MIR/FIR Spectroscopic Cosmological Surveys with SAFARI-SPICA

摘要

Spectroscopic cosmological surveys in the mid- and far-IR with the SAFARI FTS imaging spectrometer onboard of the future JAXA led SPICA mission will be able to study galaxy evolution directly separating and quantifying the star formation and black hole accretion processes in galaxies as a function of redshift. We show the feasibility of such surveys through simulations that make use of both observed luminosity functions and theoretical models for galaxy formation and evolution. The relations assumed between the line and continuum emission to trace AGN and star formation activity have been derived from the observations of local samples of galaxies. The results indicate that mid-IR and far-IR spectroscopy with the SAFARI FTS is very efficient to study galaxy evolution from the local to the distant (z~3) Universe. Two different and independent galaxy evolution models predict about 5-8 sources to be spectroscopically detected in three spectral lines in a 2' × 2' SAFARI field of view, down to the expected sensitivity limit of SAFARI.