Deployment of TREND : a low-noise receiver user instrument at 1.25 THz to 1.5 THz for AST/RO at the South Pole

• Main Authors: Gerecht, Eyal, Yngvesson, Sigfrid K., Nicholson, John P., Zhuang, Yan, Rodriguez-Morales, Fernando, Zhao, Xin, Gu, Dazhen, Zannoni, Richard, Coulombe, Michael J., Dickinson, Jason C., Goyette, Thomas M., Gorveatt, William J., Waldman, Jerry, Khosrapanah, Pourya, Groppi, Christopher, Hedden, Abigail S., Golish, Dathon R., Walker, Christopher K., Kooi, Jacob W., Chamberlin, Richard A., Stark, Antony A., Martin, Christopher L., Stupak, Robert, Tothill, Nicholas F. H. (R17058), Lane, Adair P.
• Other Authors: Walker, Christopher K. (Editor), Payne, John M. (Editor), International Symposium on Space Terahertz Technology (Event place)
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: U.S., National Radio Astronomy Observatory 2003
• Subjects: 020102 - Astronomical and Space Instrumentation; 970102 - Expanding Knowledge in the Physical Sciences; Amundsen Scott South Pole Station; Amundsen-Scott; Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station; Austral; South Pole; South pole
• Online Access: http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/548856; http://www.nrao.edu/meetings/isstt/2003.shtml

We have developed and constructed a low noise receiver user instrument based on HEB technology. TREND (Terahertz REceiver with NbN HEB Device). The plan was to install TREND on the 1.7 meter diameter AST RO submillimeter wave telescope at the Amundsen/Scott South Pole Station during the austral summer season of 2002/2003. The frequency range of 1.25 THz to 1.5 THz was chosen in order to match the best windows for atmospheric transmission and interstellar spectral lines of special interest. The South Pole Station is the best available site for ground-based THz observations due to the very cold and dry atmosphere over this site. The TREND team is now able to report that this receiver has been installed on schedule and met our goals for its performance. TREND is thus ready to perform astronomical observations in the upcoming austral winter season as soon as the weather becomes suitable for THz work. The first spectral lines which will be observed are the CO J = 11￫10 line at 1.27 THz and the 1.46 THz line of NII. TREND is an NbN Hot Electron Bolometer (HEB) type receiver and the double sideband noise temperature at 1.27 THz has been measured on the telescope to be 1.200 K. The local oscillator is a CO2 laser pumped amplitude stabilized CD30H gas laser. The TREND receiver will pioneer observations from a ground-based telescope at frequencies well above 1 THz. This is also the first time that a receiver can potentially perform an extensive study of the ubiquitous Nil ion, first noted by COBE.