04/12/02
Le-Bertre Thibaut LERMA, Observatoire de Paris
61, av. de l'Observatoire SF2A- PNPS-
75014 Paris, France
Presentation 1 : Oral
RESPIRE : An All-Sky Infrared Spectroscopic Survey (PNPS)
T. Le Bertre, for the RESPIRE consortium
The objective of RESPIRE is to carry out, from space, an all-sky spectro-imaging survey in the range 1.6 - 6.5 microns, with a spectral resolution of 90 and a spatial resolution of 12 arcsec., in four years or more. This spectral range, essentially opaque from the ground, is very rich in spectral features that trace the stellar populations and the interstellar medium in all its forms (molecular, atomic and ionised gas, PAHs, dust, ices). Excellent performances in detection will be reached (500 and 10 microJy at 3 microns, in standard and long exposure modes, respectively) thanks to the passive cooling of the whole instrument down to 60 - 80 K.