The Mid-Infrared Instrument for the James Webb Space Telescope, I: Introduction
- Author(s)
- George H. Rieke, G. S. Wright, T. Böker, Jeroen Bouwman, Luis Colina, Alistair Glasse, K. D. Gordon, T. P. Greene, Manuel Güdel, Th. Henning, Kay Justtanont, Pierre-Olivier Lagage, M. E. Meixner, Hans Ulrik Nørgaard-Nielsen, Tom Ray, M. E. Ressler, Ewine Fleur van Dishoeck, Christoffel Waelkens
- Abstract
MIRI (the Mid-Infrared Instrument for the James Webb Space Telescope [JWST]) operates from 5 to 28.5 μm and combines over this range: (1) unprecedented sensitivity levels; (2) subarcsecond 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.
- Organisation(s)
- Department of Astrophysics
- External organisation(s)
- University of Arizona, Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), UK Astronomy Technology Centre, European Space Agency (ESA), Baltimore, Space Telescope Science Institute, Ghent University , NASA Ames Research Center, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich, Université Paris VII - Paris-Diderot, Johns Hopkins University, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Chalmers University of Technology, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, Leiden University, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
- Journal
- Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
- Volume
- 127
- Pages
- 584 - 594
- No. of pages
- 11
- ISSN
- 0004-6280
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1086/682252
- Publication date
- 07-2015
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 103003 Astronomy, 103004 Astrophysics
- ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Astronomy and Astrophysics, Space and Planetary Science
- Portal url
- https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/the-midinfrared-instrument-for-the-james-webb-space-telescope-i-introduction(36b88f13-819e-4efb-984f-0759d58e9dc1).html