UK Astronomy Roadmap Sets Strategic Priorities for Submillimetre and Millimetre Research
The UK Submillimetre and Millimetre Astronomy Roadmap 2024 outlines strategic priorities for the future of submillimetre and millimetre astronomy in the United Kingdom. This roadmap was developed in response to recommendations from the Astronomy Advisory Panel of the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). The authors conducted a survey of the UK submillimetre and millimetre community to identify key priorities for both the near-term and long-term future of the field.
Key strategic priorities identified include:
- The UK should be a key partner in the upcoming AtLAST telescope, which is a 50-meter single-dish telescope. Maintaining partnership in the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) is deemed essential in the intermediate term.
- The UK should enhance access to the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and aim to lead parts of instrument development for ALMA2040.
The roadmap emphasizes that the AtLAST and upgraded ALMA projects will work synergistically rather than in competition, addressing the same overarching scientific goals. This collaborative approach is expected to strengthen the UK's position in the global astronomy community.
The roadmap is a comprehensive document consisting of 91 pages and includes detailed reviews of the UK's leadership in submillimetre and millimetre science and instrumentation. It was submitted to the STFC in August 2024 and is available for public access.
The authors of the paper include K. Pattle, P. S. Barry, A. W. Blain, M. Booth, R. A. Booth, D. L. Clements, M. J. Currie, S. Doyle, D. Eden, G. A. Fuller, M. Griffin, and others. The paper can be cited as follows: Pattle, K., et al. (2024). The UK Submillimetre and Millimetre Astronomy Roadmap 2024. arXiv:2408.12975.