Extremely Large Telescope

Abstract:

We present 7-180μm photometry of a sample of hyperluminous infrared galaxies (HyLIGs) obtained with the photometer and camera mounted on the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO). We have used state-of-the-art' radiative transfer models of obscured starbursts and dusty tori to model their broadband spectral energy distributions (SEDs). We find that IRAS F00235+1024, IRAS F14218+3845 and IRAS F15307+3252 require a combination of starburst and AGN components to explain their mid to far-infrared emission, while for TXS0052+471 a dust torus model alone is sufficient. For IRAS F00235+1024 and IRAS F14218+3845 the starburst component is the predominant contributor whereas for IRAS F15307+3252 the dust torus component dominates. The implied star formation rates (SFR) estimated from the starburst infrared luminosities are dM*,all/dt > 1000M⊙yr^-1h50^-2 and are amongst the highest SFRs estimated to date. We also demonstrate that the well-known radio-FIR correlation observed for extragalactic sources extends into both higher radio and infrared power than previously investigated. The relation for HyLIGs has a mean q value of 1.94. The results of this study imply that better sampling of the IR SEDs of HyLIGs may reveal that both AGN and starburst components are required to explain their emission from the NIR to the sub-millimetre.

Abstract:

We have measured the two-dimensional kinematics and line-strength distributions of 72 representative nearby early-type galaxies, out to approximately one effective radius, with our panoramic integral-field spectrograph SAURON. The resulting maps reveal a rich variety in kinematical structures and linestrength distributions, indicating that early-type galaxies are more complex systems than often assumed. We are building detailed dynamical models for these galaxies, to derive their intrinsic shape and dynamical structure, and to determine the mass of the supermassive central black hole. Here we focus on two examples, the compact elliptical M32 and the E3 galaxy NGC4365. These objects represent two extreme cases: M32 has very regular kinematics which can be represented accurately by an axisymmetric model in which all stars rotate around the short axis, while NGC4365 is a triaxial galaxy with a prominent kinematically decoupled core, with an inner core that rotates about an axis that is nearly perpendicular to the rotation axis of the main body of the galaxy. Our dynamical models for these objects demonstrate that two-dimensional observations are essential for deriving the intrinsic orbital structure and dark matter content of galaxies.

Abstract:

We present a system for the exchange and handling of cold field masks in LUCIFER, the near infrared camera and spectrograph for the LBT. Inside the LUCIFER cryostat, 10 field-stop and long-slit masks, and 23 multi-slit masks are stored in a stationary and an exchangeable cabinet respectively. With LUCIFER at operating temperature, the exchangeable cabinet with its multi-slit masks can be transferred from the LUCIFER cryostat to an auxiliary cryostat, and a second cabinet harboring the newly made, pre-cooled masks can be transferred back to LUCIFER from. a second auxiliary cryostat. Inside LUCIFER, a robot transports the individual masks from their storage position in the cabinet to the focal plane, and inserts them in a mask mount where they are centered on two pins. The position accuracy of the masks in the focal plane is anticipated to be better than +/-10 mum. A mechanism which locks the masks in their cabinets and releases only the one connected to the transport robot permits mask exchange in arbitrary orientation of the cryostat.

Abstract:

We describe the UK participation in the FMOS project to provide multi-object IR spectroscopy for the Subaru telescope. The UK is working on the design of an OH suppression IR spectrograph, this work comprises the optical design, the opto-mechanical layout, spectrograph thermal environment and cryogenics and detector control system. We give a progress report on the current design work.