Galactic Archeology with 4MOST

TL;DR

4MOST is a new spectroscopic survey instrument aimed at advancing Galactic Archeology by studying the Milky Way's structure, composition, and ancient stars through large-scale, community-accessible surveys starting in 2022.

Contribution

This paper outlines the science goals and survey design of 4MOST for Galactic Archeology, highlighting its capabilities and community participation opportunities.

Findings

Designed to address key Galactic science questions

Will characterize Milky Way components chemo-dynamically

Aims to discover extremely metal-poor stars

Abstract

4MOST is a new wide-field, high-multiplex spectroscopic survey facility for the VISTA telescope of ESO. Starting in 2022, 4MOST will deploy more than 2400 fibres in a 4.1 square degree field-of-view using a positioner based on the tilting spine principle. In this ontribution we give an outline of the major science goals we wish to achieve with 4MOST in the area of Galactic Archeology. The 4MOST Galactic Archeology surveys have been designed to address long-standing and far-reaching problems in Galactic science. They are focused on our major themes: 1) Near-field cosmology tests, 2) Chemo-dynamical characterisation of the major Milky Way stellar components, 3) The Galactic Halo and beyond, and 4) Discovery and characterisation of extremely metal-poor stars. In addition to a top-level description of the Galactic surveys we provide information about how the community will be able to join 4MOST via a call for Public Spectroscopic Surveys that ESO will launch.