Simulation of the performance of ESA's Herschel/SPIRE imaging Fourier transform spectrometer

摘要

The Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) is one of three scientific instruments on ESA's Herschel mission. The spectroscopic capabilities of SPIRE are provided by an imaging Fourier transform spectrometer (IFTS). A software simulator of the IFTS has been constructed to predict the instrument performance under operational conditions. We describe in detail the design and integration of the simulator. Examples of simulated data of astronomical targets are presented.