Wide-field infrared explorer (WIRE)

Helene R. Schember; Perry B. Hacking

doi:10.1117/12.157845

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1 October 1993 Wide-field infrared explorer

Helene R. Schember, Perry B. Hacking

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Proceedings Volume 2019, Infrared Spaceborne Remote Sensing; (1993) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.157845
Event: SPIE's 1993 International Symposium on Optics, Imaging, and Instrumentation, 1993, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

We have proposed to build the Wide Field Infrared Explorer (WIRE), capable of detecting typical starburst galaxies at a redshift of 0.5, ultraluminous infrared galaxies beyond a redshift of 2, and luminous protogalaxies beyond a redshift of 5. This instrument will survey about 100 deg² of high Galactic latitude sky at 12 and 25 micrometers , in passbands where 20% of the luminosity from local starbursts is radiated. WIRE will measure the 12 - 25 micrometers color of the starburst galaxies, which is a powerful statistical luminosity indicator. The distribution of starburst galaxy 12 - 25 micrometers colors as a function of flux density will reveal their evolutionary history and perhaps the presence of protogalaxies at high redshifts. During its four-month mission lifetime, WIRE will gather important data on starburst galaxies and amass a catalog exceeding the size of the IRAS Point Source Catalog. WIRE is specifically designed to detect the maximum number of high-redshift starburst galaxies using an extremely small and simple instrument. The 28 cm aperture Cassegrain telescope has no moving parts and a wide 34 X 34 arcminute field of view.

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Helene R. Schember and Perry B. Hacking "Wide-field infrared explorer", Proc. SPIE 2019, Infrared Spaceborne Remote Sensing, (1 October 1993); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.157845

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