Potential Key Science Programmes
SALT's major occupation will be conducting spectroscopy of the Universe, where the spectra, or energy distributions, of celestial objects are obtained by a variety of spectrographs (see 'Instrumentation'). In addition, these instruments will also be able to obtain images ('photos') of objects, determine their colours and look for polarization the light coming from them. All of these observations assist the astronomer in unraveling the nature of the objects being studied.
Science programmes with SALT will be many and varied, with some larger key projects likely to occupy a majority of the observing time. Because astronomical research is a dynamic activity, with new discoveries happening daily, it is always difficult to predict what the most exciting and important types of observations will be attempted at some point in the future, like in 2005, when SALT begins operations.
Some 'best guesses' at this time include:
- Study of the early Universe & cosmology
- Hubble medium deep survey, luminosity functions
- XMM & Chandra surveys
- Distances to supernovae as a probe of cosmological models
Combined optical/ROSAT image of MS1054-0321
Such programmes will give us a better understanding of the distribution and dynamics of matter in the Universe. The faintest objects detected are also the furthest, and youngest, and their study tells us the conditions of the Universe in its earliest epoch, when only 10% of its current age. The very efficient PFIS instrument will tackle such observations, particularly using the Multi-Object Spectroscopy mode.
