The TTF Survey of Galaxy Populations

Heath Jones
Mount Stromlo & Siding Spring Observatories
Private Bag, Weston ACT 2611
dhj@mso.anu.edu.au
Joss Bland-Hawthorn
Anglo-Australian Observatory
PO Box 296, Epping NSW 2121
jbh@aaoepp.aao.gov.au

Abstract:

The TAURUS Tunable Filter (TTF) affords a new approach to observational cosmology, allowing a wide field (10 arcmin) to be imaged monochromatically in contiguous wavelength intervals (6 - 60 Å bandpass) over the R and I bands. In a 200 s exposure at the AAT, the TTF can detect H emission powered by star formation rates as low as 0.1 M yr at z=0.08 and 1 M yr at z=0.24 in 2 arcsec seeing (cf. 0.26 M yr for the LMC). In this paper we describe an emission-line survey currently underway using the TTF on the AAT to detect redshifted H over the ranges z=0.06-0.1 and z=0.22-0.26. Such detections will be of timely interest to the Southern HI Sky Survey which is motivated along similar lines.

© Copyright Astronomical Society of Australia 1997