FORCAST: A Wide-Field Infrared Camera for SOFIA
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Science
Instrument
SOFIA
Technical Memos
Welcome to the FORCAST Homepage at Cornell University.
FORCAST (Faint Object infraRed CAmera for the SOFIA Telescope) will be a facility-class, mid/far-infrared camera for the SOFIA airborne observatory. FORCAST is a two-channel camera with selectable filters for continuum imaging in the 4-8, 16-25 micron and/or 25-40 micron regions. Simultaneous imaging can be performed in the two-channels. Using the latest 256 by 256 Si:As and Si:Sb BIB (blocked-impurity-band) detector array technology to provide high-sensitivity wide-field imaging, FORCAST will sample at 0.75''/pixel giving a 3.2' by 3.2' instantaneous field-of-view. Diffraction limited imaging is obtained for wavelengths longer than 15 microns. Large objects can be easily imaged and for small objects, chopping can be performed on the array to increase duty-cycle (sensitivity). FORCAST will provide the highest spatial resolutions possible with SOFIA. The FORCAST instrument uses mature, low-risk, state-of-the-art technology ensuring high reliability. The science projects planned by the team include multicolor imaging of the galactic center, Vega-like dust clouds, and star formation in our galaxy, normal spiral galaxies and active galaxies. This instrument will be of great value to the SOFIA community for imaging protostellar environments, young star clusters, molecular clouds, and galaxies. Multicolor information allows determination of dust temperatures, dust optical depths (and dust masses), dust composition, location of ionizing sources, and the spatial morphology of star forming regions. FORCAST is being constructed at the Cornell University Department of Space Science.
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