Auto-Correlation Spectrometer and Imaging System

ACSIS is an instrument being built by the Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory in Penticton, Canada, in collaboration with the Royal Observatory Edinburgh in Scotland, the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory in Victoria, Canada and the U.S. National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Charlottesville.

ACSIS is an autocorrelator to be operated with sub-mm and mm-wave heterodyne arrays being built for the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope in Hawaii. The array program (known as HARP ) will provide a frontend array for both B and D band. The goals of the ACSIS and HARP projects are to provide fast heterodyne imaging capabilities, to significantly increase the spectral bandwidth and resolution available, and to allow new observing modes. The main emphasis will be on spectral imaging, consequently the reduction and display of image data in real-time is an important part of the ACSIS project. When connected to the HARP arrays, this instrument is designed to complement the continuum mapping capabilities now being provided by SCUBA on the telescope.

Technical ACSIS Project Site