Astronomy Instrumentation Group
This page is under construction
BLAST and its ballon on the launch pad at McMurdo Station, Antarctica.
(Photo by M. Halpern)
The Astronomy Instrumentation Group (AIG) has a reputation for not only developing world-leading enabling technology but in translating these developments into state-of-the-art instrument design to fulfil current scientific needs. This is evidenced by our considerable involvement in virtually all FIR space instruments, including the Herschel (Cardiff is PI institute for the SPIRE instrument) and Planck space telescopes. The AIG comprises 7 academic staff, 9 post-doctoral research associates and 6 PhD students, supported by highly skilled cleanroom, cryogenic and electronic technicians and computer engineers.
Research Areas
We are currently active in the following research areas
- Cryogenics
- Detectors
- Quasi Optics and metamaterials
- Earth Observing. PCH
- Far Infra-Red Interferometry
- Readout electronics EP
- Multi-object spectroscopy WKG
- Device qualification CT
Instruments & Collaborations
- The Herschel Space Telescope. We are the PI institute for Herschel-SPIRE and hold a great deal of PI observing time.
- The Planck Space Telescope (and the HFI Instrument)
- LRO
- Mars Orbiter
- MIRI
- OLIMPO
- PILOT
- SOFIE
- SUZIE 3