Bibcode
van der Tak, F. F. S.; Madden, S. C.; Roelfsema, P.; Armus, L.; Baes, M.; Bernard-Salas, J.; Bolatto, A.; Bontemps, S.; Bot, C.; Bradford, C. M.; Braine, J.; Ciesla, L.; Clements, D.; Cormier, D.; Fernández-Ontiveros, J. A.; Galliano, F.; Giard, M.; Gomez, H.; González-Alfonso, E.; Herpin, F.; Johnstone, D.; Jones, A.; Kaneda, H.; Kemper, F.; Lebouteiller, V.; De Looze, I.; Matsuura, M.; Nakagawa, T.; Onaka, T.; Pérez-González, P.; Shipman, R.; Spinoglio, L.
Bibliographical reference
Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia, Volume 35, id.e002 17 pp.
Advertised on:
1
2018
Citations
14
Refereed citations
10
Description
The SPICA mid- and far-infrared telescope will address fundamental
issues in our understanding of star formation and ISM physics in
galaxies. A particular hallmark of SPICA is the outstanding sensitivity
enabled by the cold telescope, optimised detectors, and wide
instantaneous bandwidth throughout the mid- and far-infrared. The
spectroscopic, imaging, and polarimetric observations that SPICA will be
able to collect will help in clarifying the complex physical mechanisms
which underlie the baryon cycle of galaxies. In particular, (i) the
access to a large suite of atomic and ionic fine-structure lines for
large samples of galaxies will shed light on the origin of the observed
spread in star-formation rates within and between galaxies, (ii)
observations of HD rotational lines (out to 10 Mpc) and fine structure
lines such as [C ii] 158 μm (out to 100 Mpc) will clarify the main
reservoirs of interstellar matter in galaxies, including phases where CO
does not emit, (iii) far-infrared spectroscopy of dust and ice features
will address uncertainties in the mass and composition of dust in
galaxies, and the contributions of supernovae to the interstellar dust
budget will be quantified by photometry and monitoring of supernova
remnants in nearby galaxies, (iv) observations of far-infrared cooling
lines such as [O i] 63 μm from star-forming molecular clouds in our
Galaxy will evaluate the importance of shocks to dissipate turbulent
energy. The paper concludes with requirements for the telescope and
instruments, and recommendations for the observing strategy.
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