Space Seen from Antarctica
download the panelAntarctica is a special place for observing the sky and studying particles coming from space. The Concordia Station, thanks to its altitude, extremely low humidity due to low temperatures, stable environmental conditions, lack of light pollution and radio frequency interference, and almost total darkness during the austral winter, is one of the best sites on Earth for astrophysical observations.
In summer, it is possible to observe the Sun for long, uninterrupted periods, and during winter, even the most sensitive nightime astronomical observations are unmatched. Moreover, the geographical position allows the entry of lower-energy cosmic rays, the most abundant, making their study possible.
For this reason, numerous telescopes and sophisticated instruments are installed at Dome C, at Concordia Station, to study the earliest traces of the formation of our universe, the formation of galaxies, the birth of stars and planets, and the interactions between the Sun and Earth.
Telescopes for Astronomical Observations
The Infrared Telescope Maffei (formerly IRAIT), with an 80 cm aperture, is used to study stellar systems in the final stages of their evolution, regions where stars are forming, and planetary systems and exoplanets.
The larger COCHISE telescope, with a 260 cm aperture, has conducted cosmological observations in the millimeter and sub-millimeter wavelengths and, in the near future, will be dedicated, through the SOLARIS project, to monitoring solar activity and studying the evolution of active regions that produce solar storms.
In the first photo: Maffei Infrared Telescope; in the second photo: COCHISE Telescope; in the third photo: sky above Concordia observed with the Maffei Infrared Telescope
Instruments for Studying Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Radiation
The CMB is an echo of the Big Bang and carries information from the primordial universe, when it was about 380,000 years old and a thousand times hotter and a billion times denser than now. It has passed through all phases of the universe’s evolution, so studying it in detail is like reading a history book of the universe.
Experiments like MiPol have analyzed the light of the CMB to understand its polarization (i.e., how the oscillation of the electromagnetic waves is oriented), while BOOMERanG, through stratospheric balloon observations, created the first detailed maps of the primordial universe and its polarization.
Nei prossimi anni, presso la Stazione Concordia, verrà installato COSMO (COSmic Monopole Observer), uno strumento ancora più potente per studiare tracce lasciate dalle prime strutture formate nell’Universo e da processi ipotetici come il decadimento di materia oscura.
BOOMERanG ready to be launched on a stratospheric balloon, with Mount Erebus in the background
BOOMERanG during preparation for flight
Instruments for Studying the Influence of Solar Activity on the Magnetosphere and Ionosphere
The magnetosphere and ionosphere are two invisible “shields” that surround the Earth, protecting it from charged particles coming from the Sun. When the Sun emits energetic particles, they travel toward Earth and can cause magnetic storms.
These storms are often visible as polar auroras and can also affect some technologies we use every day, such as communication systems, air navigation, and power grids.
To better study how the Sun interacts with Earth, advanced instruments are used, especially in Antarctica. Due to its geographical position near the geomagnetic pole, solar particles enter our atmosphere more easily and are studied with
SuperDARN
