High Elevation Antarctic THz Telescope (HEAT)

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HEAT will be the world's first automated THz observatory, and the first astronomical telescope of any kind which could be placed at the high summits of Antarctica like Dome A. Recent meteorological data clearly demonstrate that Dome A is the highest, driest, and coldest site on the plateau, which directly translates into the best atmospheric transmission in the far-infrared and submillimeter atmospheric windows. Indeed, Dome A is likely the only site on Earth where the crucial 1.9 THz window becomes accessible for any length of time. Optimized for operation from Dome A, HEAT can routinely access one of the least explored regions of the electromagnetic spectrum and provide new, fundamental knowledge about the distribution and state of matter in the Galaxy. The high degree of automation within HEAT may significantly reduce operation costs and increase efficiency. To succeed, HEAT must be robust and capable of remote, low-power, operation for a year at a time. In many ways HEAT is more like a space-based observatory than a ground-based one. HEAT is an IPY Joint Committee approved, multi-national project, with contributions from the University of New South Wales (UNSW), the Space Research Organization of the Netherlands (SRON), the University of Cologne, as well as NASA and several U.S. universities. The funds are requested to perform a detailed design, cost, and logistical study of the HEAT project. A comprehensive report will be produced and presented to the NSF upon completion of the study.