we are conducting a multi-wavelength study of the nearby luminous starburst system ngc 3690, using ground-based near infrared and now, isocam observations. the goal of this study is to determine the dominate energy mechanism -- starburst or dust-enshrouded agn - - responsible for the luminous infrared light emanating from this interacting/merger galaxy. in favor of the starburst hypothesis, we have already discovered an embedded supernova. this galaxy is well studied from the optical to radio, as well as at far-infrared wavebands with iras, but due to atmospheric restrictions is only partially observed in the mid-infrared -- where a large fraction of the total luminosity is emitted. we propose to map ngc 3690 from 4 to 15 microns using isocam with several lw filters. these broadband observations will reveal embedded starburst clusters and associated hot dust, as well as the spatial distribution of the pahs. finally, these isocam data will complete genzel.s sws, lws, and phot spectroscopic observations of ngc 3690 giving full coverage of this important galaxy in the final iso database.
Instrument
CAM01 , PHT40
Temporal Coverage
1997-01-21T10:55:49Z/1997-07-22T09:26:04Z
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.
