Development of Sub-Arc Second Angular Resolution with One Kilometer Baseline in the Millimeter Array

该项目将把位于伊利诺伊州伯克利的马里兰州协会(BIMA)阵列的天线数量从9个增加到11个，从而提高其速度和灵敏度，并通过增加产生一公里东西和南北基线的站点，将阵列的角分辨率提高到0.1“(HST分辨率)。将使用光纤将它们互连起来。毫米干涉仪产生的许多独特而重要的科学，都源于它们与大型单天线相比具有更高的空间分辨率。由于天线之间的最大可用间隔，目前的毫米阵列被限制在1.5英寸到3英寸的分辨率。然而，这一决议并不是一个根本的限制。从目前毫米阵列的经验推断，在天气好的时候，在几公里基线上的观测应该是成功的。这一发展将使重要的新科学得以实现，包括充分成像恒星形成的足够分辨率，研究遥远星云中丰富的星际化学，成像活动星系核，以及成像太阳系重要的较小成员。***

ABSTRACT STI-9413933 Welch, William J. This project will increase the number of antennas in the Berkeley, Illinois, Maryland Association (BIMA) Array from nine to 11, thereby increasing its speed and sensitivity, and will increase the angular resolution of the array to 0.1" (HST resolution) by adding stations which produce one kilometer baselines both East-West and North- South. Optical fiber will be used to interconnect them. Much of the unique and important science to arise from millimeter interferometers has resulted from their superior spatial resolution compared to large single antennas. Current millimeter arrays are limited to resolutions of 1.5" to 3" by the maximum available separations between antennas. However, this resolution is not a fundamental limit. Extrapolation from experience with current millimeter arrays suggests that observations should be successful on several kilometer baselines during good weather. The important new science that this development will enable includes adequate resolution to fully image star formation, the study of rich interstellar chemistry in distant clouds, imaging Active Galactic Nuclei, and imaging the important smaller members of the solar system. ***