Resolving stellar populations with integral field spectroscopy

TL;DR

This paper reviews how integral field spectroscopy, especially with the MUSE instrument, advances the study of resolved stellar populations in galaxies and clusters, highlighting recent progress and future prospects.

Contribution

It introduces the new PSF-fitting crowded field IFS method and reviews recent developments and results in stellar population studies using IFS.

Findings

Progress with MUSE in globular cluster studies

First results on nearby galaxy stellar populations

Synergy with future extremely large telescopes

Abstract

High-performance instruments at large ground-based telescopes have made integral field spectroscopy (IFS) a powerful tool for the study of extended objects such as galaxies, nebulae, or even larger survey fields on the sky. Here we discuss the capabilities of IFS for the study of resolved stellar populations, using the new method of PSF-fitting crowded field IFS, analogous to the well-established technique of crowded field photometry with image sensors. We review early pioneering work with first generation integral field spectrographs, the breakthrough achieved with the MUSE instrument at the ESO Very Large Telescope, the remarkable progress accomplished with MUSE in the study of globular clusters, and first results on nearby galaxies. We discuss the synergy of integral field spectrographs at 8-10m class telescopes with future facilities such as the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT).