23-500: The Submillimeter Telescope ( SMT ), formerly known as the Heinrich Hertz Submillimeter Telescope , is a submillimeter wavelength radio telescope located on Mount Graham , Arizona, US. It is a 10-meter-wide parabolic dish inside a building to protect it from bad weather. The building front doors and roof are opened when the telescope is in use. The telescope's construction was finished in 1993 . Along with
46-420: A goal of clarifying the process of star formation from earliest collapse to stellar birth . Submillimetre observations of these dark clouds can be used to determine chemical abundances and cooling mechanisms for the molecules which comprise them . In addition, submillimetre observations give information on the mechanisms for the formation and evolution of galaxies . The most significant limitations to
69-600: A maximum of 38 in the summer. The station is operated by the United States National Science Foundation through the logistical-support contractor Battelle Arctic Research Operations (Battelle ARO). A permit from the Danish Polar Center ( Danish : Dansk Polarcenter ) under the auspices of the Government of Greenland ( Greenlandic : Kalaallit Nunaanni Inatsisartut ) is required to visit
92-568: A winter population of four to five. The Greenland Telescope is yet to be relocated here, though preparations are still underway. The climate is classified as ice cap , with no month having a mean temperature exceeding 0 °C (32 °F). Typical daily maximum temperatures at Summit Camp are around −35 °C (−31 °F) in winter (January) and −10 °C (14 °F) in summer (July). Winter minimum temperatures are typically about −45 °C (−49 °F) and only rarely exceed −20 °C (−4 °F). The highest temperature at Summit Station
115-749: Is away from urban population centres. Only a handful of sites have been identified. They include Mauna Kea ( Hawaii , United States), the Llano de Chajnantor Observatory on the Atacama Plateau ( Chile ), the South Pole , and Hanle in India (the Himalayan site of the Indian Astronomical Observatory ). Comparisons show that all four sites are excellent for submillimetre astronomy, and of these sites Mauna Kea
138-496: Is conducted at submillimetre wavelengths (i.e., terahertz radiation ) of the electromagnetic spectrum . Astronomers place the submillimetre waveband between the far-infrared and microwave wavebands, typically taken to be between a few hundred micrometres and a millimetre . It is still common in submillimetre astronomy to quote wavelengths in 'microns', the old name for micrometre. Using submillimetre observations, astronomers examine molecular clouds and dark cloud cores with
161-630: Is not part of the Sermersooq municipality but falls within the bounds of the Northeast Greenland National Park . Summit Station consists of the Big House (communications and galley), Mobile Science Facility, Temporary Atmospheric Watch Observatory, Berthing Module, a combined garage and generator building, and storage buildings. The surface elevation at Summit Station has increased at an average of 1.9 cm (0.75 in) per year over
184-524: Is the most established and arguably the most accessible. There has been some recent interest in high-altitude Arctic sites, particularly Summit Station in Greenland where the PWV ( precipitable water vapor) measure is always better than at Mauna Kea (however Mauna Kea's equatorial latitude of 19 degrees means it can observe more of the southern skies than Greenland). The Llano de Chajnantor Observatory site hosts
207-558: The 12 Meter Telescope on Kitt Peak , this telescope is maintained by the Arizona Radio Observatory , a division of Steward Observatory at the University of Arizona . The dryness of the air around and above Mount Graham is important for extremely high frequency (EHF) radio and far- infrared observations – a region of the spectrum where the electromagnetic waves are strongly attenuated by any water vapor or clouds in
230-658: The Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX), the largest submillimetre telescope operating in the southern hemisphere, and the world's largest ground based astronomy project, the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA), an interferometer for submillimetre wavelength observations made of 54 12-metre and 12 7-metre radio telescopes. The Submillimeter Array (SMA) is another interferometer, located at Mauna Kea, consisting of eight 6-metre diameter radio telescopes. The largest existing submillimetre telescope,
253-520: The James Clerk Maxwell Telescope , is also located on Mauna Kea. With high-altitude balloons and aircraft, one can get above more of the atmosphere. The BLAST experiment and SOFIA are two examples, respectively, although SOFIA can also handle near infrared observations. Space-based observations at the submillimetre wavelengths remove the ground-based limitations of atmospheric absorption. The first submillimeter telescope in space
SECTION 10
#1732858138846276-513: The Earth and Sun. Herschel's mission focused primarily on the origins of galaxies and galactic formation. Summit Camp Summit Camp , also known as Summit Station , is a year-round staffed research station near the apex of the Greenland ice sheet . The station is located at 3,216 metres (10,551 ft) above sea level. The population of the station is typically five in wintertime and reaches
299-440: The air. This telescope is used nine to ten months of the year, and it is stowed only when there is too much water vapor in the atmosphere , primarily during the summertime. This telescope is one of the telescopes that make up Mount Graham International Observatory . Submillimetre astronomy Submillimetre astronomy or submillimeter astronomy (see spelling differences ) is the branch of observational astronomy that
322-443: The deep drill. Extensive under-snow trenches were also constructed to house the core handling, processing, and storage facilities. Many smaller Weatherport hut buildings and tents were also erected as storage and shop areas, as well as sleeping quarters. These were erected and taken down each season. On July 1, 1993, the bedrock was reached. Originally only occupied in the summer, the station has been staffed year-round since 2003, with
345-431: The detection of astronomical emission at submillimetre wavelengths with ground-based observatories are atmospheric emission, noise and attenuation. Like the infrared , the submillimetre atmosphere is dominated by numerous water vapour absorption bands and it is only through "windows" between these bands that observations are possible. The ideal submillimetre observing site is dry, cool, has stable weather conditions and
368-449: The exact location chosen for the GISP2 drilling site, established a camp, and laid out the runway. Subsequent flights brought in additional materials and personnel needed to build the station. Two major structures were planned and built: The Big House, an insulated panel building (housing a galley, common space, and office), elevated to minimize snow drifts; and a geodesic drill dome to house
391-487: The launch of the near-infrared James Webb Space Telescope ) and studied radiation in the far infrared and submillimetre wavebands. Rather than an Earth orbit, Herschel entered into a Lissajous orbit around L 2 , the second Lagrangian point of the Earth-Sun system. L 2 is located approximately 1.5 million km from Earth and the placement of Herschel there lessened the interference by infrared and visible radiation from
414-687: The period 2008–2018. Accumulation is the single largest factor in elevation change. Summit Station was originally established in April 1989 in support of the Greenland Ice Sheet Project Two (GISP2) deep ice coring effort. A ski-equipped C-130 from the New York Air National Guard performed an open snow landing near the site, bringing the put-in team consisting of Mark Twickler, Jay Klink, Michael Morrison, and two navigation specialists; Doug Roberts and Jim Normandeau who located
437-600: The processes taking place in the upper layers of the Earth's atmosphere . The Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite (SWAS) was launched into low Earth orbit on December 5, 1998 as one of NASA 's Small Explorer Program (SMEX) missions. The mission of the spacecraft is to make targeted observations of giant molecular clouds and dark cloud cores. The focus of SWAS is five spectral lines: water (H 2 O), isotopic water (H 2 O), isotopic carbon monoxide ( CO), molecular oxygen (O 2 ), and neutral carbon (C I). The SWAS satellite
460-403: The station. The station is located approximately 360 km (220 mi) from the east coast of Greenland , 500 km (310 mi) from the west coast (at Saattut , Uummannaq ), and 200 km (120 mi) north-northeast of the historical ice sheet station Eismitte . The closest town is Ittoqqortoormiit , 460 km (290 mi) east-southeast of the station. The station, however,
483-401: Was 2.2 °C (36.0 °F), recorded on 13 July 2012 and on 28 July 2017; the lowest recorded temperature was −69.6 °C (−93.3 °F) on 22 December 1991, On 6 July 2017 the site recorded the lowest temperature in the northern hemisphere for the month of July at −33.0 °C (−27.4 °F). On August 14, 2021, it rained throughout the entire day at Summit Camp, marking
SECTION 20
#1732858138846506-608: Was repurposed in June, 2005 to provide support for the NASA Deep Impact mission. SWAS provided water production data on the comet until the end of August 2005. The European Space Agency launched a space-based mission known as the Herschel Space Observatory (formerly called Far Infrared and Sub-millimetre Telescope or FIRST) in 2009. Herschel deployed the largest mirror ever launched into space (until December 2021, with
529-587: Was the Soviet BST-1M, located in the scientific equipment compartment of the Salyut-6 orbital station . It was equipped with a mirror with a diameter of 1.5 m and was intended for astrophysical research in the ultraviolet (0.2 - 0.36 microns), infrared (60 - 130 microns) and submillimeter (300 - 1000 microns) spectral regions, which are of interest to those who are interested in which makes it possible to study molecular clouds in space, as well as obtain information about
#845154