The James Webb Space Telescope Absolute Flux Calibration. III. Mid-infrared Instrument Medium Resolution Integral Field Unit Spectrometer
We describe the spectrophotometric calibration of the Mid-Infrared Instrument’s (MIRI) Medium Resolution Spectrometer (MRS) aboard the James Webb Space Telescope. This calibration is complicated by a time-dependent evolution in the effective throughput of the MRS; this evolution is strongest at long...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
IOP Publishing
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | The Astronomical Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/ad9685 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1841536583717617664 |
|---|---|
| author | David R. Law Ioannis Argyriou Karl D. Gordon G. C. Sloan Danny Gasman Alistair Glasse Kirsten Larson Leigh N. Fletcher Alvaro Labiano Alberto Noriega-Crespo |
| author_facet | David R. Law Ioannis Argyriou Karl D. Gordon G. C. Sloan Danny Gasman Alistair Glasse Kirsten Larson Leigh N. Fletcher Alvaro Labiano Alberto Noriega-Crespo |
| author_sort | David R. Law |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We describe the spectrophotometric calibration of the Mid-Infrared Instrument’s (MIRI) Medium Resolution Spectrometer (MRS) aboard the James Webb Space Telescope. This calibration is complicated by a time-dependent evolution in the effective throughput of the MRS; this evolution is strongest at long wavelengths, approximately a factor of 2 at 25 μ m over the first 2 yr of the mission. We model and correct for this evolution through regular observations of internal calibration lamps. Pixel flat fields are constructed from observations of the infrared-bright planetary nebula NGC 7027, and photometric aperture corrections from a combination of theoretical models and observations of bright standard stars. We tie the 5–18 μ m flux calibration to high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N; ∼600–1000) observations of the O9 V star 10 Lacertae, scaled to the average calibration factor of nine other spectrophotometric standards. We calibrate the 18–28 μ m spectral range using a combination of observations of main belt asteroid 515 Athalia and the circumstellar disk around young stellar object SAO 206462. The photometric repeatability is stable to better than 1% in the wavelength range 5–18 μ m, and the S/N ratio of the delivered spectra is consistent between bootstrapped measurements, pipeline estimates, and theoretical predictions. The MRS point-source calibration agrees with that of the MIRI imager to within 1% from 7 to 21 μ m and is approximately 1% fainter than prior Spitzer observations, while the extended source calibration agrees well with prior Cassini Composite Infrared Spectrometer and Voyager Infrared Interferometer Spectrometer and Radiometer observations. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a3436cc7727c4deca2381234fdd008f4 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1538-3881 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Astronomical Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-a3436cc7727c4deca2381234fdd008f42025-01-14T15:04:16ZengIOP PublishingThe Astronomical Journal1538-38812025-01-0116926710.3847/1538-3881/ad9685The James Webb Space Telescope Absolute Flux Calibration. III. Mid-infrared Instrument Medium Resolution Integral Field Unit SpectrometerDavid R. Law0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9402-186XIoannis Argyriou1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2820-1077Karl D. Gordon2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5340-6774G. C. Sloan3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4520-1044Danny Gasman4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1257-7742Alistair Glasse5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2041-2462Kirsten Larson6https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3917-6460Leigh N. Fletcher7https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5834-9588Alvaro Labiano8https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0690-8824Alberto Noriega-Crespo9https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6296-8960Space Telescope Science Institute , 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USAInstitute of Astronomy , KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, 3001 Leuven, BelgiumSpace Telescope Science Institute , 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USASpace Telescope Science Institute , 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3255, USAInstitute of Astronomy , KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, 3001 Leuven, BelgiumUK Astronomy Technology Centre, Royal Observatory , Edinburgh, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh EH9 3HJ, UKSpace Telescope Science Institute , 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USASchool of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester , University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UKTelespazio UK for the European Space Agency , ESAC, Camino Bajo del Castillo s/n, 28692 Villanueva de la Cañada, Spain; Centro de Astrobiología (CAB) , CSIC-INTA, ESAC, Carretera de Ajalvir km4, 28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, SpainSpace Telescope Science Institute , 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USAWe describe the spectrophotometric calibration of the Mid-Infrared Instrument’s (MIRI) Medium Resolution Spectrometer (MRS) aboard the James Webb Space Telescope. This calibration is complicated by a time-dependent evolution in the effective throughput of the MRS; this evolution is strongest at long wavelengths, approximately a factor of 2 at 25 μ m over the first 2 yr of the mission. We model and correct for this evolution through regular observations of internal calibration lamps. Pixel flat fields are constructed from observations of the infrared-bright planetary nebula NGC 7027, and photometric aperture corrections from a combination of theoretical models and observations of bright standard stars. We tie the 5–18 μ m flux calibration to high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N; ∼600–1000) observations of the O9 V star 10 Lacertae, scaled to the average calibration factor of nine other spectrophotometric standards. We calibrate the 18–28 μ m spectral range using a combination of observations of main belt asteroid 515 Athalia and the circumstellar disk around young stellar object SAO 206462. The photometric repeatability is stable to better than 1% in the wavelength range 5–18 μ m, and the S/N ratio of the delivered spectra is consistent between bootstrapped measurements, pipeline estimates, and theoretical predictions. The MRS point-source calibration agrees with that of the MIRI imager to within 1% from 7 to 21 μ m and is approximately 1% fainter than prior Spitzer observations, while the extended source calibration agrees well with prior Cassini Composite Infrared Spectrometer and Voyager Infrared Interferometer Spectrometer and Radiometer observations.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/ad9685Infrared spectroscopyFlux calibration |
| spellingShingle | David R. Law Ioannis Argyriou Karl D. Gordon G. C. Sloan Danny Gasman Alistair Glasse Kirsten Larson Leigh N. Fletcher Alvaro Labiano Alberto Noriega-Crespo The James Webb Space Telescope Absolute Flux Calibration. III. Mid-infrared Instrument Medium Resolution Integral Field Unit Spectrometer The Astronomical Journal Infrared spectroscopy Flux calibration |
| title | The James Webb Space Telescope Absolute Flux Calibration. III. Mid-infrared Instrument Medium Resolution Integral Field Unit Spectrometer |
| title_full | The James Webb Space Telescope Absolute Flux Calibration. III. Mid-infrared Instrument Medium Resolution Integral Field Unit Spectrometer |
| title_fullStr | The James Webb Space Telescope Absolute Flux Calibration. III. Mid-infrared Instrument Medium Resolution Integral Field Unit Spectrometer |
| title_full_unstemmed | The James Webb Space Telescope Absolute Flux Calibration. III. Mid-infrared Instrument Medium Resolution Integral Field Unit Spectrometer |
| title_short | The James Webb Space Telescope Absolute Flux Calibration. III. Mid-infrared Instrument Medium Resolution Integral Field Unit Spectrometer |
| title_sort | james webb space telescope absolute flux calibration iii mid infrared instrument medium resolution integral field unit spectrometer |
| topic | Infrared spectroscopy Flux calibration |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/ad9685 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT davidrlaw thejameswebbspacetelescopeabsolutefluxcalibrationiiimidinfraredinstrumentmediumresolutionintegralfieldunitspectrometer AT ioannisargyriou thejameswebbspacetelescopeabsolutefluxcalibrationiiimidinfraredinstrumentmediumresolutionintegralfieldunitspectrometer AT karldgordon thejameswebbspacetelescopeabsolutefluxcalibrationiiimidinfraredinstrumentmediumresolutionintegralfieldunitspectrometer AT gcsloan thejameswebbspacetelescopeabsolutefluxcalibrationiiimidinfraredinstrumentmediumresolutionintegralfieldunitspectrometer AT dannygasman thejameswebbspacetelescopeabsolutefluxcalibrationiiimidinfraredinstrumentmediumresolutionintegralfieldunitspectrometer AT alistairglasse thejameswebbspacetelescopeabsolutefluxcalibrationiiimidinfraredinstrumentmediumresolutionintegralfieldunitspectrometer AT kirstenlarson thejameswebbspacetelescopeabsolutefluxcalibrationiiimidinfraredinstrumentmediumresolutionintegralfieldunitspectrometer AT leighnfletcher thejameswebbspacetelescopeabsolutefluxcalibrationiiimidinfraredinstrumentmediumresolutionintegralfieldunitspectrometer AT alvarolabiano thejameswebbspacetelescopeabsolutefluxcalibrationiiimidinfraredinstrumentmediumresolutionintegralfieldunitspectrometer AT albertonoriegacrespo thejameswebbspacetelescopeabsolutefluxcalibrationiiimidinfraredinstrumentmediumresolutionintegralfieldunitspectrometer AT davidrlaw jameswebbspacetelescopeabsolutefluxcalibrationiiimidinfraredinstrumentmediumresolutionintegralfieldunitspectrometer AT ioannisargyriou jameswebbspacetelescopeabsolutefluxcalibrationiiimidinfraredinstrumentmediumresolutionintegralfieldunitspectrometer AT karldgordon jameswebbspacetelescopeabsolutefluxcalibrationiiimidinfraredinstrumentmediumresolutionintegralfieldunitspectrometer AT gcsloan jameswebbspacetelescopeabsolutefluxcalibrationiiimidinfraredinstrumentmediumresolutionintegralfieldunitspectrometer AT dannygasman jameswebbspacetelescopeabsolutefluxcalibrationiiimidinfraredinstrumentmediumresolutionintegralfieldunitspectrometer AT alistairglasse jameswebbspacetelescopeabsolutefluxcalibrationiiimidinfraredinstrumentmediumresolutionintegralfieldunitspectrometer AT kirstenlarson jameswebbspacetelescopeabsolutefluxcalibrationiiimidinfraredinstrumentmediumresolutionintegralfieldunitspectrometer AT leighnfletcher jameswebbspacetelescopeabsolutefluxcalibrationiiimidinfraredinstrumentmediumresolutionintegralfieldunitspectrometer AT alvarolabiano jameswebbspacetelescopeabsolutefluxcalibrationiiimidinfraredinstrumentmediumresolutionintegralfieldunitspectrometer AT albertonoriegacrespo jameswebbspacetelescopeabsolutefluxcalibrationiiimidinfraredinstrumentmediumresolutionintegralfieldunitspectrometer |