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

该奖项是为了支持在656.3 nm波长（氢的H-Alpha发射线的波长）对南方天空进行广角成像调查。该项目于1997年开始，该奖项为完成该项目提供支持。该调查的每张图像覆盖了12.6角直径的天空区域，角分辨率约为1弧分，灵敏度达到1瑞利（6 × 10- 18尔格CM-2 s- 1 arcsec-2）。这对应于2 cm-6 pc的发射测量，以及30 GHz微波自由-自由发射的6微开尔文的亮度温度。该调查使用CCD探测器，商用相机镜头和窄带干涉滤光片。该仪器安装在位于智利塞罗·托洛洛美洲天文台的机器人望远镜平台上。截至一九九八年十月，调查已完成约六成，预计于一九九九年完成。该调查将提供银河系微波波长自由发射各向异性的精确测量（或证明这些可以忽略不计）。这种观测到的发射必须从卫星或地面测量中减去，以获得真正的宇宙微波背景波动。对调查数据的分析将产生关于星际介质中弥漫、温暖和电离成分结构的详细信息。这些信息对于理解星际气体的动力学是必要的。这些图像将作为H-Alpha南方天空地图集提供给天文学界，该地图集将以CD-ROM磁盘分发，并在万维网上提供。几名本科生参与该项目将增强他们对科学研究本质的理解。

This award is for the support of a wide-angle imaging survey of the Southern sky at 656.3 nm wavelength, the wavelength of the H-Alpha emission line of hydrogen. This project was begun in 1997 and this award provides support to complete the project. Each image of the survey covers an area of the sky 12.6 minutes of angle in diameter at an angular resolution of about one arcminute, and reaches a sensitivity level of one Rayleigh (6 x 10- 18 erg CM-2 s- I arcsec-2). This corresponds 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 survey uses a CCD detector, a commercial camera lens, and narrow-band interference filters. This instrumentation is mounted on a robotic telescope platform located at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. As of October 1998, the survey was about 60% complete, and it is expected to finish the survey in 1999. The survey will provide accurate measurement of anisotropies in the Galactic free-free emission at microwave wavelengths (or proof that these are negligible). This observed emission must be subtracted from satellite or ground-based measurements to obtain the true cosmic microwave background fluctuations. The analysis of the data from the survey will produce detailed information on the structure of the diffuse, warm, ionized component of the interstellar medium. This information is necessary for understanding the dynamics of the interstellar gas. The images will be made available to the astronomical community as an H-Alpha Atlas of the Southern Sky, which will be distributed on CD-ROM disks and made available on the World Wide Web. Participation by several undergraduate students in the project will enhance their understanding of the nature of scientific research.