The Polarimetry in the Ultraviolet to Find Features in INterStellar dust (PUFFINS) is a SmallSat mission concept designed to obtain ultraviolet (UV) spectropolarimetric observations to probe the interstellar dust grain properties and to understand wavelength-dependent extinction and star formation.

The understanding of interstellar grain alignment has been revolutionized by the development and observational testing of the “Radiative Alignment Torque” (RAT) theory.  Professor Alexandre Lazarian of the University of Wisconsin–Madison has been the leader in this theory effort for the last 30 years.  

“The modern understanding of the physical mechanisms of the alignment of the dust grains make the Puffins mission highly timely,” said Prof. Lazarian.

PUFFINS will follow up and expand on the observations performed with the “Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo Polarimetry Experiment” (WUPPE), which flew on the space shuttle in the early 1990s.  The WUPPE project was led by the late UW professor Art Code, with Professor emeritus Ken Nordsieck as co-PI.   Dr. Geoffrey Clayton who worked on the mission while a post-doctoral fellow at UW Madison, is a science team member of PUFFINS. UW has a legacy as a center for dust polarization studies, particularly through professors J. Mathis and K. Nordsieck.