In November 2017, the ALMA Board approved the development of a new spectrometerSpectrometerA detector that can be connected to a telescope that can separate the signals into different frequencies, producing a spectrum. for the Morita Array designed and developed by Japan for the ALMA telescope. The development will be undertaken by Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) and the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) as part of the ALMA Future Development Program, which aims to keep ALMA at the forefront of millimeter/submillimeter wavelength astronomy throughout its decades-long lifespan.
A principal investigator of the ACA spectrometer project, Jongsoo Kim, said: “The approval of the ACA spectrometer project by the ALMA board is a recognition of the cost-effective development plan and the successful collaboration between KASI and NAOJ.” He also added that “An ACA spectrometer will become the first instrumental contribution to the ALMA community from Korea through the East Asia partnership.”
Satoru Iguchi, the East Asian ALMA project manager, said, “This is the first large development project led by the Korean ALMA project. Through the ALMA, we will foster stronger collaborations between KASI and NAOJ.”
Additional information on this program can be found on the Joint ALMA Observatory website.
