Science with NIFS, Australia’s first Gemini instrument

Peter J. McGregor; Michael Dopita; Peter Wood; Michael G. Burton

doi:10.1071/AS01007

Science with NIFS, Australia’s first Gemini instrument

Peter J. McGregor^*, Michael Dopita, Peter Wood, Michael G. Burton

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) will be Australia’s first Gemini instrument. NIFS is a near-infrared, imaging spectrograph that will be used with the ALTAIR facility adaptive optics system on Gemini North to perform near-diffraction-limited imaging spectroscopy over a 3·0″ × 3·0″ field of view with 0·1″ wide slitlets and a spectral resolving power of ∼5300. NIFS will operate in the wavelength range from 0·94-2·50 μm where ALTAIR delivers its greatest gains. Its primary purpose is to study moderate-surface-brightness structures around discrete objects that are revealed at high spatial resolution by ALTAIR. NIFS will address a wide range of science from studies of Galactic star formation and the Galactic centre to the nature of disk galaxies at z ∼ 1. Studies of the demographics of massive black holes in galactic nuclei and studies of the excitation conditions in the inner narrow-line regions of Seyfert galaxies have been identified as two core NIFS programs. These and other science drivers for NIFS are discussed.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	41-57
Number of pages	17
Journal	Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia
Volume	18
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1071/AS01007
Publication status	Published - 2001

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title = "Science with NIFS, Australia{\textquoteright}s first Gemini instrument",

abstract = "The Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) will be Australia{\textquoteright}s first Gemini instrument. NIFS is a near-infrared, imaging spectrograph that will be used with the ALTAIR facility adaptive optics system on Gemini North to perform near-diffraction-limited imaging spectroscopy over a 3·0″ × 3·0″ field of view with 0·1″ wide slitlets and a spectral resolving power of ∼5300. NIFS will operate in the wavelength range from 0·94-2·50 μm where ALTAIR delivers its greatest gains. Its primary purpose is to study moderate-surface-brightness structures around discrete objects that are revealed at high spatial resolution by ALTAIR. NIFS will address a wide range of science from studies of Galactic star formation and the Galactic centre to the nature of disk galaxies at z ∼ 1. Studies of the demographics of massive black holes in galactic nuclei and studies of the excitation conditions in the inner narrow-line regions of Seyfert galaxies have been identified as two core NIFS programs. These and other science drivers for NIFS are discussed.",

keywords = "Galaxies: Seyfert, Galaxies: nuclei, Infrared: Galaxies, Instrumentation: spectrographs",

author = "McGregor, {Peter J.} and Michael Dopita and Peter Wood and Burton, {Michael G.}",

year = "2001",

doi = "10.1071/AS01007",

language = "English",

volume = "18",

pages = "41--57",

journal = "Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia",

issn = "1323-3580",

publisher = "Cambridge University Press",

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T1 - Science with NIFS, Australia’s first Gemini instrument

AU - McGregor, Peter J.

AU - Dopita, Michael

AU - Wood, Peter

AU - Burton, Michael G.

PY - 2001

Y1 - 2001

N2 - The Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) will be Australia’s first Gemini instrument. NIFS is a near-infrared, imaging spectrograph that will be used with the ALTAIR facility adaptive optics system on Gemini North to perform near-diffraction-limited imaging spectroscopy over a 3·0″ × 3·0″ field of view with 0·1″ wide slitlets and a spectral resolving power of ∼5300. NIFS will operate in the wavelength range from 0·94-2·50 μm where ALTAIR delivers its greatest gains. Its primary purpose is to study moderate-surface-brightness structures around discrete objects that are revealed at high spatial resolution by ALTAIR. NIFS will address a wide range of science from studies of Galactic star formation and the Galactic centre to the nature of disk galaxies at z ∼ 1. Studies of the demographics of massive black holes in galactic nuclei and studies of the excitation conditions in the inner narrow-line regions of Seyfert galaxies have been identified as two core NIFS programs. These and other science drivers for NIFS are discussed.

AB - The Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) will be Australia’s first Gemini instrument. NIFS is a near-infrared, imaging spectrograph that will be used with the ALTAIR facility adaptive optics system on Gemini North to perform near-diffraction-limited imaging spectroscopy over a 3·0″ × 3·0″ field of view with 0·1″ wide slitlets and a spectral resolving power of ∼5300. NIFS will operate in the wavelength range from 0·94-2·50 μm where ALTAIR delivers its greatest gains. Its primary purpose is to study moderate-surface-brightness structures around discrete objects that are revealed at high spatial resolution by ALTAIR. NIFS will address a wide range of science from studies of Galactic star formation and the Galactic centre to the nature of disk galaxies at z ∼ 1. Studies of the demographics of massive black holes in galactic nuclei and studies of the excitation conditions in the inner narrow-line regions of Seyfert galaxies have been identified as two core NIFS programs. These and other science drivers for NIFS are discussed.

KW - Galaxies: Seyfert

KW - Galaxies: nuclei

KW - Infrared: Galaxies

KW - Instrumentation: spectrographs

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U2 - 10.1071/AS01007

DO - 10.1071/AS01007

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SN - 1323-3580

VL - 18

SP - 41

EP - 57

JO - Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia

JF - Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia

IS - 1

ER -

Science with NIFS, Australia’s first Gemini instrument

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