The commissioning of FTS-2

Despite that over half the energy emitted by the universe falls in the sub-millimetre wavelength region, and the fact that sub-millimetre astronomy enables the study of star formation, it remains an unexplored field. This is due to the low transmittance of the atmosphere and the complexity of the instrumentation. However, recent advances in technology have resulted in instruments that can explore this waveband. One such instrument, FTS-2, is a Fourier transform spectrometer that has been developed for use with a new bolometric camera SCUBA-2. FTS-2 will provide wide field imaging spectroscopy at sub-millimetre wavelengths. This thesis presents the current performance of FTS-2 based on the results obtained from commissioning. As with the application with any new technology, unforeseen issues emerged. The thesis identifies several issues and introduces potential solutions. Although limited astronomical data were obtained, spectra of Venus have been analysed, and provide an indication of the potential of FTS-2.