The detailed science case for the Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer, 2019 edition

Carine Babusiaux, Maria Bergemann, Adam Burgasser, Sara Ellison, Daryl Haggard, Daniel Huber, Manoj Kaplinghat, Ting Li, Jennifer Marshall, Sarah Martell, Alan McConnachie, Will Percival, Aaron Robotham, Yue Shen, Sivarani Thirupathi, Kim-Vy Tran, Christophe Yeche, David Yong, Vardan Adibekyan, Victor Silva AguirreGeorge Angelou, Martin Asplund, Michael Balogh, Projjwal Banerjee, Michele Bannister, Daniela Barría, Giuseppina Battaglia, Amelia Bayo, Keith Bechtol, Paul G. Beck, Timothy C. Beers, Earl P. Bellinger, Trystyn Berg, Joachim M. Bestenlehner, Maciej Bilicki, Bertram Bitsch, Joss Bland-Hawthorn, Adam S. Bolton, Alessandro Boselli, Jo Bovy, Angela Bragaglia, Derek Buzasi, Elisabetta Caffau, Jan Cami, Timothy Carleton, Juan V. Hernández Santisteban, Daniel Smith, Simon Driver, Andrew Johnson

Research output: Working paper

Abstract

(Abridged) The Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer (MSE) is an end-to-end science platform for the design, execution and scientific exploitation of spectroscopic surveys. It will unveil the composition and dynamics of the faint Universe and impact nearly every field of astrophysics across all spatial scales, from individual stars to the largest scale structures in the Universe. Major pillars in the science program for MSE include (i) the ultimate Gaia follow-up facility for understanding the chemistry and dynamics of the distant Milky Way, including the outer disk and faint stellar halo at high spectral resolution (ii) galaxy formation and evolution at cosmic noon, via the type of revolutionary surveys that have occurred in the nearby Universe, but now conducted at the peak of the star formation history of the Universe (iii) derivation of the mass of the neutrino and insights into inflationary physics through a cosmological redshift survey that probes a large volume of the Universe with a high galaxy density. MSE is positioned to become a critical hub in the emerging international network of front-line astronomical facilities, with scientific capabilities that naturally complement and extend the scientific power of Gaia, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, the Square Kilometer Array, Euclid, WFIRST, the 30m telescopes and many more.
Original languageEnglish
Publication statusPublished - 9 Apr 2019

Keywords

  • Astrophysics - instrumentation and methods for astrophysics
  • Astrophysics - cosmology and nongalactic astrophysics
  • Astrophysics - astrophysics of galaxies

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