An E-ELT Case Study: Colour-Magnitude Diagrams of an Old Galaxy in the Virgo Cluster

Details An E-ELT Case Study: Colour-Magnitude Diagrams of an Old Galaxy in the Virgo Cluster An E-ELT Case Study: Colour-Magnitude Diagrams of an Old Galaxy in the Virgo Cluster

2011-05-17

arxiv.org/abs/1105.3455v2

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics

17 pages, 22 figures, accepted on A&A

Scientific paper

One of the key science goals for a diffraction limited imager on an Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) is the resolution of individual stars down to faint limits in distant galaxies. The aim of this study is to test the proposed capabilities of a multi-conjugate adaptive optics (MCAO) assisted imager working at the diffraction limit, in IJHK$_s$ filters, on a 42m diameter ELT to carry out accurate stellar photometry in crowded images in an Elliptical-like galaxy at the distance of the Virgo cluster. As the basis for realistic simulations we have used the phase A studies of the European-ELT project, including the MICADO imager (Davies & Genzel 2010) and the MAORY MCAO module (Diolaiti 2010). We convolved a complex resolved stellar population with the telescope and instrument performance expectations to create realistic images. We then tested the ability of the currently available photometric packages STARFINDER and DAOPHOT to handle the simulated images. Our results show that deep Colour-Magnitude Diagrams (photometric error, $\pm$0.25 at I$\ge$27.2; H$\ge$25. and K$_s\ge$24.6) of old stellar populations in galaxies, at the distance of Virgo, are feasible at a maximum surface brightness, $\mu_V \sim$ 17 mag/arcsec$^2$ (down to M$_I > -4$ and M$_H \sim$ M$_K > -6$), and significantly deeper (photometric error, $\pm$0.25 at I$\ge$29.3; H$\ge$26.6 and K$_s\ge$26.2) for $\mu_V \sim$ 21 mag/arcsec$^2$ (down to M$_I \ge -2$ and M$_H \sim$ M$_K \ge -4.5$). The photometric errors, and thus also the depth of the photometry should be improved with photometry packages specifically designed to adapt to an ELT MCAO Point Spread Function. We also make a simple comparison between these simulations and what can be expected from a Single Conjugate Adaptive Optics feed to MICADO and also the James Webb Space Telescope.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

An E-ELT Case Study: Colour-Magnitude Diagrams of an Old Galaxy in the Virgo Cluster does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with An E-ELT Case Study: Colour-Magnitude Diagrams of an Old Galaxy in the Virgo Cluster, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and An E-ELT Case Study: Colour-Magnitude Diagrams of an Old Galaxy in the Virgo Cluster will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-727975