While some instruments for the 8-10m class of telescopes are conceived as Redshift Machines, the main scientific motivation for OSIRIS is to be a Star Formation Machine, unique to provide an homogeneous and consistent mapping of star formation indicators in nearby and back to the furthest observable galaxies with GTC.
In particular, star formation in galaxies as a function of redshift is a classical topic and one main objective of several current projects of instruments for large telescopes both, ground based and aboard satellites. These projects are mainly aimed to moderately large redshifted galaxies, via the near-infrared study of their optical emission lines, or to higher redshifts by means of far-infrared SEDs and lines. Objectives of highest priority for OSIRIS are two main areas left relatively untouched by these other programs: star formation rates in field and cluster galaxies at intermediate redshifts, and the UV emission spectra of large redshift galaxies. This field, widely developed in relatively small telescopes and currently pursued by 8-10m class telescopes, is an area were important contributions are expected, using specially tuned spectral indicators (for age, abundances and initial mass function determinations) based on absorption lines and synthesis techniques. Together with the nebular study of star formation in nearby galaxies, OSIRIS plans to make a consistent connection among the observations of local, intermediate and hopefully distant galaxies.
| About Science with OSIRIS... |
 Main
Science Programs |
|
Science Program |
| About the Observing Modes... |
| Observing
Modes |
| Useful
links for the use of the observing modes |
| About Tunable Filters... |
| Change
in Central Wavelength over the Field |
Last update August 28, 2008, by Héctor Castañeda