Wide-Field Slitless Spectroscopy with JWST's NIRISS. Issue Volume 11:Issue S319(2015) (17th August 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dixon, William V.; Ravindranath, Swara; Willott, Chris J.
• Editors: Kaviraj, S.
• Is Part Of: Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union. Volume 11:Issue S319(2015)
• Page Start: 11
• Page End: 11
• Publication Date: 2016-08-17
• Subjects: techniques: spectroscopic, -- galaxies: high-redshift, -- infrared: galaxies; Astronomy -- Congresses; Astronomy -- Periodicals; 520
• DOI: 10.1017/S1743921315009862
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1743-9213

Abstract

Abstract: The Near Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS) aboard the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will offer wide-field slitless spectroscopy (WFSS) with a resolving power R = 150 at wavelengths from 0.8 to 2.25 microns. In this band, NIRISS will be sensitive to Lyman α emission lines and continuum breaks in the spectra of galaxies with redshifts 6 < z < 17, allowing it to probe the first stars and ionizing sources in the early universe. NIRISS observations of the high-redshift universe will provide a wealth of information on foreground objects, creating a unique library of optical emission-line spectra from the faintest galaxies at lower redshifts. To explore its ability to identify and characterize galaxies at all redshifts, we have modeled a NIRISS observation of a massive strong-lensing galaxy cluster and analyzed the synthetic images using standard software tools. Our simulations demonstrate that WFSS with NIRISS will provide a powerful tool for the exploration of galaxies near and far.