An international center for submillimeter astronomy at Dome C, Antarctica: statement of work

• Main Authors: Calisse, P. G., de Bernardis, P., Olmi, L., Piccirillo, L., Sironi, G., Delabrouille, J., Gervasi, M., Giraud-Heraud, Y., Lamarre, J. M., Masi, S., Mauskopf, Philip Daniel, Pajot, F., Storey, J. W. V.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: Italian Astronomical Society 2003
• Subjects: QB Astronomy; Antarctic; The Antarctic; South Pole; Concordia Station; Amundsen-Scott; Antarc*; Antarctica; South pole
• Online Access: https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/69273/; http://sait.oat.ts.astro.it/MSAIS/2/PDF/62.pdf

Tests made over the last ten years at various locations show that the Antarctic Plateau is the site with the best observing conditions for ground based astronomical observations at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths, due to the unique combination of elevation, low atmospheric water vapor content and high atmospheric stability. These characteristics are currently exploited at the Amundsen-Scott Station at the South Pole, where an astronomical facility has been developed mainly for the US astronomical community. It is now time to evaluate the possibility of creating a new Antarctic Center for Millimeter and Sub-millimeter Astrophysics at Dome C, where conditions are expected to be better than at the South Pole, and where the French-Italian Concordia Station is expected to start operations in winter 2004. The station will complement the US South Pole base offering different opportunities to a much wider international community.