TY - JOUR
T1 - The Spitzer Survey of Stellar Structure in Galaxies (S4G)
AU - Sheth, Kartik
AU - Regan, Michael
AU - Hinz, Joannah L.
AU - De Pazz, Armando Gil
AU - Menéndez-Delmestre, Karín
AU - Muñoz-Mateos, Juan Carlos
AU - Seibert, Mark
AU - Kim, Taehyun
AU - Laurikainen, Eija
AU - Salo, Heikki
AU - Gadotti, Dimitri A.
AU - Laine, Jarkko
AU - Mizusawa, Trisha
AU - Armus, Lee
AU - Athanassoula, E.
AU - Bosma, Albert
AU - Buta, Ronald J.
AU - Capak, Peter
AU - Jarrett, Thomas H.
AU - Elmegreen, Debra M.
AU - Elmegreen, Bruce G.
AU - Knapen, Johan H.
AU - Koda, Jin
AU - Helou, George
AU - Ho, Luis C.
AU - Madore, Barry F.
AU - Masters, Karen L.
AU - Mobasher, Bahram
AU - Ogle, Patrick
AU - Peng, Chien Y.
AU - Schinnerer, Eva
AU - Surace, Jason A.
AU - Zaritsky, Dennis
AU - Comerón, Sébastien
AU - De Swardt, Bonita
AU - Meidt, Sharon E.
AU - Kasliwal, Mansi
AU - Aravena, Manuel
PY - 2010/12
Y1 - 2010/12
N2 - The Spitzer Survey of Stellar Structure in Galaxies (S4G) is an Exploration Science Legacy Program approved for the Spitzer post-cryogenic mission. It is a volume-, magnitude-, and size-limited (d > 40 Mpc, |b| > 30°, mBcorr < 15:5, and D25 > 1′) survey of 2331 galaxies using the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) at 3.6 and 4.5 μm. Each galaxy is observed for 240 s and mapped to ≥1:5 × D25. The final mosaicked images have a typical 1σ rms noise level of 0.0072 and 0:0093 MJy sr-1 at 3.6 and 4.5 μm, respectively. Our azimuthally averaged surface brightness profile typically traces isophotes at μ36μm(AB)(1σ) ∼ 27 magarcsec-2, equivalent to a stellar mass surface density of ∼1 Ṁpc-2. S4G thus provides an unprecedented data set for the study of the distribution of mass and stellar structures in the local universe. This large, unbiased, and extremely deep sample of all Hubble types from dwarfs to spirals to ellipticals will allow for detailed structural studies, not only as a function of stellar mass, but also as a function of the local environment. The data from this survey will serve as a vital testbed for cosmological simulations predicting the stellar mass properties of present-day galaxies. This article introduces the survey and describes the sample selection, the significance of the 3.6 and 4.5 μm bands for this study, and the data collection and survey strategies. We describe the S4G data analysis pipeline and present measurements for a first set of galaxies, observed in both the cryogenic and warm mission phases of Spitzer. For every galaxy we tabulate the galaxy diameter, position angle, axial ratio, inclination at μ36μm(AB) = 25:5, and 26:5 mag arcsec-2 (equivalent to ≈μ B(AB) = 27:2 and 28:2 magarcsec-2, respectively). These measurements will form the initial S4G catalog of galaxy properties. We also measure the total magnitude and the azimuthally averaged radial profiles of ellipticity, position angle, surface brightness, and color. Finally, using the galaxy-fitting code GALFIT, we deconstruct each galaxy into its main constituent stellar components: the bulge/spheroid, disk, bar, and nuclear point source, where necessary. Together, these data products will provide a comprehensive and definitive catalog of stellar structures, mass, and properties of galaxies in the nearby universe and will enable a variety of scientific investigations, some of which are highlighted in this introductory S 4G survey paper.
AB - The Spitzer Survey of Stellar Structure in Galaxies (S4G) is an Exploration Science Legacy Program approved for the Spitzer post-cryogenic mission. It is a volume-, magnitude-, and size-limited (d > 40 Mpc, |b| > 30°, mBcorr < 15:5, and D25 > 1′) survey of 2331 galaxies using the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) at 3.6 and 4.5 μm. Each galaxy is observed for 240 s and mapped to ≥1:5 × D25. The final mosaicked images have a typical 1σ rms noise level of 0.0072 and 0:0093 MJy sr-1 at 3.6 and 4.5 μm, respectively. Our azimuthally averaged surface brightness profile typically traces isophotes at μ36μm(AB)(1σ) ∼ 27 magarcsec-2, equivalent to a stellar mass surface density of ∼1 Ṁpc-2. S4G thus provides an unprecedented data set for the study of the distribution of mass and stellar structures in the local universe. This large, unbiased, and extremely deep sample of all Hubble types from dwarfs to spirals to ellipticals will allow for detailed structural studies, not only as a function of stellar mass, but also as a function of the local environment. The data from this survey will serve as a vital testbed for cosmological simulations predicting the stellar mass properties of present-day galaxies. This article introduces the survey and describes the sample selection, the significance of the 3.6 and 4.5 μm bands for this study, and the data collection and survey strategies. We describe the S4G data analysis pipeline and present measurements for a first set of galaxies, observed in both the cryogenic and warm mission phases of Spitzer. For every galaxy we tabulate the galaxy diameter, position angle, axial ratio, inclination at μ36μm(AB) = 25:5, and 26:5 mag arcsec-2 (equivalent to ≈μ B(AB) = 27:2 and 28:2 magarcsec-2, respectively). These measurements will form the initial S4G catalog of galaxy properties. We also measure the total magnitude and the azimuthally averaged radial profiles of ellipticity, position angle, surface brightness, and color. Finally, using the galaxy-fitting code GALFIT, we deconstruct each galaxy into its main constituent stellar components: the bulge/spheroid, disk, bar, and nuclear point source, where necessary. Together, these data products will provide a comprehensive and definitive catalog of stellar structures, mass, and properties of galaxies in the nearby universe and will enable a variety of scientific investigations, some of which are highlighted in this introductory S 4G survey paper.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=78650621229&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=78650621229&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1086/657638
DO - 10.1086/657638
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:78650621229
SN - 0004-6280
VL - 122
SP - 1397
EP - 1414
JO - Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
JF - Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
IS - 898
ER -