Characterization and Status of a Terahertz Telescope

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dc.creatorMarrone, D. P.
dc.creatorBlundell, R.
dc.creatorGibson, H.
dc.creatorPaine, S.
dc.creatorPapa, D. C.
dc.creatorTong, E.
dc.date2004-06-11
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-07T02:13:31Z
dc.date.available2026-07-07T02:13:31Z
dc.descriptionThe Receiver Lab Telescope (RLT) is a ground-based terahertz observatory, located at an altitude of 5525 m on Cerro Sairecabur, Chile. The RLT has been in operation since late 2002, producing the first well-calibrated astronomical data from the ground at frequencies above 1 THz. We discuss the status of this telescope after 18 months of operation and plans for the upcoming observing season. There are many practical challenges to operating a telescope at these frequencies, including difficulties in determining the pointing, measuring the telescope beam and efficiency, and calibrating data, resulting from high receiver noise, receiver gain instabilities, and low atmospheric transmission. We present some of the techniques we have employed for the RLT, including the use of atmospheric absorption lines in the place of continuum measurements for efficiency and beam measurements, and the utility of a Fourier-transform spectrometer for producing reliable data calibration.
dc.description7 pages, 4 figures. To appear in the proceedings of the 15th International Symposium on Space Terahertz Technology
dc.identifierhttps://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0406290
dc.identifierhttp://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0406290
dc.identifier.urihttp://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/7839
dc.subjectAstrophysics
dc.titleCharacterization and Status of a Terahertz Telescope
dc.typetext

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