Ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy is one of the most powerful tools used in a wide range of scientific fields from planetary science to astronomy. We propose a future UV space telescope, LAPYUTA (Life-environmentology, Astronomy, and PlanetarY Ultraviolet Telescope Assembly), selected as a candidate for JAXA’s 6th M-class mission in 2023. Launch is planned for the early 2030s. LAPYUTA will accomplish the following four objectives related to two scientific goals: understanding (1) the habitable environment and (2) the origin of structure and matter in the universe. Objective 1 focuses on the subsurface ocean environments of Jupiter's icy moons and the atmospheric evolution of terrestrial planets. Objective 2 characterizes the atmosphere of the exoplanets around the habitable zone and estimates their surface environment by detecting their exospheric atmosphere. In cosmology and astronomy, Objective 3 tests whether the structures of presentday galaxies contain ubiquitous Ly-α halos and reveals the physical origins of Ly-α halos. Objective 4 elucidates the synthesis process of heavy elements based on observations of ultraviolet radiation from hot gas immediately after neutronstar mergers. LAPYUTA will perform spectroscopic and imaging observations in the far-UV range of 110-190 nm with an effective area of >300 cm2 and a high spatial resolution of 0.1 arcsec. The apogee is 2,000 km, and the perigee is 1,000 km to avoid the influence of the geocorona when observing oxygen and hydrogen atoms and the Earth's radiation belt.
Unveiling the emergence and prevalence of massive/bright galaxies during the epoch of reionization and beyond, within the first 600 million years of the Universe, stands as a pivotal pursuit in astronomy. Remarkable progress has been made by JWST in identifying an immense population of bright galaxies, which hints at exceptionally efficient galaxy assembly processes. However, the underlying physical mechanisms propelling their rapid growth remain unclear. With this in mind, millimeter and submillimeter-wave spectroscopic observations of redshifted far-infrared spectral lines, particularly the [Oiii] 88 μm and [Cii] 158 μm lines, offers a crucial pathway to address this fundamental query.
To this end, we develop a dual-polarization sideband-separating superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) mixer receiver, FINER, for the Large Millimeter Telescope (LMT) situated in Mexico. Harnessing advancements from ALMA’s wideband sensitivity upgrade (WSU) technology, FINER covers radio frequencies spanning 120–360 GHz, delivering an instantaneous intermediate frequency (IF) of 3–21 GHz per sideband per polarization, which is followed by a set of 10.24 GHz-wide digital spectrometers. At 40% of ALMA’s light-collecting area, the LMT’s similar atmospheric transmittance and FINER’s 5 times wider bandwidth compared to ALMA culminate in an unparalleled spectral scanning capability in the northern hemisphere, paving the way for finer spectral-resolution detection of distant galaxies.
High-resolution infrared spectroscopy is a powerful tool for atmospheric science of solar system objects. Cross-dispersed echelle spectrographs with R = 50,000−100,000, which are commonly used today, have enabled us to detect minor species and determine their mixing ratios in planetary atmospheres down to the several ppb level. To survey even smaller amounts but scientifically significant molecular species, especially isotopologues of minor molecules, another higher spectral resolution and/or sensitivity is essential. Additionally, the implementation of a long-period monitoring is also essential for atmospheric science to observe atmospheric phenomena that vary over various time scales. High-resolution spectrographs for small-aperture telescopes, where it is relatively easy to obtain observation time, are demanded. To meet such requirements, we are developing a compact R=200,000 cross-dispersed echelle spectrograph for K- and L-bands. The spectrograph is so compact (950 mm × 660 mm × 510 mm) that it can be mounted at the Cassegrain focus of 1-m class telescopes. The downsizing and high sensitivity are realized by two germanium immersion gratings manufactured by Canon Inc. (used for both the main and cross dispersers) and an all-reflective optical system made entirely of fine cordierite (CO-720 and CO-220 by KYOCERA Corporation), which is a ceramic with a very low thermal expansion coefficient. This development intends not only scientific studies but also technology demonstrations of the two technologies, which are expected to be widely used in future infrared astronomy.
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