2014/09/23 by Nicholas Galitzki, P. A. R. Ade, Peter A. R. Ade +59 · 50 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Aerospace engineering #Astronomy #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Atmospheric Ozone and Climate #Computer science #Cosmic microwave background #Cryostat #Detector #Engineering #Geology #Optics #Pathfinder #Physics #Polarimeter #Polarimetry #Polarization (electrochemistry) #Remote sensing #Scientific instrument #Superconducting and THz Device Technology #Superconductivity #Telescope #astro-ph.IM
paper · pdf · doi:10.1142/s2251171714400017
published in Journal of Astronomical Instrumentation 03(02) (World Scientific)
openalex publication_date 2014/09/23 · arxiv created 2014/11/12 · arxiv updated 2014/11/13 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
The Balloon-borne Large Aperture Submillimeter Telescope for Polarimetry (BLASTPol) was a suborbital experiment designed to map magnetic fields in order to study their role in star formation processes. BLASTPol made detailed polarization maps of a number of molecular clouds during its successful flights from Antarctica in 2010 and 2012. We present the next-generation BLASTPol instrument (BLAST-TNG) that will build off the success of the previous experiment and continue its role as a unique instrument and a test bed for new technologies. With a 16-fold increase in mapping speed, BLAST-TNG will make larger and deeper maps. Major improvements include a 2.5-m carbon fiber mirror that is 40% wider than the BLASTPol mirror and ~3000 polarization sensitive detectors. BLAST-TNG will observe in three bands at 250, 350, and 500 μm. The telescope will serve as a pathfinder project for microwave kinetic inductance detector (MKID) technology, as applied to feedhorn-coupled submillimeter detector arrays. The liquid helium cooled cryostat will have a 28-day hold time and will utilize a closed-cycle 3 He refrigerator to cool the detector arrays to 270 mK. This will enable a detailed mapping of more targets with higher polarization resolution than any other submillimeter experiment to date. BLAST-TNG will also be the first balloon-borne telescope to offer shared risk observing time to the community. This paper outlines the motivation for the project and the instrumental design.