Galaxy evolution spectroscopic explorer: scientific rationale

Sara Heap; Zoran Ninkov; Massimo Robberto; Tony Hull; Lloyd Purves

doi:10.1117/12.2234235

19 July 2016 Galaxy evolution spectroscopic explorer: scientific rationale

Sara Heap, Zoran Ninkov, Massimo Robberto, Tony Hull, Lloyd Purves

Proceedings Volume 9905, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2016: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray; 990505 (2016) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2234235
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2016, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Abstract

GESE is a mission concept consisting of a 1.5-m space telescope and UV multi-object slit spectrograph designed to help understand galaxy evolution in a critical era in the history of the universe, where the rate of star-formation stopped increasing and started to decline. To isolate and identify the various processes driving the evolution of these galaxies, GESE will obtain rest-frame far-UV spectra of 100,000 galaxies at redshifts, z~1-2. To obtain such a large number of spectra, multiplexing over a wide field is an absolute necessity. A slit device such as a digital micro-mirror device (DMD) or a micro-shutter array (MSA) enables spectroscopy of a hundred or more sources in a single exposure while eliminating overlapping spectra of other sources and blocking unwanted background like zodiacal light. We find that a 1.5-m space telescope with a MSA slit device combined with a custom orbit enabling long, uninterrupted exposures (~10 hr) are optimal for this spectroscopic survey. GESE will not be operating alone in this endeavor. Together with x-ray telescopes and optical/near-IR telescopes like Subaru/Prime Focus Spectrograph, GESE will detect “feedback” from young massive stars and massive black holes (AGN’s), and other drivers of galaxy evolution.

Citation Download Citation

Sara Heap, Zoran Ninkov, Massimo Robberto, Tony Hull, and Lloyd Purves "Galaxy evolution spectroscopic explorer: scientific rationale", Proc. SPIE 9905, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2016: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 990505 (19 July 2016); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2234235

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