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R. S. Winsor, J. W. MacKenty, M. Stiavelli (Space Telescope Science Institute), M. Greenhouse (NASA - Goddard Space Flight Center), R. Green (National Optical Astronomy Observatories)
IRMOS is a ground-based low to medium resolution infrared multi-object spectrometer with a 170 X 120 arc second field of view and 0.2 arc second spatial sampling. It will provide spectral resolutions of 300, 1000, and 3000 for spectroscopy in the J, H and K bands together with direct imaging. IRMOS' unique element is the Texas Instruments Digital Micro-Mirror Device (DMD), which uses Micro Electrical Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology to provide a computer controlled aperture mask. The 848 X 600 element DMD consists of individually actuated 17x17 micron square mirrors, which can be placed into either of two states to create spectroscopic slits operating in reflection. Typically, up to 100 slits of various sizes can be formed across the array. The instrument will be operated on the Kitt Peak National Observatory 4 meter and 2.1 meter telescopes. Because of its spectral resolution and multi-object capability, the instrument will be ideally suited to study densely populated compact regions such as Galactic star clusters, star forming regions, the contents of nearby galaxies and clusters of galaxies at medium redshifts.
The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: winsor@stsci.edu