Previous | Session 115 | Next | Author Index | Block Schedule
G. H. Rieke (Steward Observatory), G. S. Wright (UK Astronomy Technology Center), MIRI Science Team
The Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) will play a crucial role in JWST by obtaining images and spectra from 5 to 28 microns. MIRI is a combination imager and spectrograph. There are 4 science modes: 1.) imaging in a number of bands from 5.6 to 25.5. microns, within a field 1.9 by 1.4 arcmin; 2.) coronagraphy in four bands between 10 and 25 microns; 3.) single object low resolution (R ~ 100) spectroscopy from 5 to 11 microns; and 4.) medium resolution (R ~ 2000) integral field spectroscopy from 5 to 28.5 microns over fields growing with wavelength from 3.5 x 3.5 to 7 x 7 arcsec. The MIRI detectors will be high performance 1024 x 1024 Si:As IBC devices. MIRI will have a cryocooler to allow it to operate over the entire JWST mission. These aspects of the instrument are being developed under the leadership of JPL. The rest of the instrument hardware -- optics and optical bench -- is being developed by a consortium of European astronomical and technical institutions, led by the UK Astronomy Technology Center with EADS Astrium as Consortium Project Manager and coordinated through ESA.
Previous | Session 115 | Next
Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 37 #4
© 2005. The American Astronomical Soceity.