Prof. Duncan Farrah Profile

Prof. Duncan Farrah

at Univ. of Hawaii at Manoa

SPIE Involvement:

Author

Publications (5)

Proceedings Article | 29 August 2024 Presentation + Paper

Considerations for a next-generation Great Observatory class space-based interferometer for far-infrared astronomy

Berke Ricketti, Locke Spencer, David Leisawitz, Lee Mundy, David Wilner, Chris Benson, Gerard van Belle, Colm Bracken, Giorgio Savini, Jeremy Scott, William Grainger, Hannah Rana, Matteo Bonato, Duncan Farrah, Conor Nixon

Proceedings Volume 13095, 130951T (2024) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3019681

KEYWORDS: Spatial resolution, Observatories, Telescopes, Astronomical interferometers, Observational astronomy, Space telescopes, Interferometers, James Webb Space Telescope, Infrared telescopes, Galactic astronomy

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Astronomy at far-infrared (far-IR) wavelengths is essential to our understanding of the evolution of the cosmos, from the star formation history of galaxies to how the ice distribution affects the formation of extrasolar planetary systems. The Hubble Space Telescope, James Webb Space Telescope, and the Atacama Large Millimeter Array have already produced ground-breaking astronomical observations with high angular resolution spanning the visible to sub-millimetre wavelength regimes. However, this presents a gap in the far-IR, from roughly 30−400μm, where ground-based observations are largely intractable due to the opacity of Earth’s atmosphere. Indeed, no telescope, observatory, or interferometry array has ever achieved sub-arcsecond angular resolution over this wavelength range. A space-based solution is needed. However, a space-based far-IR telescope capable of subarcsecond angular resolution and high sensitivity, at a cost comparable to the largest space missions to date, presents unique physical, practical, and engineering challenges. In this paper, we envisage what a far-IR Great Observatory class mission might look like in the context of the already-studied Origins Space Telescope (OST) and the Space Infrared Interferometric Telescope (SPIRIT). We begin with a historical reflection of far-IR missions, including OST and the recommendations by the Astro2020 Decadal Survey for a de-scoped mission. We use this to motivate the recommendation of a space-based interferometer as a reasonable path towards sub-arcsecond angular resolution at far-IR wavelengths. Using the SPIRIT mission concept as inspiration, we consider multiple point designs for a two element, structurally connected spatial-spectral space-based far-IR interferometer to understand the implications on achieved angular resolution and estimate total mission cost in context of the Decadal Survey recommended far-IR Great Observatory cost cap. This paper illustrates the unique capabilities only possible through a space-based far-IR double Fourier interferometry mission capable of sub-arcsecond resolution.

Proceedings Article | 20 October 2023 Presentation + Paper

The science case for a far-infrared interferometer in the era of JWST and ALMA

David Leisawitz, Matteo Bonato, Duncan Farrah, T. Tupper Hyde, Aláine Lee, Joshua Bennett Lovell, Brenda Matthews, Lee Mundy, Conor Nixon, Petr Pokorny, Berke Ricketti, Giorgio Savini, Jeremy Scott, Irene Shivaei, Locke Spencer, Kate Su, C. Megan Urry, David Wilner

Proceedings Volume 12686, 1268609 (2023) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2682235

KEYWORDS: James Webb Space Telescope, Astronomical interferometers, Galactic astronomy, Spatial resolution, Planets, Telescopes, Spectral resolution, Observatories, Stars, Interferometers

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SPIE Journal Paper | 26 August 2021 Open Access

Galaxy Evolution Probe

Jason Glenn, Charles Bradford, Erik Rosolowsky, Rashied Amini, Katherine Alatalo, Lee Armus, Andrew Benson, Tzu-Ching Chang, Jeremy Darling, Peter Day, Jeanette Domber, Duncan Farrah, Brandon Hensley, Sarah Lipscy, Bradley Moore, Sebastian Oliver, Joanna Perido, David Redding, John Rodgers, Raphael Shirley, Howard Smith, John Steeves, Carole Tucker, Jonas Zmuidzinas

JATIS, Vol. 7, Issue 03, 034004, (August 2021) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.10.1117/1.JATIS.7.3.034004

KEYWORDS: Galactic astronomy, Galaxy evolution, Stars, Spectroscopy, Sensors, Mid-IR, Mirrors, Telescopes, Infrared radiation, Electronics

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SPIE Journal Paper | 5 April 2019 Open Access

Review: far-infrared instrumentation and technological development for the next decade

Duncan Farrah, Kimberly Ennico Smith, David Ardila, Charles Bradford, Michael DiPirro, Carl Ferkinhoff, Jason Glenn, Paul Goldsmith, David Leisawitz, Thomas Nikola, Naseem Rangwala, Stephen Rinehart, Johannes Staguhn, Michael Zemcov, Jonas Zmuidzinas, James Bartlett, Sean Carey, William Fischer, Julia Kamenetzky, Jeyhan Kartaltepe, Mark Lacy, Dariusz Lis, Lisa Locke, Enrique Lopez-Rodriguez, Meredith MacGregor, Elisabeth Mills, Samuel Moseley, Eric J. Murphy, Alan Rhodes, Matthew Richter, Dimitra Rigopoulou, David Sanders, Ravi Sankrit, Giorgio Savini, John-David Smith, Sabrina Stierwalt

JATIS, Vol. 5, Issue 02, 020901, (April 2019) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.10.1117/1.JATIS.5.2.020901

KEYWORDS: Telescopes, Observatories, Astronomy, Spectroscopy, Sensors, Detector arrays, Infrared radiation, Interferometry, Interferometers, Galactic astronomy

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Proceedings Article | 24 July 2018 Presentation + Paper

The Galaxy Evolution Probe: a concept for a mid and far-infrared space observatory

Jason Glenn, C. Matt Bradford, Rashied Amini, Bradley Moore, Andrew Benson, Lee Armus, Katherine Alatalo, Jeremy Darling, Peter Day, Jeanette Domber, Duncan Farrah, Adalyn Fyhrie, Brandon Hensley, Sarah Lipscy, David Redding, Michael Rogers, Mark Shannon, John Steeves, Carole Tucker, Gordon Wu, Jonas Zmuidzinas

Proceedings Volume 10698, 106980L (2018) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2314076

KEYWORDS: Galactic astronomy, Spectroscopy, Mirrors, Imaging systems, Sensors, Stars, Telescopes, Space telescopes, Galaxy evolution, Staring arrays

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