Upgrade of Near Infrared Camera Array for Palomar Observatory

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The Cassegrain infrared array camera currently in use on the Palomar 200-inch telescope is to be upgraded by purchasing and installing a new, state-of-the-art, infrared array. The current camera has been in service as a major instrument of the 200-inch telescope since 1988, and has been used approximately 90 nights/year during that time on a variety of scientific topics. The existing camera array is, however, becoming obsolete in comparison with arrays now commercially available. For this reason the camera is to be fitted with a new InSb detector array. The new array can be incorporated into the existing camera with a small amount of physical modification to the existing camera, new read-out electronics, and new software to read the array. The vast majority of the investment in hardware and software that has gone into the current infrared camera system will be usable with the modified camera. The new infrared sensor will increase the number of picture elements (pixels) by more than a factor of 16, will increase the solid angle of the camera by a factor of 3, and will improve the noise performance of each pixel by a factor of 7. Th gains in the scientific return from the Palomar camera will come in the following areas: increased field of view, increased sensitivity, improved cosmetics, and increased sampling of images and spectra. With these gains the science return from the camera, in studies ranging from searches for protogalaxies to diffraction limited imaging of stars in the process of forming will be vastly increased. The upgrading of the camera will enable entire new classes of problems to be undertaken, and will preserve the 200 inch telescope as a premier facility for research in infrared astronomy.