NSF Org:	OPP Office of Polar Programs (OPP)
Recipient:	UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
Initial Amendment Date:	July 11, 2006
Latest Amendment Date:	July 11, 2006
Award Number:	0538665
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Vladimir Papitashvili vpapita@nsf.gov  (703)292-7425 OPP  Office of Polar Programs (OPP) GEO  Directorate for Geosciences
Start Date:	July 15, 2006
End Date:	June 30, 2007 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount:	$79,695.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date:	$79,695.00
Funds Obligated to Date:	FY 2006 = $79,695.00
History of Investigator:	Christopher Walker (Principal Investigator) cwalker@arizona.edu Thomas Phillips (Co-Principal Investigator) Sander Weinreb (Co-Principal Investigator) Craig Kulesa (Co-Principal Investigator) Dave Glaister (Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office:	University of Arizona 845 N PARK AVE RM 538 TUCSON AZ  US  85721 (520)626-6000
Sponsor Congressional District:	07
Primary Place of Performance:	University of Arizona 845 N PARK AVE RM 538 TUCSON AZ  US  85721
Primary Place of Performance Congressional District:	07
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):	ED44Y3W6P7B9
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s):	ANT Astrophys & Geospace Sci
Primary Program Source:	0100CYXXDB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s):	OTHR, 0000
Program Element Code(s):	511500
Award Agency Code:	4900
Fund Agency Code:	4900
Assistance Listing Number(s):	47.078

ABSTRACT

HEAT will be the world's first automated THz observatory, and the first astronomical telescope of any kind which could be placed at the high summits of Antarctica like Dome A. Recent meteorological data clearly demonstrate that Dome A is the highest, driest, and coldest site on the plateau, which directly translates into the best atmospheric transmission in the far-infrared and submillimeter atmospheric windows. Indeed, Dome A is likely the only site on Earth where the crucial 1.9 THz window becomes accessible for any length of time. Optimized for operation from Dome A, HEAT can routinely access one of the least explored regions of the electromagnetic spectrum and provide new, fundamental knowledge about the distribution and state of matter in the Galaxy. The high degree of automation within HEAT may significantly reduce operation costs and increase efficiency. To succeed, HEAT must be robust and capable of remote, low-power, operation for a year at a time. In many ways HEAT is more like a space-based observatory than a ground-based one. HEAT is an IPY Joint Committee approved, multi-national project, with contributions from the University of New South Wales (UNSW), the Space Research Organization of the Netherlands (SRON), the University of Cologne, as well as NASA and several U.S. universities. The funds are requested to perform a detailed design, cost, and logistical study of the HEAT project. A comprehensive report will be produced and presented to the NSF upon completion of the study.

Please report errors in award information by writing to: awardsearch@nsf.gov.