Far-infrared heterodyne spectroscopy

A new far-infrared heterodyne spectrometer has been built for ground-based observations at the Cassegrain focus. The receiver, which features a Schottky-diode mixer and a laser local oscillator, was used in January 1984, to detect the 809 GHz fine-structure line of neutral carbon in OMCl. A second-generation version of the spectrometer is now being constructed for airborne observations between 600 and 1500 GHz.