Introduction to MIRI
MIRI is one of three instruments on JWST and will provide imaging, spectroscopy and coronagraphy at wavelengths of 5 to 28 µm. The project is a partnership (50 / 50) between JPL and a nationally funded consortium of European institutes, working with ESA and NASA. JWST will operate at low temperatures and have a large aperture. This combination will provide a massive increase in performance for the mid-infrared (5 to 28µm). The advance will be more than a thousand-fold in sensitivity over existing groundbased telescopes and nearly a hundredfold over SIRTF or any plausible future groundbased telescopes.
Overview of MIRI
MIRI has a wide field of view and a broad wavelength response in the thermal Infrared. Diffraction limited image quality maximises the sensitivity on point sources - which also exploits JWST’s spatial resolution (resolve ~ 1 Kpc at all redshifts). MIRI’s optimised sensitivity has the minimum noise level bounded by the instrument’s environment - thermal emission from the sky and telescope - so MIRI must have: - High Photon Conversion Efficiency (Optical Transmission x Detector QE). - Spatial and Spectral Passbands matched to the science targets. Optical Configurations of MIRI: - Photometric Imaging over a wide field. - Coronagraphy between 10 and 27 µm. - Low Resolution (R = 100) Slit Spectrosopy of Single Sources (5 - 10 µm). - Medium Resolution (~ 100 km/sec velocity resolution) Integral Field - Spectroscopy from 5 to 28.5 µm.
Below is a model of what MIRI will look like (structurally)
Mission Goals (of JWST)
MIRI provides an important capability for all of the mission goals of JWST. More information about JWST science in general can be found at the JWST web site.
- Determine the shape of the Universe.
- Explain galaxy evolution.
- Understand the birth and formation of stars.
- Determine how planetary systems form and interact.
- Determine how the Universe built up its present chemical/elemental composition.
- Probe the nature and abundance of Dark Matter.