Dome Fuji in Antarctica as a Site for Infrared and Terahertz Astronomy

• Published in: Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
• Main Authors: Seta, Masumichi, Nakai, Naomasa, Ishii, Shun, Nagai, Makoto, Miyamoto, Yusuke, Ichikawa, Takashi, Takato, Naruhisa, Motoyama, Hideaki
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2012
• Subjects: Astronomy and Astrophysics; Space and Planetary Science; Antarctic; Dome Fuji; Milky Way; The Antarctic; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1743921312016961; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S1743921312016961

Abstract Dome Fuji on the Antarctic high plateau may be a good site for terahertz astronomy because of its high altitude of 3,810 m and low average temperature of −54°C. We have demonstrated that the opacity at 220 GHz from Dome Fuji in summer is very good and stable; τ = 0.045 ± 0.007. We have developed a transportable 30 cm telescope to map the Milky Way in the CO ( J =4–3) and the [CI] ( 3 P 1 – 3 P 0 ) lines at Dome Fuji from 2014. It has a 9′ beam. Physical conditions such as density and temperature of molecular clouds could be derived from a direct comparison of CO ( J =4–3) and [CI] ( 3 P 1 – 3 P 0 ) with CO ( J =1–0) taken by the Columbia–CfA survey. We are also developing a 1.2 m sub-millimeter telescope. It will be equipped with a dual superconducting device (SIS) receiver for 500/800 GHz. The 1.2 m telescope produces a 2.2′ beam at 492 GHz and could map a molecular cloud entirely. It could also observe nearby galaxies in the CO ( J =4–3), CO ( J =7–6), [CI] ( 3 P 1 – 3 P 0 ), [CI] ( 3 P 2 – 3 P 1 ) and in continuum emission between 460–810 GHz.