Sensitive far-IR survey spectroscopy: BLISS for SPICA

  • C. M. Bradford
  • , Matt Kenyon
  • , Warren Holmes
  • , James Bock
  • , Timothy Koch
  • , P. Day
  • , H. Nguyen
  • , M. Werner
  • , R. Cofield
  • , C. Paine
  • , K. Irwin
  • , M. Harwit
  • , G. Stacey
  • , G. Helou
  • , L. Armus
  • , J. D. Smith
  • , S. Chapman
  • , G. Rieke
  • , D. Lester
  • , T. Nakagawa
  • H. Matsuhara, T. Onaka, H. Shibai, M. Tamura

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present a concept for BLISS, a sensitive far-IR-submillimeter spectrograph for SPICA. SPICA is a JAXA-led mission featuring a 3.5-meter telescope actively cooled to below 5K, envisioned for launch in 2017. The low-background platform is especially compelling for moderate-resolution survey spectroscopy, for which BLISS is designed. The BLISS / SPICA combination will offer line sensitivities below 10-20Wm-2 in modest integrations, enabling rapid survey spectroscopy of galaxies out to redshift 5. The far-IR fine-structure and molecular transitions which BLISS / SPICA will measure are immune to dust extinction, and will unambiguously reveal these galaxies' redshifts, stellar and AGN contents, gas properties, and heavy-element abundances. Taken together, such spectra will reveal the history of galaxies from 1 GY after the Big Bang to the present day. BLISS is comprised of five sub-bands, each with two R ∼ 700 grating spectrometer modules. The modules are configured with polarizing and dichroic splitters to provide complete instantaneous spectral coverage in two sky positions. To approach background-limited performance, BLISS detectors must have sensitivities at or below 5 × 10-20WHz-1/2, and the format is 10 arrays of several hundred pixels each. It is anticipated that these requirements can be met on SPICA's timescale with leg-isolated superconducting (TES) bolometers cooled with a 50 mK magnetic refrigerator.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationMillimeter and Submillimeter Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy IV
DOIs
StatePublished - 2008
EventMillimeter and Submillimeter Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy IV - Marseille, France
Duration: Jun 26 2008Jun 28 2008

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume7020
ISSN (Print)0277-786X

Other

OtherMillimeter and Submillimeter Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy IV
Country/TerritoryFrance
CityMarseille
Period6/26/086/28/08

Keywords

  • BLISS
  • Bolometers
  • Far-IR
  • SPICA
  • Spectroscopy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Sensitive far-IR survey spectroscopy: BLISS for SPICA'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this