What's Happening?
The SUPERBACK project aims to develop an empirically motivated background model to optimize observations made by the Roman Space Telescope. This initiative focuses on accurately accounting for large-scale diffuse foregrounds, such as Zodiacal Light and
Diffuse Galactic Light, which are critical for analyzing distant galaxies. The project will improve forecasting of these backgrounds and develop a pipeline to model them in Roman's Wide Field Imager (WFI) images. This effort is expected to enhance the quality of data for extragalactic observations and support a wide range of scientific inquiries, from cosmology to Solar System science.
Why It's Important?
Accurate background modeling is essential for the success of the Roman Space Telescope's scientific missions. By improving the quality of data, the SUPERBACK project will enable more precise measurements of cosmic phenomena, such as the diffuse cosmic optical and near-IR background. This will facilitate a better understanding of the universe's structure and evolution. The project also holds potential for advancing knowledge in areas like the structure of dust in our Solar System and the nature of diffuse Galactic Light. These improvements could lead to significant breakthroughs in astrophysics and cosmology.
What's Next?
The SUPERBACK project will first focus on improving predictions of Zodiacal Light and other background components. It will then develop a comprehensive pipeline to model these elements in WFI images, which will be made available to the scientific community. This pipeline is expected to enhance the quality of Roman's observations, supporting a wide range of scientific research. The project's outcomes will likely influence future space missions and contribute to a deeper understanding of the universe.
