Wedemeyer Sven, Barta Miroslav, Brajša Roman, Chai Yi, Costa Joaquim, Gary Dale, Gimenez de Castro Guillermo, Gunar Stanislav, Fleishman Gregory, Hales Antonio, Hudson Hugh, Kirkaune Mats, Mohan Atul, Motorina Galina, Pellizzoni Alberto, Saberi Maryam, Selhorst Caius L, Simoes Paulo J A, Shimojo Masumi, Skokić Ivica, Sudar Davor, Menezes Fabian, White Stephen M, Booth Mark, Klaassen Pamela, Cicone Claudia, Mroczkowski Tony, Cordiner Martin A, Di Mascolo Luca, Johnstone Doug, van Kampen Eelco, Lee Minju, Liu Daizhong, Maccarone Thomas, Orlowski-Scherer John, Saintonge Amelie, Smith Matthew, Thelen Alexander E
Rosseland Centre for Solar Physics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Oslo, N-0315, Norway.
Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Oslo, N-0315, Norway.
Open Res Eur. 2024 Dec 12;4:140. doi: 10.12688/openreseurope.17453.1. eCollection 2024.
Observations at (sub-)millimeter wavelengths offer a complementary perspective on our Sun and other stars, offering significant insights into both the thermal and magnetic composition of their chromospheres. Despite the fundamental progress in (sub-)millimeter observations of the Sun, some important aspects require diagnostic capabilities that are not offered by existing observatories. In particular, simultaneous observations of the radiation continuum across an extended frequency range would facilitate the mapping of different layers and thus ultimately the 3D structure of the solar atmosphere. Mapping large regions on the Sun or even the whole solar disk at a very high temporal cadence would be crucial for systematically detecting and following the temporal evolution of flares, while synoptic observations, i.e., daily maps, over periods of years would provide an unprecedented view of the solar activity cycle in this wavelength regime. As our Sun is a fundamental reference for studying the atmospheres of active main sequence stars, observing the Sun and other stars with the same instrument would unlock the enormous diagnostic potential for understanding stellar activity and its impact on exoplanets. The Atacama Large Aperture Submillimeter Telescope (AtLAST), a single-dish telescope with 50m aperture proposed to be built in the Atacama desert in Chile, would be able to provide these observational capabilities. Equipped with a large number of detector elements for probing the radiation continuum across a wide frequency range, AtLAST would address a wide range of scientific topics including the thermal structure and heating of the solar chromosphere, flares and prominences, and the solar activity cycle. In this white paper, the key science cases and their technical requirements for AtLAST are discussed.
在（亚）毫米波长下进行观测，能为我们研究太阳及其他恒星提供一个补充视角，有助于深入了解它们色球层的热成分和磁成分。尽管太阳（亚）毫米观测已取得了重要进展，但仍有一些重要方面需要现有观测台所不具备的诊断能力。特别是，在较宽频率范围内同时观测辐射连续谱，将有助于绘制不同层次的图谱，进而最终了解太阳大气的三维结构。以非常高的时间分辨率绘制太阳上的大片区域甚至整个太阳盘面，对于系统地探测和跟踪耀斑的时间演化至关重要，而多年来的日面观测图，即每日地图，将提供这个波长范围内太阳活动周期前所未有的视图。由于太阳是研究主序星活跃大气层的重要参考，用同一仪器观测太阳和其他恒星将释放出理解恒星活动及其对外行星影响的巨大诊断潜力。阿塔卡马大型毫米波望远镜（AtLAST）是一台提议在智利阿塔卡马沙漠建造的50米口径单 dish 望远镜，它将能够提供这些观测能力。AtLAST配备了大量探测器元件，用于探测宽频率范围内的辐射连续谱，将解决一系列科学课题，包括太阳色球层的热结构和加热、耀斑和日珥以及太阳活动周期。在本白皮书中，将讨论AtLAST的关键科学案例及其技术要求。
