Ionized carbon atomic ISM explorer (ICE)

An Explorer-class satellite for an all-sky survey in the forbidden C II 157.7-micron line at low angular resolution (4 arcmin) and high spectral resolution (0.3 km/s) with complete Galactic velocity coverage (+ or - 300 km/s) is proposed. The C II line is as ubiquitous as the H I 21-cm line and the 2.6-mm line of CO and in addition provides crucial information complementary to the 21-cm and 2.6-mm data. Such a survey will map the large-scale Galactic distribution of the three phases of the atomic component as well as identify photoionized edges of star-forming regions. In particular, it will cleanly separate the cold, diffuse clouds and the intercloud H I along every line of sight. It will map the large-scale distribution of the warm, ionized medium, as well as the pressure in diffuse clouds. 15 references