Far-Infrared TNT: [T]ech[N]ology and [T]echniques for Experimental Astrophysics in the Far-Infrared

该研究计划的主要目标是在促进远红外(FIR)仪器的发展方面发挥主导作用，并为其做出贡献，这些仪器是近期和长期未来FIR天体物理太空任务所需的。这包括直接参与制定加拿大对FIR十年路线图的两个支柱：1)冷却孔径仪器，和2)干涉测量。加拿大已成为低功率低温机械和计量的首选伙伴，这是目前低温FTS技术发展的结果。NASA的年度技术差距评估目前将加拿大列为低温FTS的领先者，使加拿大在下一代远红外空间任务中处于领先地位，该任务将以FTS仪器为特色。这一研究愿景还包括探索和发展光谱和干涉技术，以支持长期的FIR空间/光谱干涉空间飞行任务。最后，这涉及到空间合格低温材料和部件的开发和机械/热/光学/光谱表征，包括碳纤维复合材料。这一研究计划将为FIR路线图沿线的许多方面做出贡献，包括开发现有成果和设施，以及与未来的实验、设施和天文台合作。这项研究将通过实践仪器开发和参与大型国际合作提供的广阔视角相结合的方式，为许多学生提供HQP培训。由此产生的技术进步将使天文观测能够在更短的观测时间内、在更大的空间覆盖范围内或更高的空间分辨率上进行；所有这些都提高了对当前技术状态的敏感度。目前这一领域的工作在全球领域处于非常早期的阶段。这项研究计划为成为下一代地面和空间FIR天文观测站的关键合作伙伴提供了基础机会，为培养学生和研究人员提供了极好的机会。虽然这项工作在加拿大和世界许多方面都是独一无二的，但它补充了当地和国际上现有的研究网络，并将加强现有的和预期的未来国际合作。

The primary objective of this research program is to play a leading role in, and provide a Canadian contribution to, the advancement of the Far-Infrared (FIR) instrumentation needed for near-term and long-term future FIR astrophysics space missions. This involves direct participation in the development of the Canadian contribution to two FIR decadal roadmap pillars: 1) cooled aperture instrumentation, and 2) interferometry. Canada has established itself as the go-to partner for low power cryogenic mechanisms and metrology, resultant from current technology developpment in cryogenic FTS technology. NASA's annual technology gap assessment currently places Canada as the leading player in cryogenic FTS, giving Canada the pole position for the next generation far-infrared space missions, which will feature FTS instrumentation. This research vision also involves exploration and advancement of spectroscopic and interferometric techniques in support of a long-term FIR spatial/spectral interferometry space mission. Finally, this involves the development and mechanical/thermal/optical/spectral characterization of space-qualified cryogenic materials and components including carbon-fibre composite materials. This research program will make contributions to many aspects along the FIR roadmap including the exploitation of current results and facilities and collaboration with future experiments, facilities, and observatories. This research will provide HQP training to many students through a combination of hands-on instrumentation development and the broad perspective provided by participation in large international collaborations. The resultant technological advances will allow astronomical observations to be undertaken in shorter observation times, over larger regions of spatial coverage, or of greater spatial resolution; all with increased sensitivity over the current state of the art. Current work in this field is at very early stages on the global field. This research program provides a ground floor opportunity to become a key partner in future-generation ground and space based FIR astronomy observatories, providing excellent opportunities to train students and researchers. While this work is in many aspects unique within Canada, and the world, it complements the existing research network both locally and internationally, and will fortify existing and anticipated international collaborations into the future.