GLIMPSE II: Imaging the Central +/-10 Degrees of the Galactic Plane with IRAC
Abstract
The Galactic center region of our galaxy is unique with conditions not duplicated anywhere else in the Galaxy. Several large-scale features such as the central bar, a large stellar wind-blown bubble centered on the nucleus and perpendicular to the Galactic plane, and the nuclear bulge have been identified but their detailed properties such as size, axial ratios, orientation, mass, dynamics, etc. are poorly known. Even the distinction between the nuclear bulge and central bar has been questioned. Such poor understanding of fundamental features of our own Galaxy needs to be rectified. We propose here to provide a large sample of spectral energy distributions (SEDs from 1-8 microns) and positions of stellar tracers that will contribute to a better understanding of the large scale structures in the inner part of our Galaxy. We propose a fully sampled, unbiased, confusion-limited survey toward longitudes +/- 10 deg of the central region of the Galaxy in all 4 IRAC bands. The latitude coverage will be +/- 1 deg from |l|=10 deg to 5 deg, +/-1.5 deg from |l|=5 deg to 2 deg, and +/- 2 deg from |l|=2 deg to 0 deg. The main scientific goals of this proposal are to use a large sample of stars located in the inner Galaxy to: determine the content and distribution of stars in the inner Galaxy; the extent, stellar population, and interaction of the strong nuclear wind with the ambient interstellar medium above and below the nucleus of our Galaxy; and determine the rate and location of current star formation in the inner Galaxy. This survey will complete the coverage of the inner Galaxy from 0 deg to 65 deg on both sides of the Galactic center in all four IRAC bands when combined with the initial GLIMPSE survey. This survey will also enable many other scientific investigations by the wider community such as studies of supernovae, planetary nebulae, stellar populations, and correlations with objects detected at other wavelengths or energy regimes in the inner Galaxy.
- Publication:
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Spitzer Proposal
- Pub Date:
- June 2005
- Bibcode:
- 2005sptz.prop20201C