Unique Astrophysics in the Lyman Ultraviolet

Jason Tumlinson; Alessandra Aloisi; Gerard Kriss; Kevin France; Stephan McCandliss; Ken Sembach; Andrew Fox; Todd Tripp; Edward Jenkins; Matthew Beasley; Charles Danforth; Michael Shull; John Stocke; Nicolas Lehner; Christopher Howk; Cynthia Froning; James Green; Cristina Oliveira; Alex Fullerton; Bill Blair; Jeff Kruk; George Sonneborn; Steven Penton; Bart Wakker; Xavier Prochaska; John Vallerga; Paul Scowen

arXiv · 1209.3272

Unique Astrophysics in the Lyman Ultraviolet

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Abstract

There is unique and groundbreaking science to be done with a new generation of UV spectrographs that cover wavelengths in the "Lyman Ultraviolet" (LUV; 912 - 1216 Ang). There is no astrophysical basis for truncating spectroscopic wavelength coverage anywhere between the atmospheric cutoff (3100 Ang) and the Lyman limit (912 Ang); the usual reasons this happens are all technical. The unique science available in the LUV includes critical problems in astrophysics ranging from the habitability of exoplanets to the reionization of the IGM. Crucially, the local Universe (z <= 0.1) is entirely closed to many key physical diagnostics without access to the LUV. These compelling scientific problems require overcoming these technical barriers so that future UV spectrographs can extend coverage to the Lyman limit at 912 Ang.

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Jason Tumlinson, Alessandra Aloisi, Gerard Kriss, Kevin France, Stephan McCandliss, Ken Sembach, Andrew Fox, Todd Tripp, Edward Jenkins, Matthew Beasley, Charles Danforth, Michael Shull, John Stocke, Nicolas Lehner, Christopher Howk, Cynthia Froning, James Green, Cristina Oliveira, Alex Fullerton, Bill Blair, Jeff Kruk, George Sonneborn, Steven Penton, Bart Wakker, Xavier Prochaska, John Vallerga, Paul Scowen. 2012-09-14. Unique Astrophysics in the Lyman Ultraviolet. https://arxiv.org/abs/1209.3272

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