By:
Dr. Michael Shur, Professor, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Description:
Ancient astronomers looked into space with naked eyes. Galileo changed it all by inventing a telescope. Nowadays, instruments are used to explore space in the entire range from cosmic rays to radio waves, including the terahertz range of frequencies. The terahertz range (commonly defined as the range between 0.3 THz to 30 THz (i.e. having wavelengths from 1 mm to 10 µm) detects cold matter (140 K or less), such as clouds of gas and dust and our and nearby galaxies. The terahertz and sub-terahertz radiation is also used to explore the upper Earth atmosphere mapping the famous ozone holes, where the earth atmosphere is depleted of ozone. Ozone blocks UV radiation from the Sun, but this dangerous UV radiation reaches the Earth through the ozone holes causing increased rates of skin cancer and other damage to biological matter. Rapidly developing terahertz sensing technology holds promise for simpler, lighter, and more sensitive terahertz instrumentation for space exploration.
Terahertz sensing and imaging technology is also finding numerous applications on Earth ranging from explosives and biological hazardous agents detection to medical imaging and diagnosis and industrial controls. For example, terahertz technology has been used to detect faults in space shuttle tiles.
Final Program