High Elevation Antarctic Terahertz (HEAT) telescopes for Dome A and Ridge A

Dome A 和 Ridge A 的高海拔南极太赫兹 (HEAT) 望远镜

• 批准号: 0944335
• 负责人: Craig Kulesa
• 金额: $ 148.13万
• 依托单位: University of Arizona
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-10-01 至 2014-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0944335&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Elevation; Antarctic; Terahertz; HEAT; telescopes

Based on the NSF-funded design study of the High Elevation Antarctic Terahertz (HEAT) telescope and successful deployment of its prototype at Dome A, this proposal seeks funding to build a fully automated, 0.6-meter THz astronomical observatory for remote operation at the highest location on the Antarctic Plateau (Ridge A, ~200 km south of the Chinese summer station Kunlun). The HEAT telescope will cover the 158 to 372 microns band observing the brightest spectral lines from the Milky Way Galaxy in which the most crucial astrophysical spectral diagnostics of the formation of galaxies, stars, planets, and life are found. The telescope will be mounted on top of the Australian University of New South Wales' PLATeau Observatory (PLATO) module that provide housing for the instrument's electronics and diesel engines used to generate electrical power during winter observations. The PLATO and telescope will operate autonomously for over a year at a time, with commands and data being received and transmitted from/to the home institutions via Iridium satellites daily. It is expected that HEAT will see good atmospheric transmission above the 200-microns band during much of the winter, and usable transmission in the pivotal 160 microns window will be seen for more than 10% of the wintertime. The Ridge A site is undeveloped but may actually be the driest, calmest, and clearest point on the Dome A summit. Thus, the proposed telescope will test this site while obtaining important astronomical spectral data and forging entirely new capabilities for ground-based infrared and submillimeter astronomy that otherwise would be unachievable except via expensive airborne or space-based platforms. This pioneering mission will pave the way for future astronomical investigations from the Antarctic Plateau and other potential high-altitude sites around the World. The proposed project contributes to the education of a graduate student, thus helping to grow a generation of young researchers in the field of astronomy.

基于美国国家科学基金会资助的高海拔南极太赫兹（HEAT）望远镜的设计研究和其原型在Dome A的成功部署，本提案寻求资金在南极高原最高位置（Ridge A，中国夏季站昆仑以南约200公里）建立一个全自动、0.6米的太赫兹天文台，用于远程操作。HEAT望远镜将覆盖158到372微米波段，观察来自银河系最亮的光谱线，在那里发现星系、恒星、行星和生命形成的最重要的天体物理光谱诊断。该望远镜将安装在澳大利亚新南威尔士大学的高原天文台（PLATO）模块的顶部，该模块为仪器的电子设备和柴油发动机提供外壳，用于在冬季观测期间发电。PLATO和望远镜将一次自主运行一年多，每天通过铱星接收和传输指令和数据。预计在冬季的大部分时间里，HEAT将在200微米波段以上看到良好的大气透射，而在关键的160微米波段的可用透射将在冬季的10%以上看到。山脊A尚未开发，但实际上可能是圆顶A山顶上最干燥、最平静、最清晰的地方。因此，拟议中的望远镜将对该地点进行测试，同时获得重要的天文光谱数据，并为地面红外和亚毫米天文建立全新的能力，否则除非通过昂贵的机载或天基平台，否则无法实现。这项开创性的任务将为未来在南极高原和世界各地其他潜在的高海拔地点进行天文调查铺平道路。拟议的项目有助于研究生的教育，从而有助于在天文学领域培养一代年轻的研究人员。