The Hector Survey: integral field spectroscopy of 100,000 galaxies

TL;DR

The Hector survey aims to provide integral field spectroscopy data for 100,000 galaxies, enabling advanced galaxy evolution studies through a large, detailed dataset combining optical and radio observations.

Contribution

This paper introduces the Hector survey, a large-scale integral field spectroscopy project that will observe 100,000 galaxies, expanding the scope of galaxy evolution research.

Findings

Over a third of SAMI targets observed with immediate scientific impact.

Hector will observe 100,000 galaxies over 3000 square degrees.

Integration of optical spectroscopy with HI radio imaging.

Abstract

In March 2013, the Sydney--AAO Multi-object Integral field spectrograph (SAMI) began a major survey of 3400 galaxies at the AAT, the largest of its kind to date. At the time of writing, over a third of the targets have been observed and the scientific impact has been immediate. The Manga galaxy survey has now started at the SDSS telescope and will target an even larger sample of nearby galaxies. In Australia, the community is now gearing up to deliver a major new facility called Hector that will allow integral field spectroscopy of 100 galaxies observed simultaneously. By the close of the decade, it will be possible to obtain integral field spectroscopy of 100,000 galaxies over 3000 square degrees of sky down to r=17 (median). Many of these objects will have HI imaging from the new ASKAP radio surveys. We discuss the motivation for such a survey and the use of new cosmological simulations that are properly matched to the integral field observations. The Hector survey will open up a new and unique parameter space for galaxy evolution studies.