Preliminary site quality analysis for an Indian sub-millimetre telescope

Mayuri S.

Site quality is an important metric for telescope performance. We investigate the Ladakh region in the Himalayan plateau for an Indian sub-millimetre (sub-mm) observatory. Using publicly available reanalysis measures of precipitable water vapor (PWV), we investigate multiple sites in the region and derive transmissivity and atmospheric contribution to receiver noise over months in a calendar year. For sites meeting a threshold criterion of PWV, we make a comparison with other sites around the world that house existing or upcoming observatories. Having provided a baseline estimate from available data and models, we make a case for a more accurate localized measurement to choose the best site among promising candidates of site quality using dedicated instruments to maximize the sensitivity of upcoming any sub-mm telescopes. The development of one such measurement system is also discussed