RUI: A Wide-Angle H-alpha Survey of the Southern Hemisphere Sky

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9529057 Gaustad A wide-angle imaging survey of the southern sky at the frequency of the H-alpha emission line of Hydrogen at a wavelength of 656.3 nm will be carried out. The angular resolution of the observations will be about one arcminute, and to a sensitivity level of one Rayleigh, corresponding to an emission measure of 2 cm-6 pc, and to a brightness temperature for microwave free-free emission of 6 microKelvin at 30 Ghz. The system to be used to observe the radiation will be a Charge- Coupled Device (CCD), a commercial camera lens, and narrow-band interference filters, mounted on a robotic telescope. The robotic telescope will be deployed at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. The project will require approximately one year of observing time. The results from the survey will allow accurate measurements of fluctuations in the Galactic free-free emission from Hydrogen at microwave wavelengths (or provide proof that these emissions are negligible). This emission must be subtracted from satellite or ground-based measurements of the cosmic microwave background to obtain the true microwave cosmic background fluctuations. The survey will produce detailed information on the structure of the diffuse, warm, ionized component of the interstellar medium, information which is necessary for understanding the physical properties of the interstellar gas. Participation by several undergraduate students in the research project will enhance their understanding of the nature of scientific research. ***