A baseline correction algorithm for FAST

Abstract: The Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) is the most sensitive ground-based, single-dish radio telescope on Earth. However, the original HI spectra produced by FAST are affected by standing waves. To maximize the power of FAST for high-sensitivity observations, we proposed an algorithm that combines fast Fourier transforms and extreme envelope curves to automatically correct the baselines of FAST HI spectra and remove standing waves from the baselines. This algorithm can reduce the amplified noise level caused by standing waves to a near-ideal level without losing signals or introducing false signals. The root mean square of the average baseline reaches $\sim$ 8 mK, approaching the theoretical sensitivity of an HI spectrum produced by FAST for an integration time of 335 minutes, i.e., $\sim$ 6 mK.