Atmospheric transmission at Dome C between 0 and 10 THz

Journal article, 2010

We present model calculations of the atmospheric transmission for DOME C in Antarctica for frequencies up to 10THz (30 μm) using the forward model MOLIERE-5. Measurements of precipitable water vapor (pwv), obtained by the SUMMIT radiometer installed at the Concordia station during 2008 and working at a wavelength of 200μm, are translated into atmospheric transmission using MOLIERE. Quartiles of transmission, calculated from 200μm data are extrapolated to 350 μm and compared to the CCAT (Cornell-Caltech Atacama Telescope) site in Chile. It turns out that for 25% of the time at DOME C (CCAT), the transmission is around 20% (5%) at 200μm. This corresponds to a pwv of 0.18mm for DOME C. At 350μm, for 50% of time at DOME C (CCAT) the transmission is around 55% (25%). This corresponds to a pwv of 0.22mm for DOME C. These results show that DOME C is one of the best observing sites on Earth for submm-astronomy with respect to high atmospheric transmission over long time periods