Wednesday 1 December at 3:30pm (in JAC Seminar Room)

Bill Duncan (ATC - Edinburgh) & Wayne Holland (JAC)

"SCUBA-2: A new generation bolometer camera for the JCMT"

ABSTRACT: "SCUBA-2 is the proposed new bolometer camera for the JCMT. It will utilise a field-of-view of at least 64-sq arcmin (with a goal of 100-sq arcmin), and have a per-pixel sensitivity approximately 50% better than the current SCUBA. With around 30,000 pixels in total, fully-sampling the image plane at two wavelengths simultaneously, SCUBA-2 will be more akin to a CCD camera or an IR array, than to any current (or planned) submillimetre array. We describe the scientific rationale behind the new camera and some of the new and innovative technology being proposed. The scientific aims of SCUBA-2 are to extend capabilities to large-scale projects covering up to tens of degrees of sky, and to provide deep and high-fidelity imaging of selected regions. For large field-surveys it is expected that SCUBA-2 will map several hundred times faster than SCUBA to the same noise level. As a survey instrument it is expected to be more powerful than ALMA (in compact configuration), and will provide a unique dual-colour view of our Galaxy and the distant Universe at submillimetre wavelengths."