Performance Estimation of the Mid-Infrared Camera and Spectrometer Aboard SPICA

Abstract

The Space Infrared Telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics (SPICA) is an astronomical mission optimized for mid- and far-infrared astronomy, envisioned for launch in the 2020s. The Mid-infrared Camera and Spectrometer (MCS) is a model instrument that covers the 5–38[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m wavelength range and enables imaging and spectroscopic observations via four modules named WFC-S, WFC-L, HRS, and MRS. Both of the wide field camera (WFC) modules have a 5-arcmin square field of view (FOV) but cover different wavelength ranges; WFC for the short wavelength region (WFC-S) covers 5 to 24[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m, whereas WFC for the long wavelength region (WFC-L) covers 18 to 38[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m. The High Resolution Spectrometer (HRS) covers the 12–18[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m range with a resolving power of 22,000–30,000, and the Mid Resolution Spectrometer (MRS) performs integral filed units spectroscopy with a 12[Formula: see text] by 8[Formula: see text] FOV. MRS simultaneously covers the 12–38[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m range with a moderate resolving power of 720–2000. Here, we report sensitivity estimates from a detailed modeling process involving the instrument itself, the telescope, environmental conditions, and the system error budgets. We show that the WFC-S and HRS modules require an adaptive system to correct for telescope pointing error. In particular, band pass filters (BPFs) longer than 26[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m should be developed.