Science Goals | Science Objectives | Physical Parameters | Observables | Instrument Requirements | Projected Performance | Mission-Level Requirements |
Characterize radio foregrounds in the 1-100 MHz frequency range to determine feasibility of ground and space-based HI intensity mapping experiments probing the Dark Ages and Epoch of Reionization. Related NASA Objectives from the Astrophysics Roadmap and Astro2020 Decadal Survey:
| Determine whether HI absorption by spinning dust grains poses a significant foreground contaminant for both ground and space-based measurements of HI from Cosmic Dawn. | Total, all-sky averaged brightness temperature (i.e., intensity referenced to a blackbody spectrum) measured by the antenna as a function of frequency between 1-100 MHz. | A ~50 mK absorption feature in the 20-80 MHz range produced by the absorption of Galactic synchrotron emission by interstellar dust. | Frequency resolution: ≤ 50 kHz��Min. Frequency: 1 MHz��Max. Frequency [Baseline]: 100 MHz Max. Frequency [Threshold]: 90 MHz��System Temperature: <350 K��Sampling Time: <= 1 min.��Antenna Length: 3.3 meters�� | Frequency resolution: 50 kHz��Min. Frequency: 1 MHz��Max. Frequency: 90 MHz��System Temperature: 250 to 330 K��Sampling Time: 1 min��Antenna Length: 3.3 meters | Total observation time ~560 hours when the spacecraft is on the far side of the Moon from waning through waxing gibbous lunar phases. Antenna boresight at declination of –70+/-10 deg and right ascension between |20+/-10| and |80+/-10| deg to avoid the Galactic plane Location: +/- 65 degrees from the anti-Earth point to overlap with projected location of FARSIDE. Orbital altitude <100 km to optimize shielding from terrestrial RFI on the lunar far side. RFI/EMI <-80 dB suppression to avoid self noise from the spacecraft. |
Measure the spectrum of Galactic synchrotron emission in the 1-100 MHz frequency range. | All-sky averaged brightness temperature of Galactic synchrotron radiation as a function of frequency. | |||||
Distinguish terrestrial and solar-origin radio frequency interference (RFI) in terms of peak frequency and bandwidth, temporal duration, and intensity. | Total RFI intensity as a function of time or orbital phase. RFI sources include terrestrial-based radio sources (e.g., satellite telecommunications) and solar radio bursts. | Frequency-time dynamic spectra covering 1-100 MHz with a sampling time < 1 minute in order to resolve short time-scale RFI. |