SLIDE 3 3
Definition of Science Requirements
- 1. Galactic star formation
Understand and quantify the physical environments associated with star-formation processes, from large-scale molecular filaments (~10 pc = 1.5° at Orion) down to small-scale cores (~0.1 pc = 50" at Orion) including their kinematics (ΔV = 0.03 km/s over 60 km/s), through wide-field observations and deep (σ ~ 0.1 Msun for a 10σ detection) integration of nearby star forming regions in CO J=3-2, J=4-3, their isotopes, and the [CI] lines, as well as key carbon-chain molecules which are the proxy for the chemical evolution.
- 2. Molecular evolution in galaxies
Probe the evolution of molecular clouds by mapping the distribution (~1 kpc = 21" at 10 Mpc) and kinematics (ΔV < 0.5 km/s over 1000 km/s) of the key total mass and dense gas tracers such as CO J=3-2, J=4-3 and [CI] in nearby (D < 10 Mpc) galaxies, including the Magellanic Clouds.
- 3. Distribution and star-formation history of obscured galaxies
in the early universe
Probe the large scale distribution and the history of obscured massive star formation in the universe by observing the bright (S850 > 10 mJy) submillimeter galaxies at z = 3-7 in the [CII] line and the underlying continuum and deriving their precise redshifts (Δz = 0.01 at z = 4), at a rate of one galaxy per night.
- 4. Demonstration science in submillimeter wavelength and
platform for ALMA2 development
Use ASTE as a telescope to obtain pilot Band 9/10 data for future ALMA proposals (including ACA standalone) that request high resolution/sensitivity follow-up. ASTE shall be used for the platform for ALMA2 development.
