KISS - KPNO International Spectroscopic Survey

Wesleyan University, Middletown CT

Investigators

Abstract

AST-0071114 Salzer The goals of this project are to identify and analyze a volume limited sample of emission-line galaxies using the KPNO 0.6m Schmidt with an objective prism and a large-format CCD to find and measure the H-alpha emission from these objects. The stated objective is to locate ~5000 emission-line galaxies in 300 sq.deg. with B<20-21. The survey is on-going; the analysis software has been developed and tested, and over 127 square deg. have already been analyzed. Once complete, the KISS sample of galaxies will have numerous additional applications which cut across many areas of research in astronomy, including chemical evolution in galaxies, the large-scale distribution of galaxies, and the determination of the abundance of helium produced in the Big Bang. Galaxies with active nuclei or intense starbursts represent the most energetic phenomena known in the universe. Galaxian activity is very common and occurs on all scales, from the super-luminous quasars down to extremely active star formation in dwarf galaxies. Much of our knowledge of active galaxies and starbursts has come about by studying galaxies cataloged in objective-prism surveys that used Schmidt telescopes and photographic plates. The recent opportunity to use more sensitive digital detectors has prompted the present program to discover much fainter active galaxies than were previously accessible. The KISS project (KPNO International Spectroscopic Survey), is designed to discover faint, distant galaxies which possess strong emission lines, a clear signature of galaxian activity. The survey technique used is extremely successful, discovering new active galaxies at a rate 180 times higher than the most well known previous survey of this type (the Markarian survey). To date a few thousand active and starbursting galaxies have been cataloged. The project will be continued by extending the observations to new areas of the sky. In addition, the large, deep samples will be used to study galaxian activity of all types, in order to better understand this activity in the context of galaxy formation and evolution. Once the survey observations are complete, the KISS sample of galaxies will have numerous additional applications which cut across many areas of research in astronomy, including chemical evolution in galaxies, the large-scale distribution of galaxies, and the determination of the abundance of helium produced in the Big Bang. Funding for this project was provided by the NSF program for Extragalactic Astronomy & Cosmology (AST/EXC). ***