INFRARED ASTRONOMY AT THE SOUTH POLE: A Report to the OIR Panel of the Decadal Committee for Astronomy and Astrophysics

The mission of CARA, the Center for Astrophysical Research in Antarctica, is to explore and exploit the unique conditions at the geographic South Pole and to lay the foundation for an ongoing national observatory. A small prototype user-facility instrument has demonstrated that very sensitive imaging in the thermal infrared can be routinely performed at the South Pole. The site should be further developed with a larger, more sensitive telescope. The Antarctic Infrared Observatory (AIRO), a 2-meter infrared telescope optimized for wide-field imaging, queue observing, and standardized data processing, will provide a productive and reliable resource for the astronomical community through the coming decade.