Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific· 2015Q1
The Mid-Infrared Instrument for the<i>James Webb Space Telescope</i>, I: Introduction
- 455citations
- Q1SCImago
- 2015year
Short summary
The James Webb Space Telescope's Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) offers unprecedented sensitivity and sub-arcsecond resolution for infrared astronomy, enabling new observations of exoplanets and early galaxy formation.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- MIRI operates from 5 to 28.5 microns, offering unprecedented sensitivity and sub-arcsecond resolution.
- Key capabilities include imaging, low/medium resolution spectroscopy (with IFU), and coronagraphy.
- MIRI enables new observations of exoplanets (imaging, transit/eclipse spectroscopy).
- The instrument will probe early stages of star/planet formation and galaxy assembly.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
MIRI (the Mid-Infrared Instrument for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)) operates from 5 to 28.5 microns and combines over this range: 1.) unprecedented sensitivity levels; 2.) sub-arcsec angular resolution; 3.) freedom from atmospheric interference; 4.) the inherent stability of observing in space; and 5.) a suite of versatile capabilities including imaging, low and medium resolution spectroscopy (with an integral field unit), and coronagraphy. We illustrate the potential uses of this unique combination of capabilities with various science examples: 1.) imaging exoplanets; 2.) transit and eclipse spectroscopy of exoplanets; 3.) probing the first stages of star and planet formation, including identifying bioactive molecules; 4.) determining star formation rates and mass growth as galaxies are assembled; and 5.) characterizing the youngest massive galaxies. This paper is the introduction to a series of ten covering all aspects of the instrument.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 2015 · DOI ↗
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Field: Instrumentation
InstrumentationPhysics and Astronomy