Colloq Abstract - Zinnecker

October 7

11am Mountain

 

Hans Zinnecker

SOFIA/DSI

 

Airborne Astronomy with SOFIA: Motivation and Science Highlights

Abstract

SOFIA, short for Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, is a 2.7m telescope flying on a Boeing 747SP at altitudes of 12-14km, to detect and study mid- and far-infrared radiation that is blocked by water vapor in the earth's atmosphere and cannot reach the ground.

It is the successor to the Kuiper Airborne Observatory and currently the only access to and platform for astronomical observations in the far-infrared (30-300 microns), except for balloon-borne telescopes.

Although a bilateral project (80:20) between USA (NASA/USRA) and Germany (DLR/DSI), it is open for proposals from the world-wide astronomical community at large.

It addresses many science questions that Herschel has left unanswered and offers observational opportunities similar to and beyond Herschel.

 SOFIA has reached full operational capability in 2014 and is now performing Cycle 4 observations. Cycle 5 observing time proposals have just been selected, offering a suite of 5 mid- and far-infrared imagers and spectrometers (and NASA funding to support data analysis and publications).

Recent instruments to be commissioned (2nd generation) and offered in shared risk (in Cycle 4 and 5) are upGREAT (a 14 pixel THz array) and HAWC+ (a 4x32x40 pixel FIR imager with a polarimetric observing mode).

SOFIA is new window to the local universe to study fundamental processes in astrophysics and astrochemistry, such as ISM heating and cooling, star formation, and feedback processes, as well as age-dating star forming molecular cores using a new chemical molecular clock.

Science questions of the near future include molecular cloud formation and destruction, the dynamics of cloud collapse and circumstellar disks, protostellar outflows, turbulence, shocks and the effect of magnetic fields.

Emission and absorption of fine structure lines ([CII] and [OI]), highly excitated CO rotational lines, the use of HD (as a proxy for H2), and other molecular tracers (e.g. OH, OD, or H2D+) provide key information about the diffuse and dense interstellar medium.

In my presentation, I will describe a glimpse of SOFIA science highlights and discoveries in its first few years of operation.

I will also discuss SOFIA's unique potential as the only successor to the Herschel far-infrared satellite (2009-2013).

SOFIA normally flies out of California, but once a year it also deploys to the Southern Hemisphere (usually to Christchurch, New Zealand), thus complementing sub-millimeter observations with ALMA and APEX.

Synergies with the JVLA should also be explored. Ideas welcome!

 

 

 

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