Diffraction-limited Polarimetry at the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory

Northwestern University, Evanston IL

Investigators

Abstract

This program will entail a detector upgrade for the University of Chicago submillimeter polarimeter, Hertz, that operates at the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory (CSO). The result will be a threefold improvement in point source sensitivity, and an improvement in angular resolution from 20 arcseconds to 8 arcseconds. The upgrade will be achieved at a relatively modest cost by using detectors that are "left over" from the large and expensive projects HAWC, and SHARC-II. The upgraded instrument, Hertz/HR (HR for "High Resolution"), will be the only submillimeter polarimeter designed for observations at 350 microns. Observations will be made of magnetic field directions in molecular clouds using the polarization produced by dust grains aligned with the field.