Absolute calibration and characterization of the multiband imaging photometer for Spitzer. IV. The spectral energy distribution mode

Nanyao Lu, Paul S. Smith, Charles W. Engelbracht, Alberto Noriega-Crespo, Jane Morrison, Karl D. Gordon, John Stansberry, Francine R. Marleau, George H. Rieke, Roberta Paladini, Deborah L. Padgett, Jocelyn Keene, William B. Latter, Dario Fadda, Jeonghee Rho

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

24 Scopus citations

Abstract

The spectral energy distribution (SED) mode of the Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer (MIPS) aboard the Spitzer Space Telescope provides low-spectral resolution (R ≈ 15-25) spectroscopy in the far-infrared using the MIPS 70 μm detector. A reflective grating provides a dispersion of 1.7 μm per pixel, and an effective wavelength coverage of 52.8-98.7 μm over detector rows 1-27. The final 5 detector rows are contaminated by second-order diffracted light and are left uncalibrated. The flux calibration is based on observations of MIPS calibration stars with 70 μm flux densities of 0.5-15 Jy. The point-source flux calibration accuracy is estimated to be 10% or better down to about 0.5 Jy at the blue end of the spectrum and to ∼2 Jy near the red end. With additional uncertainties from the illumination and aperture corrections included, the surface brightness calibration of extended sources is accurate to ∼15%. Repeatability of better than 5% is found for the SED mode through multiple measurements of several calibration stars.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)328-338
Number of pages11
JournalPublications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Volume120
Issue number865
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2008

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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