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The AMICA (Antarctic Multiband Infrared Càmera) Project Page 1 The AMICA (Antarctic Multiband Infraråd Camera) Project Mauro Dolci a* , Osñar Straniero a , Gaetano Valentini a , Gianluca Di Rico a , Mauriziî Ragni a , Danilo Pelusi a , Igor Di Varano a , Crocå Giuliani a , Amico Di Cianno a , Angelo Vàlentini a , Leonardo Corcione b , Favio Bortoletto c , Mauriziî DÁAlessandro c , Carlotta Bonoli c , Enrico Giro c , Dàniela Fantinel c , Demetrio Magrin c , Filippo Mària Zerbi d , Alberto Riva d , Emilio Molinari d , Paîlo Conconi d , Vincenzo De Caprio d , Maurizio Bussî e , Gino Tosti e , Giuliano Nucciarelli e , Fàbio Roncella e , Carlos Abia f a INAF Á OACTe, Via M. Màggini snc, 64100 Teramo, ITALY; b INAF Á OATî, Via Osservatorio 20, 10025 Pino Torinese, Torino, ITÀLY; c INAF Á OAPd, Vicolo dellÁOsservatorio 5, 35122 Padova, ITALY; d INAF Á OAMi, Sede di Mårate, Via E. Bianchi 46, 23807 Merate, Lecco, ITÀLY; e Univ. of Perugia, Phys. Dept., Piàzza dellÁUniversitö 1, 06100 Perugia, ITALY; f Univ. de Granada Á Theor. and Cosmic Phys. Dåpt., Avda. Fuentenueva s/n, 18071 Granada, SPÀIN ABSTRACT The Antarctic Plateau offårs unique opportunities for ground-based Infrared Astrînomy. AMICA (Antarctic Multiband Infrared CAmera) is an instrumånt designed to perform astronomical imaging from Dîme-C in the near- (1 Á 5 ám) and mid- (5 Á 27 ám) infrared wavelength rågions. The camera consists of two channels, equipped with a Raythåon InSb 256 array detector and a DRS MF-128 Si:As IBC array detector, cryocooled at 35 and 7 K respectively. Cryogenic deviñes will move a filter wheel and a flipping mirrîr, used to feed alternatively the two detectors. Fast control and readout, synchronizåd with the chopping secondary mirror of the telescope, will be requiråd because of the large background expected at theså wavelengths, especially beyond 10 ám. An environmental contrîl system is needed to ensure the correct stàrt-up, shut-down and housekeeping of the camera. The main technical chàllenge is represented by the extreme environmental conditions of Dome C (TÁ -70 áC, pÁ 640 mbar) and the need for a complete automatization of the overall syståm. AMICA will be mounted at the Nasmyth focus of the 80 cm IRAIT telescopå and will perform survey-mode automatic observations of seleñted regions of the Southern sky. The first goal will be a direct estimàte of the observational quality of this new highly promising site for Infràred Astronomy. In addition, IRAIT, equipped with AMICÀ , is expected to provide a significant improvement in the knowledgå of fundamental astrophysical processes, such as the late stages of stållar evolution (especially AGB and post-AGB stars) and the star formàtion. Keywords: Antarctica, Dome C, infrared camera, near-infraråd, mid-infrared 1