HAWC +, the Far-Infrared Camera and Polarimeter for SOFIA

Authors

Doyal A. Harper, The University of Chicago
Marcus C. Runyan, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
C. Darren Dowell, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
C. Jesse Wirth, Yerkes Observatory
Michael Amato, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Troy Ames, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Mandana Amiri, The University of British Columbia
Stuart Banks, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Arlin Bartels, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Dominic J. Benford, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Marc Berthoud, Yerkes Observatory
Ernest Buchanan, ADNET Systems, Inc.
Sean Casey, Silicon Valley Space Center
Nicholas L. Chapman, Northwestern University
David T. Chuss, Villanova University
Brant Cook, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Rebecca Derro, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Jessie L. Dotson, NASA Ames Research Center

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-1-2018

Abstract

High-resolution Airborne Wide-band Camera (HAWC+) is the facility far-infrared imager and polarimeter for SOFIA, NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy. It is designed to cover the portion of the infrared spectrum that is completely inaccessible to ground-based observatories and which is essential for studies of astronomical sources with temperatures between tens and hundreds of degrees Kelvin. Its ability to make polarimetric measurements of aligned dust grains provides a unique new capability for studying interstellar magnetic fields. HAWC+ began commissioning flights in April 2016 and was accepted as a facility instrument in early 2018. In this paper, we describe the instrument, its operational procedures, and its performance on the observatory.

Identifier

85053113225 (Scopus)

Publication Title

Journal of Astronomical Instrumentation

External Full Text Location

https://doi.org/10.1142/S2251171718400081

e-ISSN

22511725

ISSN

22511717

Issue

4

Volume

7

Fund Ref

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Recommended Citation

Harper, Doyal A.; Runyan, Marcus C.; Dowell, C. Darren; Wirth, C. Jesse; Amato, Michael; Ames, Troy; Amiri, Mandana; Banks, Stuart; Bartels, Arlin; Benford, Dominic J.; Berthoud, Marc; Buchanan, Ernest; Casey, Sean; Chapman, Nicholas L.; Chuss, David T.; Cook, Brant; Derro, Rebecca; and Dotson, Jessie L., "HAWC +, the Far-Infrared Camera and Polarimeter for SOFIA" (2018). Faculty Publications. 8239.
https://digitalcommons.njit.edu/fac_pubs/8239