The Stratospheric THz Observatory (STO)

C. Walker; C. Kulesa; P. Bernasconi; H. Eaton; N. Rolander; C. Groppi; J. Kloosterman; T. Cottam; D. Lesser; C. Martin; A. Stark; D. Neufeld; C. Lisse; D. Hollenbach; J. Kawamura; P. Goldsmith; W. Langer; H. Yorke; J. Sterne; A. Skalare; I. Mehdi; S. Weinreb; J. Kooi; J. Stutzski; U. Graf; M. Brasse; C. Honingh; R. Simon; M. Akyilmaz; P. Puetz; Mark Wolfire

doi:10.1117/12.857765

The Stratospheric THz Observatory (STO)

C. Walker, C. Kulesa, P. Bernasconi, H. Eaton, N. Rolander, C. Groppi, J. Kloosterman, T. Cottam, D. Lesser, C. Martin, A. Stark, D. Neufeld, C. Lisse, D. Hollenbach, J. Kawamura, P. Goldsmith, W. Langer, H. Yorke, J. Sterne, A. SkalareI. Mehdi, S. Weinreb, J. Kooi, J. Stutzski, U. Graf, M. Brasse, C. Honingh, R. Simon, M. Akyilmaz, P. Puetz, Mark Wolfire

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

36 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Stratospheric TeraHertz Observatory (STO) is a NASA funded, Long Duration Balloon (LDB) experiment designed to address a key problem in modern astrophysics: understanding the Life Cycle of the Interstellar Medium (ISM). STO will survey a section of the Galactic plane in the dominant interstellar cooling line [C II] (1.9 THz) and the important star formation tracer [N II] (1.46 THz) at ∼1 arc minute angular resolution, sufficient to spatially resolve atomic, ionic and molecular clouds at 10 kpc. STO itself has three main components; 1) an 80 cm optical telescope, 2) a THz instrument package, and 3) a gondola [1]. Both the telescope and gondola have flown on previous experiments [2,3]. They have been reoptimized for the current mission. The science flight receiver package will contain four [CII] and four [NII] HEB mixers, coupled to a digital spectrometer. The first engineering test flight of STO was from Ft. Sumner, NM on October 15, 2009. The ∼30 day science flight is scheduled for December 2011.

Original language	English (US)
Title of host publication	Ground-Based and Airborne Telescopes III
Edition	PART 1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1117/12.857765
State	Published - 2010
Event	Ground-Based and Airborne Telescopes III - San Diego, CA, United States Duration: Jun 27 2010 → Jul 2 2010

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Number	PART 1
Volume	7733
ISSN (Print)	0277-786X

Other

Other	Ground-Based and Airborne Telescopes III
Country/Territory	United States
City	San Diego, CA
Period	6/27/10 → 7/2/10

Keywords

Balloon-borne
Interstellar medium
Suborbital
THz astronomy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Condensed Matter Physics
Computer Science Applications
Applied Mathematics
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Access to Document

10.1117/12.857765

Cite this

Walker, C., Kulesa, C., Bernasconi, P., Eaton, H., Rolander, N., Groppi, C., Kloosterman, J., Cottam, T., Lesser, D., Martin, C., Stark, A., Neufeld, D., Lisse, C., Hollenbach, D., Kawamura, J., Goldsmith, P., Langer, W., Yorke, H., Sterne, J., ... Wolfire, M. (2010). The Stratospheric THz Observatory (STO). In Ground-Based and Airborne Telescopes III (PART 1 ed.). Article 77330N (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering; Vol. 7733, No. PART 1). https://doi.org/10.1117/12.857765

Walker, C , Kulesa, C, Bernasconi, P, Eaton, H, Rolander, N, Groppi, C, Kloosterman, J, Cottam, T, Lesser, D, Martin, C, Stark, A, Neufeld, D, Lisse, C, Hollenbach, D, Kawamura, J, Goldsmith, P, Langer, W, Yorke, H, Sterne, J, Skalare, A, Mehdi, I, Weinreb, S, Kooi, J, Stutzski, J, Graf, U, Brasse, M, Honingh, C, Simon, R, Akyilmaz, M, Puetz, P & Wolfire, M 2010, The Stratospheric THz Observatory (STO). in Ground-Based and Airborne Telescopes III. PART 1 edn, 77330N, Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, no. PART 1, vol. 7733, Ground-Based and Airborne Telescopes III, San Diego, CA, United States, 6/27/10. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.857765

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title = "The Stratospheric THz Observatory (STO)",

abstract = "The Stratospheric TeraHertz Observatory (STO) is a NASA funded, Long Duration Balloon (LDB) experiment designed to address a key problem in modern astrophysics: understanding the Life Cycle of the Interstellar Medium (ISM). STO will survey a section of the Galactic plane in the dominant interstellar cooling line [C II] (1.9 THz) and the important star formation tracer [N II] (1.46 THz) at ∼1 arc minute angular resolution, sufficient to spatially resolve atomic, ionic and molecular clouds at 10 kpc. STO itself has three main components; 1) an 80 cm optical telescope, 2) a THz instrument package, and 3) a gondola [1]. Both the telescope and gondola have flown on previous experiments [2,3]. They have been reoptimized for the current mission. The science flight receiver package will contain four [CII] and four [NII] HEB mixers, coupled to a digital spectrometer. The first engineering test flight of STO was from Ft. Sumner, NM on October 15, 2009. The ∼30 day science flight is scheduled for December 2011.",

keywords = "Balloon-borne, Interstellar medium, Suborbital, THz astronomy",

author = "C. Walker and C. Kulesa and P. Bernasconi and H. Eaton and N. Rolander and C. Groppi and J. Kloosterman and T. Cottam and D. Lesser and C. Martin and A. Stark and D. Neufeld and C. Lisse and D. Hollenbach and J. Kawamura and P. Goldsmith and W. Langer and H. Yorke and J. Sterne and A. Skalare and I. Mehdi and S. Weinreb and J. Kooi and J. Stutzski and U. Graf and M. Brasse and C. Honingh and R. Simon and M. Akyilmaz and P. Puetz and Mark Wolfire",

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doi = "10.1117/12.857765",

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AU - Walker, C.

AU - Kulesa, C.

AU - Bernasconi, P.

AU - Eaton, H.

AU - Rolander, N.

AU - Groppi, C.

AU - Kloosterman, J.

AU - Cottam, T.

AU - Lesser, D.

AU - Martin, C.

AU - Stark, A.

AU - Neufeld, D.

AU - Lisse, C.

AU - Hollenbach, D.

AU - Kawamura, J.

AU - Goldsmith, P.

AU - Langer, W.

AU - Yorke, H.

AU - Sterne, J.

AU - Skalare, A.

AU - Mehdi, I.

AU - Weinreb, S.

AU - Kooi, J.

AU - Stutzski, J.

AU - Graf, U.

AU - Brasse, M.

AU - Honingh, C.

AU - Simon, R.

AU - Akyilmaz, M.

AU - Puetz, P.

AU - Wolfire, Mark

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N2 - The Stratospheric TeraHertz Observatory (STO) is a NASA funded, Long Duration Balloon (LDB) experiment designed to address a key problem in modern astrophysics: understanding the Life Cycle of the Interstellar Medium (ISM). STO will survey a section of the Galactic plane in the dominant interstellar cooling line [C II] (1.9 THz) and the important star formation tracer [N II] (1.46 THz) at ∼1 arc minute angular resolution, sufficient to spatially resolve atomic, ionic and molecular clouds at 10 kpc. STO itself has three main components; 1) an 80 cm optical telescope, 2) a THz instrument package, and 3) a gondola [1]. Both the telescope and gondola have flown on previous experiments [2,3]. They have been reoptimized for the current mission. The science flight receiver package will contain four [CII] and four [NII] HEB mixers, coupled to a digital spectrometer. The first engineering test flight of STO was from Ft. Sumner, NM on October 15, 2009. The ∼30 day science flight is scheduled for December 2011.

AB - The Stratospheric TeraHertz Observatory (STO) is a NASA funded, Long Duration Balloon (LDB) experiment designed to address a key problem in modern astrophysics: understanding the Life Cycle of the Interstellar Medium (ISM). STO will survey a section of the Galactic plane in the dominant interstellar cooling line [C II] (1.9 THz) and the important star formation tracer [N II] (1.46 THz) at ∼1 arc minute angular resolution, sufficient to spatially resolve atomic, ionic and molecular clouds at 10 kpc. STO itself has three main components; 1) an 80 cm optical telescope, 2) a THz instrument package, and 3) a gondola [1]. Both the telescope and gondola have flown on previous experiments [2,3]. They have been reoptimized for the current mission. The science flight receiver package will contain four [CII] and four [NII] HEB mixers, coupled to a digital spectrometer. The first engineering test flight of STO was from Ft. Sumner, NM on October 15, 2009. The ∼30 day science flight is scheduled for December 2011.

KW - Balloon-borne

KW - Interstellar medium

KW - Suborbital

KW - THz astronomy

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T3 - Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering

BT - Ground-Based and Airborne Telescopes III

T2 - Ground-Based and Airborne Telescopes III

Y2 - 27 June 2010 through 2 July 2010

ER -

The Stratospheric THz Observatory (STO)

Abstract

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Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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