Institut de radioastronomie millimétrique
Encyclopedia
The Institut de radioastronomie millimétrique (IRAM) operates two observatories for radio astronomy
at millimeter wavelengths
, which are open to the international astronomical community: the 30-m
single-dish radio telescope
located on Pico Veleta
(2850 m) in the Spanish Sierra Nevada
(Andalucia, Spain
), and the six-antenna interferometer on the Plateau de Bure (2550 m) in the French Alps
. Both sites are at high altitude
to reduce the absorption by water vapor
. The observatories are supported by the IRAM offices and laboratories in Granada
and Grenoble
, respectively. IRAM, which is directed by Pierre Cox, has its headquarters in Grenoble
.
IRAM was founded in 1979 and is operated as a French-German-Spanish collaboration. Its partner institutes are the CNRS (Centre national de la recherche scientifique, France), the MPG
(Max Planck Gesellschaft, Germany), and the IGN
(Instituto Geográfico Nacional, Spain). The principal activity of IRAM is the study of mostly cold matter (e.g. interstellar molecular gas and dust) in the solar system
, in our Milky Way
, and other galaxies
out to cosmological
distances in order to determine their composition, physical parameters and history.
Radio astronomy
Radio astronomy is a subfield of astronomy that studies celestial objects at radio frequencies. The initial detection of radio waves from an astronomical object was made in the 1930s, when Karl Jansky observed radiation coming from the Milky Way. Subsequent observations have identified a number of...
at millimeter wavelengths
Extremely high frequency
Extremely high frequency is the highest radio frequency band. EHF runs the range of frequencies from 30 to 300 gigahertz, above which electromagnetic radiation is considered to be low infrared light, also referred to as terahertz radiation...
, which are open to the international astronomical community: the 30-m
IRAM 30-m
The IRAM 30-m Millimeter Radio Telescope is a radio telescope for astronomical observations in the millimeter range of wavelengths, operated by the Institute for Radio Astronomy in the Millimeter Range ) and located on the Sierra Nevada, in Spain, close to the Pico Veleta peak. It is the largest...
single-dish radio telescope
Telescope
A telescope is an instrument that aids in the observation of remote objects by collecting electromagnetic radiation . The first known practical telescopes were invented in the Netherlands at the beginning of the 1600s , using glass lenses...
located on Pico Veleta
Veleta (Sierra Nevada)
Veleta or Pico del Veleta is the third highest peak of the Iberian peninsula and the second highest in the Sierra Nevada. Its height is given variously as , and ....
(2850 m) in the Spanish Sierra Nevada
Sierra Nevada (Spain)
The Sierra Nevada is a mountain range in the region of provinces of Granada and Almería in Spain. It contains the highest point of continental Spain, Mulhacén at 3478 m above sea level....
(Andalucia, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
), and the six-antenna interferometer on the Plateau de Bure (2550 m) in the French Alps
French Alps
The French Alps are those portions of the Alps mountain range which stand within France, located in the Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur regions....
. Both sites are at high altitude
Altitude
Altitude or height is defined based on the context in which it is used . As a general definition, altitude is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The reference datum also often varies according to the context...
to reduce the absorption by water vapor
Water absorption
During the transmission of electromagnetic radiation through a medium containing water molecules, portions of the electromagnetic spectrum are absorbed by water molecules...
. The observatories are supported by the IRAM offices and laboratories in Granada
Granada
Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence of three rivers, the Beiro, the Darro and the Genil. It sits at an elevation of 738 metres above sea...
and Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
, respectively. IRAM, which is directed by Pierre Cox, has its headquarters in Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
.
IRAM was founded in 1979 and is operated as a French-German-Spanish collaboration. Its partner institutes are the CNRS (Centre national de la recherche scientifique, France), the MPG
MPG
MPG or mpg may refer to:*.mpg, one of a number of file extensions for MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 audio and video compression*General Motors Milford Proving Ground*Havas Media, formerly known as Media Planning Group, a media division of Havas...
(Max Planck Gesellschaft, Germany), and the IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
(Instituto Geográfico Nacional, Spain). The principal activity of IRAM is the study of mostly cold matter (e.g. interstellar molecular gas and dust) in the solar system
Solar System
The Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...
, in our Milky Way
Milky Way
The Milky Way is the galaxy that contains the Solar System. This name derives from its appearance as a dim un-resolved "milky" glowing band arching across the night sky...
, and other galaxies
Galaxy
A galaxy is a massive, gravitationally bound system that consists of stars and stellar remnants, an interstellar medium of gas and dust, and an important but poorly understood component tentatively dubbed dark matter. The word galaxy is derived from the Greek galaxias , literally "milky", a...
out to cosmological
Cosmology
Cosmology is the discipline that deals with the nature of the Universe as a whole. Cosmologists seek to understand the origin, evolution, structure, and ultimate fate of the Universe at large, as well as the natural laws that keep it in order...
distances in order to determine their composition, physical parameters and history.