SOFIA
The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy
The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is a joint U.S. and German
project to develop and operate a 2.5 meter infrared airborne telescope in a Boeing 747-SP.
SOFIA is designed to make
sensitive infrared measurements of a wide range of astronomical objects. It will fly at
and above 12.5 km, where the telescope collects radiation in the wavelength range from 0.3
micrometers to 1.6 millimeters. First science flights will begin in 2008 and the
observatory is expected to operate for over 20 years.
UCLA has a significant and diverse role in SOFIA development and operations. The SOFIA
Chief Scientist, Prof. Eric Becklin leads the team at UCLA and will become the first
observatory director during the telescope's operational phase.
UCLA Infrared Detector Laboratory has recently completed FLITECAM, a SOFIA first-light
instrument that will be used for telescope testing and scientific research.
SOFIA Images: (click on any image below
to view a full-size version)
The
SOFIA aircraft, the "Clipper Lindbergh" currently undergoing modifications
The
SOFIA primary mirror (lightweighted and polished)
The
FLITECAM Instrument installed on SOFIA co-mounted with HIPO
Results
from FLITECAM tests at Lick Observatory (object S106)
FLITECAM's 1st flight on SOFIA on October 13, 2011
The UCLA SOFIA team:
Faculty
- Eric Becklin - as SOFIA
Chief Scientist, is responsible for the science requirements and interaction with the
science community. As Director Designate, is responsible for operations planning,
personnel, peer review and interaction with the German SOFIA team
- Ian McLean - Principal
Investigator of the FLITECAM instrument, currently being tested and used for research at
the Lick 3 meter telescope
- Mark Morris - Member
of the CASIMIR instrument team.
Graduate Students
- Amy Mainzer - has received
her PhD from UCLA based on FLITECAM camera development and observations at Lick
Observatory
- Erin Smith - has received her PhD from UCLA, and is now working at NASA Ames on FLITECAM.
Administrative
Project Staff
- Jennifer Milburn - Lead
software engineer and architect for DCS Archive sytem development / Software engineer for
FLITECAM
- George Brims - Systems
Analyst and Project Engineer, FLITECAM
Select Publications:
- E. E. Becklin and C. Lindsey "Submillimeter Solar Research with the KAO,"in Proceedings
of the Airborne Astronomy Symposium on the Galactic Ecosystem; ASP Conference Series;
73 July, 1994 Mountain View, CA, p. 329 (1995) (4 pages)
- E. E. Becklin "Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA),"
Proceedings of the ESA Symposium, "The Far Infrared And SubMillimetre Universe";
ed. A. Wilson, ESA SP-401, ESA Publications, 201 (1997) (6 pages)
- S.C. Casey, J.A. Davidson, and E. E. Becklin "SOFIA Science Utilization the US
Science Instrument Program, 1997 World Aviation Congress; 1, (1997) (3 pages)
- E. E. Becklin and J. A. Davidson "Expected SOFIA Sensitivity, Characteristics, US
Science Instrument Complement and Operations Concept," Astronomy and Technology in
the 21st Century, ed. R. Titz and H-P. Roeser, Wissenschaft und Technik Verlag, 39
(1997) (12 pages)
- E. E. Becklin "Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA)," SPIE
conference proceedings, 3356, eds. P. Bely and J. Breckinridge, SPIE The International
Society for Optical Engineering, 492 (1998) (9 pages)
- E. E. Becklin, S. C. Casey, J. A. Davidson, and M. L. Savage "Stratospheric
Observatory For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA)," SPIE conference proceedings, 3354-55,
ed. A. Fowler, SPIE The International Society for Optical Engineering, 922 (1998) (9
pages)
- E.E. Becklin Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA)," The
Universe as Seen by ISO, eds. P. Cox and M.F. Kessler, ESA Publications, 115 (1999) (4
pages)
- E. E. Becklin, J.A. Davidson, J. M. M. Horn "Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared
Astronomy (SOFIA),'' The Physics and Chemistry of the Interstellar Medium, Proceedings of
the 3rd Cologne-Zermatt Symposium, 444 (1999) (6 pages)
- E.E. Becklin, J.M.M. Horn "Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy
(SOFIA)," Springer Lecture Notes of Physics Series (1999) (7 pages)
- J.M.M. Horn, E.E. Becklin "Optimized Flight Planning for SOFIA," SPIE
conference proceedings, 4014, eds. R.K. Melugin and H.P. Roser, SPIE The International
Society for Optical Engineering, 447, (2000) (12 pages)
- J.M.M. Horn, E.E. Becklin, O. Bendiksen, G. Brims, J. Goulter, E.Kress, N. Magnone, I.S.
McLean, J. Milburn, N. Molayem, H.S. Moseley, M. Spencer " FLITECAM - A Near Infrared
Camera for Test and Science Applications on SOFIA," SPIE conference proceedings,
4014, SPIE The International Society for Optical Engineering, 65, (2000) (12 pages)
- J. Horn, R. Rich, E. Becklin, I. McLean "Test and Science Applications with
FLITECAM on SOFIA" in Tetons 4 Galactic Structure, Stars, and the Interstellar
Medium, eds. C. E. Woodward, M. D. Bicay, and J. M. Shull, ASP Conference Series,
Vol. 231, 634, (2001) (3 pages)
- J. Horn, E. Becklin "High-Latitude Observations on SOFIA," PASP, 113,
997 (2001) (12 pages)
- E.E. Becklin and L.J. Moon "Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy
(SOFIA)" Advances in Space Research 33rd COSPAR Scientific Assembly, ed. R.
Szczerba, Elsevier Science Ltd., Vol. 30, No. 9, 2083 (2002) (6 pages)
- A.K. Mainzer, I.S. McLean, T. Aliado, E.E. Becklin, G. Brims, J. Goulter, E. Kress, N.
Magnone, J. Milburn, G. Skulason, M. Spencer "Characterization of FLITECAM the first
light camera for SOFIA", in Airborne Telescope Systems II, R.K. Melugin and
H.P. Röser, eds., SPIE Proceedings Series, Vol. 4857 (2003) (8 pages)
- G. Sandell, E.E. Becklin, and E.W. Dunham "SOFIA - Science Potential for Extrasolar
Planet Research" will appear for Scientific Frontiers in Extrasolar Planets,
ASP Conference Series, D. Deming and S. Seager, eds. (2003)
- Mainzer, A. K., McLean, I. S., Sievers, J. S., Young, E. T. "Using narrow band
photometry to classify stars and brown dwarfs." Submitted to Astrophysical Journal,
2003.
- Mainzer, Amanda K., Mclean, I. S. "Using narrow band photometry to detect young
brown dwarfs in IC348." Astrophysical Journal, 2003. In press, vol. 467.
- Mainzer, Amanda K., McLean, Ian S., et. al. "Characterization of FLITECAM the
first-light camera for SOFIA." Proc. SPIE, 4857, 2002.
Contact the SOFIA Office at UCLA for a
copy of one of the above publications
Links
The
SOFIA aircraft, the "Clipper Lindbergh" currently undergoing modifications
The
SOFIA primary mirror (lightweighted and polished)
The
FLITECAM Instrument installed on SOFIA co-mounted with HIPO
Results
from FLITECAM tests at Lick Observatory (object S106)
FLITECAM's 1st flight on SOFIA on October 13, 2011