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M. J. Griffin (Cardiff University, UK), B. M. Swinyard (Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, UK), L. Vigroux (CEA, Saclay, France)
SPIRE, the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver, will be an imaging photometer and spectrometer for ESA's Herschel Space Observatory. Its main scientific goals and design drivers are deep extragalactic and galactic imaging surveys and spectroscopy of star-forming regions in own and nearby galaxies. SPIRE comprises a three-band imaging photometer operating at 250, 360 and 520 microns, and an imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) covering 200-670 microns. The instrument uses feedhorn-coupled NTD spider-web bolometers cooled to 300 mK by a recyclable Helium-3 refrigerator. The photometer has a field of view of 4 x 8 arcminutes which is observed simultaneously in the three spectral bands. The angular resolution is determined by the telescope diffraction limit, with FWHM beam widths of approximately 17, 24 and 35 arcseconds at 250, 360 and 520 microns, respectively. An internal beam steering mirror can be used for spatial modulation of the telescope beam, and large-area survey observations can also be made by scanning the telescope. The FTS has a field of view of 2.6 arcminutes and adjustable spectral resolution of 0.04-2 cm-1 (Lambda/Delta-Lambda = 20 - 1000 at 250 microns). The instrument design, operating modes, and estimated sensitivity will be described.
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 36 #2
© YEAR. The American Astronomical Soceity.