Performance Estimation of the Mid-Infrared Camera and Spectrometer Aboard SPICA

The Space Infrared Telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics (SPICA) is an astronomical mission optimized for mid- and far-infrared astronomy, envisioned for launch in the 2020s. The Mid-infrared Camera and Spectrometer (MCS) is a model instrument that covers the 5–38[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m wavelength range and enables imaging and spectroscopic observations via four modules named WFC-S, WFC-L, HRS, and MRS. Both of the wide field camera (WFC) modules have a 5-arcmin square field of view (FOV) but cover different wavelength ranges; WFC for the short wavelength region (WFC-S) covers 5 to 24[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m, whereas WFC for the long wavelength region (WFC-L) covers 18 to 38[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m. The High Resolution Spectrometer (HRS) covers the 12–18[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m range with a resolving power of 22,000–30,000, and the Mid Resolution Spectrometer (MRS) performs integral filed units spectroscopy with a 12[Formula: see text] by 8[Formula: see text] FOV. MRS simultaneously covers the 12–38[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m range with a moderate resolving power of 720–2000. Here, we report sensitivity estimates from a detailed modeling process involving the instrument itself, the telescope, environmental conditions, and the system error budgets. We show that the WFC-S and HRS modules require an adaptive system to correct for telescope pointing error. In particular, band pass filters (BPFs) longer than 26[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m should be developed.

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Infrared Surveys Planned for ASTRO-F

Symposium - International Astronomical Union ◽

10.1017/s0074180900196779 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 216 ◽

pp. 347-352

Author(s):

Hiroshi Shibai

Keyword(s):

Far Infrared ◽

Wide Field ◽

Wavelength Band ◽

Mid Infrared ◽

Field Surveys ◽

Infrared Wavelength ◽

Sky Surveys ◽

Sky Survey ◽

Infrared Surveys ◽

Higher Sensitivity

The next survey mission, ASTRO-F, is scheduled for launch in 2005. This is the first Japanese satellite dedicated to infrared astronomy. The primary purpose of this project is to investigate the birth and evolution of galaxies in the early universe through deep, wide-field surveys at wavelengths ranging from 2 to 200 microns. In the far-infrared wavelength band, ASTRO-F will conduct an all-sky survey like the IRAS survey with several tens of times higher sensitivity and several times better spatial resolution. In the near- and mid-infrared, wide area sky-surveys will be conducted over pre-selected portions of the sky in 13 bands ranging from 2-200microns. In addition to these photometric surveys, low-resolution spectroscopic capabilities are available for all wavelength bands. The ASTRO-F mission will produce a fundamental database for the next generation of advanced observatories, for example Herschel, and JWST, and will complement the SIRTF mission by virtue of its wide sky coverage.

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AKARI/IRC broadband mid-infrared data as an indicator of the Star Formation Rate

Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union ◽

10.1017/s1743921312009416 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 7 (S284) ◽

pp. 357-359

Author(s):

Fang-Ting Yuan ◽

Tsutomu T. Takeuchi ◽

Véronique Buat ◽

Sébastien Heinis ◽

Elodie Giovannoli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Star Formation ◽

Star Formation Rate ◽

Formation Rate ◽

Infrared Camera ◽

Far Infrared ◽

Mid Infrared ◽

Extended Sources ◽

Nearby Galaxies ◽

First Time ◽

Infrared Data

AbstractWith the goal of constructing Star-Formation Rates (SFR) from AKARI Infrared Camera (IRC) data, we analyzed an IR-selected GALEX-SDSS-2MASS-AKARI(IRC & Far-Infrared Surveyor) sample of 153 nearby galaxies. The far-infrared fluxes were obtained from AKARI diffuse maps to correct the underestimation for extended sources raised by PSF photometry. SFRs of these galaxies were derived using the SED fitting program CIGALE. In spite of complicated features contained in these bands, both the S9W and L18W emissions correlate with the SFR of galaxies. The SFR calibrations using S9W and L18W are presented for the first time. These calibrations agree well with previous work based on Spitzer data within the scatter, and should be applicable to dust-rich galaxies.

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The ASTRO-F (IRIS) Mission

Symposium - International Astronomical Union ◽

10.1017/s0074180900226417 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 204 ◽

pp. 455-466 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Hiroshi Shibai

Keyword(s):

Spatial Resolution ◽

Far Infrared ◽

Wide Field ◽

Natural Background ◽

Mid Infrared ◽

Field Surveys ◽

Infrared Wavelength ◽

Sky Survey ◽

Aperture Diffraction ◽

Higher Sensitivity

ASTRO-F (IRIS) is the first Japanese satellite dedicated to infrared astronomy. The primary purpose of this project is to investigate the birth and evolution of galaxies in the early universe through deep, wide-field surveys at wavelengths ranging from 2 to 200 microns. The spatial resolution and the point source sensitivity are nearly the same as those of the aperture diffraction limit and the natural background and/or confusion limit, respectively. In the far-infrared wavelength band, ASTRO-F will conduct an all-sky survey like the IRAS survey with several tens of times higher sensitivity and several times better spatial resolution. In the near- and mid-infrared, wide area sky-surveys will be conducted over pre-selected portions of the sky. In addition to these photometric surveys, low-resolution spectroscopic capabilities are available for all wavelength bands. The ASTRO-F mission will produce a fundamental database for the next generation of advanced observatories, for example FIRST, and NGST, and will complement the SIRTF mission by virtue of its wide sky coverage. The launch by an M-V rocket is scheduled for February or March of 2004.

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Properties of mid- to far-infrared dust emission in the nearby superwind galaxy M82

Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union ◽

10.1017/s1743921312009076 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 7 (S284) ◽

pp. 210-212

Author(s):

Ko Arimatsu ◽

Takashi Onaka ◽

Itsuki Sakon ◽

Fumi Egusa ◽

Hidehiro Kaneda

Keyword(s):

Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽

Infrared Imaging ◽

Dust Emission ◽

Infrared Camera ◽

Far Infrared ◽

Emission Characteristics ◽

Imaging Data ◽

Mid Infrared ◽

Polycyclic Aromatic ◽

Intergalactic Space

AbstractUsing the reconstructed imaging data obtained with the Infrared Camera (IRC) on board AKARI, mid-infrared (MIR; 5-30 μm) emission characteristics of the superwind galaxy M82 are studied. The MIR images at four wavelengths (7, 11, 15, and 24 μm) show extended (out to distances of 4 kpc) emission mainly from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The MIR SED of M82 halo is surprisingly constant. Using far-infrared imaging data obtained by Herschel/SPIRE, we reveal that the PAH abundance relative to the big (sub-micron sized) grains radially increases by about a factor of three. These results imply that PAHs may be formed in small and dense molecular clumps in the halo and efficiently supplied to the intergalactic space by the galactic superwind.

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Serendipitous Spectroscopic Detection of Faint Galaxies at MIR with the IRC Onboard the AKARI During Its In-orbit PV Period

Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union ◽

10.1017/s1743921306006909 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 2 (S235) ◽

pp. 325-325

Author(s):

Y. Ohyama ◽

T. Wada ◽

I. Sakon ◽

M. Ishigaki ◽

T. Onaka ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Galaxy Evolution ◽

Luminosity Function ◽

Infrared Camera ◽

Wide Field ◽

Spectral Features ◽

Activity Type ◽

Infrared Source ◽

Mid Infrared ◽

Verification Period ◽

Template Fitting

AbstractThe InfraRed Camera (IRC) (Onaka et al. 2004), a wide-field (~10 × 10 arcmin2) NIR-MIR 2–26(μm) camera and spectrograph onboard the AKARI (formerly ASTRO-F) space telescope (Murakami et al. 2004), can perform slit-less spectroscopic survey. Many faint galaxies have been serendipitously detected during its in-orbit performance verification period thanks to the power of the slit-less spectroscopy. They are as faint as a few – several mJy in flux, but they can be easily recognized by their prominent spectroscopic features (e.g., PAH). Their redshift (≲0.3) can be measured through spectral template fitting over the features. We can thus obtain their basic information (redshift, activity type, and luminosity) to investigate nature of galaxies out to much greater distance at MIR than before. With the new IRC/AKARI data, we might be able to address some of the most interesting questions on galaxy evolution at z≃0.3–2 (e.g., Genzel & Cesarsky 2000; Peeters et al. 2004; Pearson 2005): What contributes to the excess found in mid-infrared source count studies with ISO/Spitzer surveys? How does the luminosity function evolve with redshift? How do the spectral features (PAH, etc.) evolve with redshift, and how they correlate with MIR and FIS luminosities with each other? We here demonstrate how MIR galaxy spectra thus obtained are useful for investigation of their basic properties.

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