The PRobe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics (PRIMA)
Carlotta Gruppioni (INAF - OAS)
Tuesday 08/04/2025 @ 14:00, Sala Antonio Sollima (IV piano Battiferro)
In this talk I will introduce PRIMA (the PRobe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics), a cryogenically-cooled, far-infrared observatory concept proposed to NASA’s Astrophysics Probe Explorer line (APEX) for a probe-class mission for thr 2030 decade. PRIMA is currently in a Phase A study period, with final mission selection expected in 2026. It includes both a sensitive wideband spectrometer (FIRESS) and a multi-band spectrophotometric imager and polarimeter (PRIMAger). The impressive advances in far-IR detector technology, together with the cooled primary mirror, enable a sensitivity limited by the astronomical background - orders of magnitude more powerful than anything previously deployed at these wavelengths. PRIMA's sensitivity unlocks the potential of the far-IR wavebands to advance astrophysics across a broad range of themes, from and AGN formation, to dust and interstellar medium evolution, to the formation of planets and planetary atmospheres. The majority of observing time will be devoted to Guest Observer programs to enable the astrophysics community to identify and plan the most critical observations, with focused PI programs to address key science with rapid releases of data to inform community planning.