Imaging the Far-Infrared Astrophysical Universe

我最近回到加拿大，担任加拿大实验天体物理学研究主席（CRC），以建立一个试验台，探索与远红外（FIR）波长的空间/光谱干涉测量相关的挑战。这被广泛认为是导致FIR成像光谱下一个重大进展的技术。宇宙发射的能量的一半以上出现在相对未开发的FIR光谱区域，其中大部分是不透明的，因此需要空间仪器。欧洲航天局的普朗克和赫歇尔望远镜最近在FIR中提供了第一个不受约束的宇宙视图。他们重新定义了当前的天体物理学，包括银河系和星系外的来源，以尽可能遥远的光子。赫歇尔望远镜的主镜直径为3.5米，它也强调了“FIR差距”，即与该光谱两侧的设备相比，FIR的角分辨率和灵敏度明显较差。许多赫歇尔的发现正在等待提高空间分辨率的后续观测，以解决这个宇宙新窗口中提出的问题。在FIR社区中，冷却孔径和干涉测量被确定为FIR路线图的两个优先事项。****日本主导的宇宙和天体物理学空间红外望远镜（SPICA）是下一代赫歇尔望远镜。SPICA的主镜尺寸与赫歇尔相似，工作波长稍短，空间分辨率略好于赫歇尔。SPICA的主镜主动冷却，加上更灵敏的探测器，预计其灵敏度将超过赫歇尔望远镜100倍。为了大幅度提高空间分辨率，传统的成像技术必须被干涉技术所取代。****虽然我的研究计划侧重于开发基于实验室的FIR干涉测量试验台，但它有助于FIR路线图的许多方面，包括利用当前的结果和设施，以及与未来的实验、设施和观测站的合作。FIR干涉测量焦点为莱斯布里奇大学（UL）天文仪器集团（AIG）开辟了一条新的研究途径，为成为下一代天基FIR天文学的关键合作伙伴提供了一个底层机会。这项工作在加拿大乃至世界范围内都是独一无二的，补充了现有的本地和国际研究网络，将加强现有的和预期的国际合作，并将在参与国际合作的广阔视角下，通过结合动手仪器、技术、技术和数据处理发展，为许多学生和研究人员提供培训

I have recently returned to Canada as a Canada Research Chair (CRC) in experimental astrophysics to establish a testbed for exploring the challenges associated with spatial/spectral interferometry at Far-Infrared (FIR) wavelengths. This is widely regarded as the technology that will lead to the next major advance in FIR imaging spectroscopy. Over half of the energy emitted by the Universe appears in the relatively unexplored FIR spectral region, most of which is opaque from ground-based sites necessitating space-borne instrumentation. The European Space Agency Planck and Herschel telescopes have recently provided the first unfettered views of the universe in the FIR. They have redefined current astrophysics including galactic and extragalactic sources, to the most distant photons possible. Herschel, with its 3.5m diameter primary mirror, has also highlighted the "FIR gap", i.e. the dramatically poorer angular resolution and sensitivity in the FIR compared with that provided by facilities on either side of this spectrum. Many Herschel discoveries are waiting on enhanced spatial resolution follow-up observations to address the questions raised in this new window on the Universe. Within the FIR community, cooled apertures and interferometry are identified as two FIR roadmap priorities.****The Japanese-led Space Infrared Telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics (SPICA) is the next-generation Herschel. With a primary mirror of similar size to Herschel and operating at slightly shorter wavelengths, SPICA will have marginally better spatial resolution than Herschel. With its primary mirror actively cooled, and more sensitive detectors, SPICA is expected to outperform Herschel in sensitivity by a factor of 100. To greatly improve spatial resolution, traditional imaging must be replaced by interferometric techniques.****While my research program is focused on the development of a lab-based FIR interferometry testbed, it contributes to many aspects of the FIR roadmap including the exploitation of current results and facilities, and collaboration with future experiments, facilities, and observatories. The FIR interferometry focus opens a new research avenue for the University of Lethbridge (UL) Astronomical Instrumentation Group (AIG), providing a ground floor opportunity to become a key partner in future-generation space-based FIR astronomy. This work is unique within Canada, and the world, complements the existing research network both locally and internationally, will fortify existing and anticipated international collaborations into the future, and will provide training to many students and researchers through a combination of hands-on instrumentation, technology, technique, and data processing developments within the broad perspective of participation in international collaborations.**