MSV-2035 Astronomy Document - Inside Design - FINAL - FINAL

Astronomy & Astrophysics 80 detailed follow-up studies. At present, the country lacks wide field optical telescopes. Telescopes of this kind are essential for surveys and multi- messenger astronomy. A network of wide field robotic telescopes across the country (providing photometric and spectroscopic capabilities), taking advantage of the longitudinal location, will be highly beneficial in a quick search for electromagnetic counterparts of gravitational wave sources in the era of LIGO-India, and in the tracking and orbit determination of NEOs and space debris. Small robotic telescopes are also ideal for hands-on remote observing sessions by graduate and undergraduate students. 5.3.4 Future RadioAstronomy In radio astronomy, at the national level, there are active plans for an expansion of the GMRT facility, as a natural follow-up of what the recent upgrade has achieved. This initiative to expand the GMRT is currently evaluating options which would allow (a) an increase in the resolution (and hence the confusion limit) of the current GMRT, (b) better imaging capabilities for diffuse, extended structures, and (c) increasing the instantaneous field of viewof the antennas. Detailed design studies and trade-off analyses are underway for these different options, alongwith early prototyping of some of the crucial technologies. The expanded GMRT (eGMRT), when realised, would significantly enhance the low frequency radio astronomy capabilities in the country, keeping it relevant in the era of SKAPhase-1. Depending on the timeline of completion and success of the SKAPhase-1, plans for an expansion to the Phase-2 will be initiated, likely in the early 2030s. In keeping with this, the SKA project will continue to invest in R&D for these future needs, even as the Phase-1 is being constructed. Plans for India's participation in the SKAalso envisage support for R&D activities during the construction phase of SKA, for investing in future technologies for both in-country facilities (such as the eGMRT) and for continuedmeaningful participation in later phases of the SKAproject. 5.3.5 Himalayan Sub-MillimeterFacility The sub-millimeter (sub-mm) sky is a unique window for probing the architecture of the Universe and structures within it. From the discovery of dusty sub-mmgalaxies to the ringed nature of proto-stellar disks, our understanding of the formation, destruction, and evolution of objects in the Universe requires a comprehensive view of the sub-mm sky. In the past two decades the mm/sub-mm interferometers have enabled views into the finer details of regions/objects at the highest resolutions ever achieved leading to fantastic discoveries including the first image of a supermassive black hole at the center of an external galaxy. In spite of the importance of sub-mm wavelengths, there is at present no telescope facility in India to observe and study at these wavelengths. Although sub-mm observations are possible from ground-based facilities, the observations are constrained to several “windows” due to the atmospheric water vapor content. Lower the water vapor content, lesser the fraction of light that is absorbed by the atmosphere at sub-mm wavelengths. This becomes increasingly crucial at shorter wavelengths, where observations are only possible when the water vapor content is lower than a certain threshold. Hence, sub-mm facilities worldwide are located at high-altitude dry places. The Himalayan high-altitude desert region of Ladakh has numerous potential high-altitude sites at 5000–6000m amsl MEGA SCIENCE VISION-2035