we propose cam imaging photometry in lw2 (5-8.5um) and lw3 (12-18um) filters on a set of 8 luminous ir galaxies (lirgs) and pht mapping observations at 60 um on the two largest of them in angular size. many of the most luminous ir galaxies (lirgs) are found in interacting or merging systems. although starbursts could be a natural explanation for the large ir luminosities observed, the triggering mechanisms for starbursts and the role of the galaxy-galaxy interaction and the large reservoir of molecular gas are not well understood. our iso sample was selected from a sample of 11 lirgs at different stages of an merging process from our high-resolution co survey with the newly expanded berkeley-s-maryland association (bima) millimeter-wave array. while our co study is aimed at tracing the evolution of the gas distribution at a resolution of 5 to 8 along an merging sequence of lirgs, the current iso study is to unveil the star formation activity at angular scales of 3 to 6 in mid-ir and to see where the bulk of the far-infrared emission comes from. with our emphasis on pre-starburst in luminous infrared galaxies, our proposed iso observations extend and complement the existing iso programs of lirgs which usually emphasize systems whose starburst phase has been well developed.
Instrument
CAM01 , PHT32
Temporal Coverage
1997-02-20T07:29:03Z/1997-12-25T21:15:14Z
Version
1.0
Mission Description
The Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) was the world's first true orbiting infrared observatory. Equipped with four highly-sophisticated and versatile scientific instruments, it was launched by Ariane in November 1995 and provided astronomers world-wide with a facility of unprecedented sensitivity and capabilities for a detailed exploration of the Universe at infrared wavelengths.
