The Space Infrared Interferometric Telescope (SPIRIT): High-resolution   imaging and spectroscopy in the far-infrared

David Leisawitz (1); Charles Baker (1); Amy Barger (2); Dominic; Benford (1); Andrew Blain (3); Rob Boyle (1); Richard Broderick (1); Jason; Budinoff (1); John Carpenter (3); Richard Caverly (1); Phil Chen (1); Steve; Cooley (1); Christine Cottingham (4); Julie Crooke (1); Dave DiPietro (1),; Mike DiPirro (1); Michael Femiano (1); Art Ferrer (1); Jacqueline Fischer; (5); Jonathan P. Gardner (1); Lou Hallock (1); Kenny Harris (1); Kate Hartman; (1); Martin Harwit (6); Lynne Hillenbrand (3); Tupper Hyde (1); Drew Jones; (1); Jim Kellogg (1); Alan Kogut (1); Marc Kuchner (1); Bill Lawson (1),; Javier Lecha (1); Maria Lecha (1); Amy Mainzer (7); Jim Mannion (1); Anthony; Martino (1); Paul Mason (1); John Mather (1); Gibran McDonald (1); Rick Mills; (1); Lee Mundy (8); Stan Ollendorf (1); Joe Pellicciotti (1); Dave Quinn (1),; Kirk Rhee (1); Stephen Rinehart (1); Tim Sauerwine (1); Robert Silverberg; (1); Terry Smith (1); Gordon Stacey (6); H. Philip Stahl (9); Johannes; Staguhn (10); Steve Tompkins (1); June Tveekrem (1); Sheila Wall (1); and; Mark Wilson (1) ((1) NASA GSFC; (2) University of Wisconsin; (3) Caltech; (4); Lockheed Martin Technical Operations; (5) Naval Research Laboratory; (6); Cornell University; (7) Jet Propulsion Laboratory; Caltech; (8) University of; Maryland; College Park; (9) NASA MSFC; (10) SSAI)

arXiv:0707.0883·astro-ph·November 26, 2008

The Space Infrared Interferometric Telescope (SPIRIT): High-resolution imaging and spectroscopy in the far-infrared

David Leisawitz (1), Charles Baker (1), Amy Barger (2), Dominic, Benford (1), Andrew Blain (3), Rob Boyle (1), Richard Broderick (1), Jason, Budinoff (1), John Carpenter (3), Richard Caverly (1), Phil Chen (1), Steve, Cooley (1), Christine Cottingham (4), Julie Crooke (1)

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TL;DR

SPIRIT is a proposed space-based interferometer designed for high-resolution imaging and spectroscopy in the far-infrared, aiming to study planetary system formation, debris disks, and galaxy evolution.

Contribution

This study presents the design and scientific objectives of SPIRIT, a novel interferometric mission for far-infrared astronomy, complementing JWST and ALMA.

Findings

01

Designed to operate at 25-400 microns with R=3000 resolution.

02

Aims to image planetary disks and high-redshift galaxies.

03

Provides a new observational window in the far-infrared.

Abstract

We report results of a recently-completed pre-Formulation Phase study of SPIRIT, a candidate NASA Origins Probe mission. SPIRIT is a spatial and spectral interferometer with an operating wavelength range 25 - 400 microns. SPIRIT will provide sub-arcsecond resolution images and spectra with resolution R = 3000 in a 1 arcmin field of view to accomplish three primary scientific objectives: (1) Learn how planetary systems form from protostellar disks, and how they acquire their inhomogeneous composition; (2) characterize the family of extrasolar planetary systems by imaging the structure in debris disks to understand how and where planets of different types form; and (3) learn how high-redshift galaxies formed and merged to form the present-day population of galaxies. Observations with SPIRIT will be complementary to those of the James Webb Space Telescope and the ground-based Atacama Large…

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