Abstract
Submillimetre astronomy with ground-based instruments is currently restricted to spectral windows below 1 THz where the atmosphere is not very opaque. Recently, it was shown that supra-terahertz windows also unfold under very good atmospheric conditions, and could be explored for this effect. In particular, the 200 μm window (1.5 THz) can transmit up to 30% on exceptionally dry weather at high-altitude sites. This study was conducted in parallel with the designs of THUMPER, a Two Hundred Micron Photometer for the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope, in Hawaii. Here we consider the weather conditions required and how often they arise, both by modelling the spectral transmittance of the atmosphere at 200 μm and by analysing opacity data at 225 GHz. Implications for submillimetre astronomy are discussed. This study could benefit the ongoing analysis of other observation sites.
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Araújo, H.M., Walker, R.J., Rinehart, S.A. et al. Assessment of the 200-μm Atmospheric Window for Ground-Based Astronomy. International Journal of Infrared and Millimeter Waves 22, 965–982 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1014991819066
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1014991819066