Deep Surveys with SIRTF’s Infrared Array Camera

The Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) on NASA’s Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) will provide imaging at 3.6, 4.6, 5.8 and 8 μm. The four bands are imaged simultaneously in two adjacent 5 arcminute fields with \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$1.2^{\prime\prime}$\end{document} pixels. The expected point source sensitivities in the four bands are 3, 4, 17, and 24 μJy (\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$5\sigma$\end{document} in 200 seconds) for objects well away from the ecliptic. SIRTF’s angular resolution will be diffraction limited for \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$\lambda > 6.5\mu$\end{document}m; \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$\lambda/D = 0.2^{\prime\prime}$\end{document} for \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$\lambda$\end{document} in μm and SIRTF’s 85 cm primary mirror. SIRTF Guaranteed Time Observers (GTO’s) have specified field surveys to be carried out with IRAC with integration times per position ranging from 90 to over 10,000 seconds. I describe the plans for these surveys and their application to the study of galaxy formation and evolution. For further information about SIRTF, see http://sirtf.caltech.edu.