Spitzer Space Telescope - Guaranteed Time Observer Proposal #8


The IRAC Deep Survey

Principal Investigator: Giovanni Fazio
           Institution: Harvard-Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory

Science Category: high-z galaxies (z>0.5) 
 Observing Modes: IracMap MipsScan 
  Hours Approved: 232.1 

Abstract:
The IRAC Deep survey is the major IRAC GTO science program.  The
primary objective of this program is to study the formation and
evolution of normal galaxies to redshifts z>3.  Identifying the
initial epoch of galaxy formation and understanding the evolution of
the galactic star formation rate as a function of redshift are two of
the most important goals of observational astronomy.  We select the
Groth strip as our survey field which is also a survey field for the
DEEP project, an ultra deep redshift survey project using Keck
telescopes.  The depth of the survey will be 6 uJy for 10sigma at the
8um band.  This survey will cover 10'X2 deg area.  This coverage will
allow us to construct a luminosity function for L_* galaxies at z=3.