SEXTA-FEIRA – 15/06/2007– 14h – Auditório Principal, Bloco G – IAG/USP

Chris Packham

Universidade da Flórida – EUA

Título/Title: Mid-IR Instrumentation and Observations of AGN

Resumo/Abstract:

Mid-IR astronomy is undergoing a renaissance period driven by state of the art instruments and 8m class telescopes. The 8m Gemini observatory, combined with the versatile capabilities of the T-ReCS and MICHELLE, remain superbly placed to continue this exciting period of exploration. At UF, we are developing the 2 nd generation instrument, CanariCam, which includes for the first time a dual-beam polarimeter at mid-IR wavelengths.

In the first part of this talk, I present an overview of CanariCam, highlighting special design features and capabilities. In the second part, I discuss high spatial resolution mid-IR observations from existing ground telescopes of AGN at unprecedented spatial detail. Recent spectroscopy reveals striking changes in AGN spectral features at sub-arcsecond scales and imaging places tight constraints on dust associated with the torus. Finally, I show new mid-IR imaging polarimetry of the archetypal AGN, NGC1068, and discuss the combined impact of such observations on models of the central regions of AGN. These results, obtained from the Gemini 8m telescopes with the CanariCam science team, are indicative of the science opportunities that await the community.

 

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