KISS - KPNO International Spectroscopic Survey

Wesleyan University, Middletown CT

Investigators

Abstract

AST-0307766 Salzer Galaxies with active nuclei (AGN) or intense starbursts represent the most energetic phenomena known in the universe, and much of our knowledge of them has come from objective-prism surveys using Schmidt telescopes and photographic plates. The Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) International Spectroscopic Survey, or KISS, combines the benefits of a traditional Schmidt objective prism survey with the advantages of using a CCD detector. So far, the survey has been a tremendous success, detecting 2157 emission-line galaxy (ELG) candidates at a density 168 times higher than the famous Markarian survey. The large, deep samples obtained with KISS provide exciting new opportunities to study activity of all types, and will allow us better to understand this activity in the context of galaxy formation and evolution in general. This particular project builds on the survey's existing successes, extending it to additional regions on the sky and expanding its redshift range, and enhancing the scientific return with high quality follow-up spectra from a variety of large telescopes. All of the KISS data products are freely available to all members of the community. In addition to being extremely productive in terms of scientific results, the KISS project has been the centerpiece for an active program of involving undergraduate students in meaningful research. To date a dozen undergraduate and nine master's students have participated. All have experienced scientific research first-hand, a dozen have written theses based on their work, and several have already co-authored papers. Students from traditionally under-represented groups make up 71% of the KISS student researchers. ***