Direct Measurements of Atmospheric Absorption of Subterahertz Waves in the Northern Caucasus

The first results of direct expedition measurements of atmospheric absorption of electromagnetic waves in the sub-terahertz frequency range of 0.1–1 THz, carried out in order to select an optimal site from the point of view of the microwave astroclimate for development of an observatory that can become an element of the radio interferometer of the Suffa observatory and, in the future, enter into collaboration with the Event horizon telescope (EHT), are presented in brief. The EHT, presenting an image of the shadow of a black hole, today consists of a dozen antennas located around the globe, and at present has no elements in its network in northern Eurasia. The studies performed may be useful not only for radio astronomy problems, but also for space communications, radar of the Moon, asteroids, and the detection of space debris objects. The first results of direct measurements of propagation of subterahertz waves at the selected sites confirmed the initial hypothesis of the expedition. This hypothesis was formulated on the basis of an analysis of meteorological data, as well as satellite data on atmospheric absorption in other ranges: optics and low-frequency radio bands. It was assumed that the work in the subterahertz frequency range in the eastern part of the northern Caucasus is more promising than in the western Caucasus. The western part is more attractive because today there are a number of observatories already operating, and the installation of one more antenna would have been much easier in terms of the necessary infrastructure and required highly qualified personnel. The hypothesis of the predominance of the eastern part was convincingly confirmed in the completed research by comparing the absorption in the 2- and 3-mm bands from the previously surveyed areas of the Western Caucasus (Terskol peak, Pastukhov mountain, KMO, BTA, RATAN-600 sites, etc.) with those studied during the expedition in 2021 for the Eastern sites on the Mayak (Gunib), Stolovaya, and Shalbuzdag mountains. Even measurements at the highest peak not only in the Western Caucasus, but also in Europe, at Mount Elbrus, carried out as part of this expedition, gave results worse than those in Dagestan and North Ossetia, confirming the futility of further search for a place for an effective subterahertz instrument in the eastern part of the North Caucasus.