COMAP

COMAP (for CO Mapping Array Project) is an intensity-mapping survey to detect high-redshift (high z) carbon monoxide looking for the CO(1-0) emission line. A pathfinder stage (COMAP pathfinder) looks for it over the z range of 2.4-to-3.8 and the CO(2-1) line over the z range of 5.8-to-7.9. Observations are in the 26-34 GHz range, where these spectral lines fall given the redshift. A challenge is separating this data from the foreground EMR that falls within this frequency range. The first phase is in operation: an imaging spectrometer on a 10-meter radio telescope (one of the Leighton telescopes) with a 19-pixel receiver, located at Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO). A second phase of five such telescopes is planned.

The pathfinder is preparation for an effort to map CO during the epoch of reionization. Current emphases is on the lower redshifts and developing techniques. The acronym/name COMAP earlier stood for CO Mapping Array Pathfinder, representing the pathfinder and the term Carbon Monoxide Mapping Array (COMA) was for a full, ambitious effort. Apparently, the name "COMAP" is now used for the entire effort.