WMC: Space-Borne and Ground-Based Sub-mm-Wave and THz Science Instruments for Astrophysical Applications

Presentation Abstract
Over six decades of exploration of our solar system by robotic spacecraft has not only been one of the greatest adventures in history but has also transformed our understanding of the universe. Every mission has enabled stunning scientific discoveries that altered our knowledge of the universe. The breadth and depth of the discoveries from these robotic missions would not have been possible without the parallel development of a broad range of science instruments that operate over a wide range of wavelengths across the electromagnetic spectrum. These instruments provided the data to address key science questions and test scientific hypotheses. The focus of this workshop is the development of space borne and ground based sub-mm-wave and THz science instruments for exploring our universe and its origin, discovering and understanding planetary systems around nearby stars, and the cosmological parameters governing the evolution of the universe, etc. At present there are significant technological needs for improving existing instruments and adapting completely new concepts. Practically all instruments can benefit by technology developments that can reduce their mass and power consumption and improve data communications capability. Additionally, increased sensitivity and measurement accuracy are desired attributes along with survivability under extreme temperature/pressure in the ionizing radiation environment of space. Furthermore, autonomy is important given the enormous planetary distances that are involved. Accordingly, the workshop includes presentations from space agencies and organizations across the globe highlighting their instrument development successes and the missions that were enabled. The workshop commences with an overview talk that presents the developments leading up to the James Webb Space Telescope, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, and the Habitable Worlds Observatory operating in the far-infrared/THz regime (~30–300 microns / 1–10THz). The second presentation will review the history of superconducting THz detectors that are used and their status and prospects. In the third presentation, the development of superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) receivers developed at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) for the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (AL-MA) for operations at Band 4 (125–163GHz), Band 8 (385–500GHz), and band 10 (787–950GHz) will be presented. The fourth presentation will focus on the THz semiconductor Schottky junction used as a low noise, room temperature mixer for high spectral resolution THz observations. In particular, the 1.2THz front-end of the Submillimeter Wave Instrument (SWI) of the European Space Agency (ESA) Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer (JUICE) mission. The fifth presentation will describe a unique large-format 1.9THz heterodyne array using planar silicon micromachined package for high-resolution spectroscopy of interstellar clouds. The sixth presentation will describe the Herschel Heterodyne Instrument for the far-Infrared (HI-FI) for very high-resolution spectroscopy and the German Receiver for Astronomy at Terahertz Frequencies (GREAT) operated on the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). The last talk will focus on big antennas in space and on ground to carry out astrophysical research.