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arXiv · 1709.02389

Review: Far-Infrared Instrumentation and Technology Development for the Next Decade

Duncan Farrah·Kimberly Ennico Smith·David Ardila·Charles M. Bradford·Michael Dipirro·Carl Ferkinhoff·Jason Glenn·Paul Goldsmith·David Leisawitz·Thomas Nikola·Naseem Rangwala·Stephen A. Rinehart·Johannes Staguhn·Michael Zemcov·Jonas Zmuidzinas·James Bartlett·Sean Carey·William J. Fischer·Julia Kamenetzky·Jeyhan Kartaltepe·Mark Lacy·Dariusz C. Lis·Lisa Locke·Enrique Lopez-Rodriguez·Meredith MacGregor·Elisabeth Mills·S. Harvey Moseley·Eric J. Murphy·Alan Rhodes·Matt Richter·Dimitra Rigopoulou·David Sanders·Ravi Sankrit·Giorgio Savini·John-David Smith·Sabrina Stierwalt
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Abstract

Far-infrared astronomy has advanced rapidly since its inception in the late 1950's, driven by a maturing technology base and an expanding community of researchers. This advancement has shown that observations at far-infrared wavelengths are important in nearly all areas of astrophysics, from the search for habitable planets and the origin of life, to the earliest stages of galaxy assembly in the first few hundred million years of cosmic history. The combination of a still developing portfolio of technologies, particularly in the field of detectors, and a widening ensemble of platforms within which these technologies can be deployed, means that far-infrared astronomy holds the potential for paradigm-shifting advances over the next decade. In this review, we examine current and future far-infrared observing platforms, including ground-based, sub-orbital, and space-based facilities, and discuss the technology development pathways that will enable and enhance these platforms to best address the challenges facing far-infrared astronomy in the 21st century.

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Duncan Farrah, Kimberly Ennico Smith, David Ardila, Charles M. Bradford, Michael Dipirro, Carl Ferkinhoff, Jason Glenn, Paul Goldsmith, David Leisawitz, Thomas Nikola, Naseem Rangwala, Stephen A. Rinehart, Johannes Staguhn, Michael Zemcov, Jonas Zmuidzinas, James Bartlett, Sean Carey, William J. Fischer, Julia Kamenetzky, Jeyhan Kartaltepe, Mark Lacy, Dariusz C. Lis, Lisa Locke, Enrique Lopez-Rodriguez, Meredith MacGregor, Elisabeth Mills, S. Harvey Moseley, Eric J. Murphy, Alan Rhodes, Matt Richter, Dimitra Rigopoulou, David Sanders, Ravi Sankrit, Giorgio Savini, John-David Smith, Sabrina Stierwalt. 2019-01-09. Review: Far-Infrared Instrumentation and Technology Development for the Next Decade. https://doi.org/10.1117/1.jatis.5.2.020901

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