Broadband Millimeter Spectroscopy with Z-spec: Molecular Diagnostics of Local ULIRGs and Redshifts for Submillimeter Galaxies

University Of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA

Investigators

Abstract

This project will use a new millimeter-wave spectrometer, Z-Spec, recently commissioned at the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory (CSO). Z-Spec is a grating spectrometer that uses 160 bolometers spanning the complete 1 mm atmospheric window from 195-305 GHz. The scientific goals are to 1) Use multiple CO lines to measure redshifts of a sample of the luminous dusty galaxies that make up the far-IR/submillimeter background; and 2) Conduct broad-band line surveys of nearby galaxies measuring CO isotopes, density tracers, and photo-dissociation tracers in a single spectrum. Broader impacts include hands-on training of students and postdocs in millimeter-wave instrumentation and techniques, and availability of Z-Spec to the community.