www.iram-institute.org}}</ref> It was specifically designed for millimetre-wave observations and specialises in studies of line emission from molecular gas and radio continuum of cold dust.<ref name="pdbi general">{{Cite web|url=https://www.iram-institute.org/|title=IRAM : Institut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique|website=www.iram-institute.org}}</ref>
The interferometer consisted of six antennas with a diameter of 15 m each. These antennas could be placed in a T-shaped pattern, with north–south track of 368 m and an east–west track of 768 m. There were 32 stations along these tracks where the antennas can be positioned. Observing bands are at 3, 2, 1.8 and 0.8 mm.<ref name="pdbi info"> {{cite news |title = Description of the Plateau de Bure Interferometer |date = 10 March 2013 |url = http://www.iram.fr/IRAMFR/GILDAS/doc/html/pdbi-intro-html/node2.html |url-status = dead |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20081205171604/http://www.iram.fr/IRAMFR/GILDAS/doc/html/pdbi-intro-html/node2.html |archivedate = 5 December 2008 }}</ref> At an observing wavelength of 3 mm (100 GHz frequency) each of these telescopes could resolve two objects 45 arcseconds apart from each other on the sky. In an interferometer, these 45{{pprime}} are actually the size of the field of view. So an interferometer like this one images, at very high resolution (better than 1{{pprime}}), structures smaller than 45{{pprime}}.<ref name="pdbi res"> {{cite news |title = Spatial Resolution of the Plateau de Bure Interferometer |date = 10 March 2013 |url = http://www.iram.fr/IRAMFR/GILDAS/doc/html/pdbi-intro-html/node4.html |url-status = dead |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20081205140231/http://www.iram.fr/IRAMFR/GILDAS/doc/html/pdbi-intro-html/node4.html |archivedate = 5 December 2008 }}</ref>
==Aerial tramway== The observatory was serviced by an aerial tramway.
===1999 accident=== {{Main|Saint-Étienne-en-Dévoluy cable car disaster}} On 1 July 1999, an aerial tramway car fell {{Convert|80|m|ft}} to the valley floor. All 20 occupants were killed, in one of the worst cable car accidents in recorded history. The majority were employees and contractors of the observatory.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/1999/jul/01/1 21 dead in French cable car crash | World news | The Guardian<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/1999/jul/02/jonhenley|title=20 killed in cable car disaster|date=July 2, 1999|website=the Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/383432.stm|title=BBC News {{pipe}} Europe {{pipe}} Mountains in mourning|website=news.bbc.co.uk}}</ref><ref name="1999 Disaster"> {{cite news |author=John Lichfield |date=2 July 1999 |title=Alpine cable car disaster kills 20 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/alpine-cable-car-disaster-kills-20-1103739.html |work=The Independent }}</ref>
==See also== * List of radio telescopes * List of astronomical observatories * CARMA, another millimetre-wave array operated by a consortium including Caltech, University of California Berkeley, University of Illinois, University of Maryland and University of Chicago. * Atacama Large Millimeter Array, a large (sub)millimetre-wave array. * Northern Extended Millimeter Array
==References== {{reflist|colwidth=30em}} {{Portal bar|France|Astronomy|Stars|Spaceflight|Outer space|Solar System|Education|Science}}
Category:Radio telescopes Category:Interferometric telescopes Category:Hautes-Alpes Category:Astronomical observatories in France