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V. S. Meadows, B. Bhattacharya, W. T. Reach, C. Grillmair, A. Noriega-Crespo, E. L. Ryan, S. R. Tyler, L. M. Rebull (Spitzer Science Center/Caltech), J. D. Giorgini (JPL/Caltech), J. L. Elliot (MIT)
The Spitzer First Look Survey (FLS) provided an initial characterization of the infrared sky at Spitzer wavelengths and sensitivities. The ecliptic plane component (EPC) of the FLS was executed on Jan 21, 2004, and concentrated on two 0.13 deg2 fields at a solar elongation of 115 degrees, and ecliptic latitudes of 0 and +5 degrees. The FLS-EPC explored the small asteroid counts at 8 and 24\mum, with an initial detection limit down to 0.08 and 0.8 mJy, respectively, and a completeness limit almost twice as deep as the 8\mum equivalent flux density of the previous deepest mid-IR survey. Fifteen known and 19 unknown asteroids were identified, and asteroids detected at both wavelengths displayed similar 8 to 24\mum flux ratios of 0.11±.02. Corrected number counts per square degree for objects down to 0.1mJy at 8\mum were 150±40 for the 0 degree field, and 130±30 for the +5 degree field. Comparing number counts for the ecliptic latitude 0 degree and +5 degree fields indicates a slower-than-anticipated drop-off in contrast to predicted scale heights, possibly due to the presence of higher inclination objects in the small population sampled by Spitzer.
This work is based on observations made with the Spitzer Space Telescope, which is is operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology under NASA contract 1407. Support for this work was provided by NASA through an award issued by JPL/Caltech.
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 36 #4
© 2004. The American Astronomical Soceity.