Invited Presentation

Polarization Observations with the Upgraded SMA

Author(s): Ramprasad Rao (ASIAA)

Presenter: Ramprasad Rao (ASIAA)

The Submillimeter Array (SMA) has been very successful in mapping polarization observations and magnetic field structures in a number of star forming regions ranging from low mass to high mass objects. The proposed upgrades will add significant polarimetry capability in terms of bandwidth, spectral coverage, and widefield mapping. We can expect a sensitivity improvement of a factor of a few (approximately 2-3). In addition, having a true dual polarization receiver system can help in eliminating some of the complexities that plague the current system which uses two independent receivers or a switched scheme. This talk will focus on both the technical aspects and scientific questions which can be addressed.