Abstract

The Infrared Spectroscopic Imaging Survey (IRSIS) experiment, targeted for the Small Satellite Mission of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), will carry out spectroscopic measurements in the wavelength range 1.7 to 6.4 ¹m seamlessly for the first time, covering a large fraction (~ 50%) of the sky (including the Galactic Plane), with a reasonable sensitivity (completeness at 2.2 µm, K = 14 mag.). The planned Spectral Resolution is ~ 100. Primary science goals include : (i) Discovery & classification of Brown Dwarfs, M-L-T Dwarfs (faint end of Initial Mass Function); (ii) Large scale mapping in emission features; e.g. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) at 3.3 µm, 6.2 µm, etc. (Galactic Plane survey); (iii) Minor bodies of Solar System : Asteroids, Comets, Inter- Planetary Dust; Origin, evolution & types of Organics; History of Solar System; and (iv) Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB), Red-Super-Giant (RSG),Carbon-rich stars; (Galactic Bulge survey). In addition, it will support studies of time critical phenomena like novae, comets etc, under Targets of Opportunity (ToO) observations. The IRSIS database is expected to provide better understanding of energetics and composition of the ISM, infrared characterisation of stars, and various types of Solar system bodies.