Pre-HEAT: submillimeter site testing and astronomical spectra from dome a, antarctica

C. A. Kulesa, C. K. Walker, M. Schein, D. Golish, N. Tothill, P. Siegel, S. Weinreb, G. Jones, J. Bardin, K. Jacobs, C. L. Martin, J. Storey, M. Ashley, J. Lawrence, D. Luong-Van, J. Everett, L. Wang, L. Feng, Z. Zhu, J. YanJ. Yang, X. G. Zhang, X. Cui, X. Yuan, J. Hu, Z. Xu, Z. Jiang, H. Yang, Y. Li, B. Sun, W. Qin, Z. Shang

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference proceeding contributionpeer-review

20 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Pre-HEAT is a 20 cm aperture submillimeter-wave telescope with a 660 GHz (450 micron) Schottky diode heterodyne receiver and digital FFT spectrometer for the Plateau Observatory (PLATO) developed by the University of New South Wales. In January 2008 it was deployed to Dome A, the summit of the Antarctic plateau, as part of a scientific traverse led by the Polar Research Institute of China and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Dome A may be one of the best sites in the world for ground based Terahertz astronomy, based on the exceptionally cold, dry and stable conditions which prevail there. Pre-HEAT is measuring the 450 micron sky opacity at Dome A and mapping the Galactic Plane in the 13CO J=6-5 line, constituting the first submillimeter measurements from Dome A. It is field-testing many of the key technologies for its namesake - a successor mission called HEAT: the High Elevation Antarctic Terahertz telescope. Exciting prospects for submillimeter astronomy from Dome A and the status of Pre-HEAT will be presented.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationGround-based and airborne telescopes II
EditorsLarry M. Stepp, Roberto Gilmozzi
Place of PublicationBellingham, Washington
PublisherSPIE
Pages1-11
Number of pages11
ISBN (Print)9780819472229
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2008
Externally publishedYes
EventGround-based and Airborne Telescopes II - Marseille, France
Duration: 23 Jun 200828 Jun 2008

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE
PublisherSPIE
Number7012
ISSN (Print)0277-786X

Other

OtherGround-based and Airborne Telescopes II
Country/TerritoryFrance
CityMarseille
Period23/06/0828/06/08

Keywords

  • Antarctic astronomy
  • Heterodyne receiver
  • Interstellar medium
  • Site testing
  • Star formation
  • Submillimeter instrumentation
  • Terahertz spectroscopy

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