Two-Micron All-Sky Survey

Two-Micron All-Sky Survey
Name	Two-Micron All-Sky Survey
Survey	2MASS
Organization	University of Massachusetts Amherst, Infrared Processing and Analysis Center, California Institute of Technology
Duration	1997-2001

Two-Micron All-Sky Survey is a major astronomical survey conducted by the University of Massachusetts Amherst in collaboration with the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center at the California Institute of Technology. The survey was designed to map the entire sky in infrared radiation using telescopes located at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile and Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory in Arizona, United States. The project involved NASA, National Science Foundation, and United States Air Force and was led by prominent astronomers such as Michael Skrutskie and John Huchra from Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

Introduction

The Two-Micron All-Sky Survey was a groundbreaking project that built upon the success of earlier surveys like the Infrared Astronomical Satellite and Cosmic Background Explorer. The survey aimed to create a comprehensive catalog of stars, galaxies, and other astronomical objects using near-infrared observations. This endeavor involved collaboration with renowned institutions such as the European Southern Observatory, National Optical Astronomy Observatory, and Space Telescope Science Institute. The survey's findings have been widely used by researchers from University of California, Berkeley, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and University of Chicago to study various aspects of the universe, including star formation, galaxy evolution, and cosmology.

Survey Overview

The survey used two telescopes, each equipped with a camera sensitive to near-infrared radiation in the J band, H band, and Ks band. The observations were carried out over a period of four years, from 1997 to 2001, and covered the entire sky in three near-infrared bands. The survey's design and execution involved experts from Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Goddard Space Flight Center, and Harvard University. The resulting catalog contains over 470 million stars and galaxies and has been used by researchers from University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, and California Institute of Technology to study the properties of Milky Way and distant galaxies.

Data Products

The survey's data products include a point source catalog and an extended source catalog, which contain information about the position, magnitude, and color of the detected objects. The data products have been used by researchers from University of Tokyo, University of Sydney, and Max Planck Institute for Astronomy to study various topics, including star formation regions, active galactic nuclei, and cosmic microwave background radiation. The survey's data are publicly available through the Infrared Science Archive at the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center and have been used by scientists from European Space Agency, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and National Science Foundation.

Scientific Impact

The Two-Micron All-Sky Survey has had a significant impact on our understanding of the universe, particularly in the areas of galaxy evolution, star formation, and cosmology. The survey's findings have been used to study the properties of dwarf galaxies, starburst galaxies, and active galactic nuclei. Researchers from University of California, Los Angeles, University of Michigan, and Johns Hopkins University have used the survey's data to investigate the large-scale structure of the universe and the distribution of galaxies within it. The survey's results have also been used to study the properties of brown dwarfs, white dwarfs, and neutron stars.

Technical Specifications

The survey's telescopes were equipped with cameras that used detector arrays to detect near-infrared radiation. The telescopes had a primary mirror diameter of 1.3 meters and were equipped with a pointing system that allowed for precise pointing and tracking of the sky. The survey's data processing pipeline was designed to handle the large volumes of data generated by the survey and involved experts from Stanford University, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The pipeline used algorithms developed by researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, California Institute of Technology, and University of California, San Diego to detect and characterize the sources in the survey's images.

Observational History

The survey's observations were carried out over a period of four years, from 1997 to 2001. The survey's telescopes were operated remotely from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center. The survey's data were transmitted to the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center for processing and analysis. The survey's findings have been published in numerous papers in leading astronomical journals, including The Astronomical Journal, The Astrophysical Journal, and Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Researchers from University of Edinburgh, University of Manchester, and University of Bristol have used the survey's data to study various topics, including galaxy clusters, supernovae, and gamma-ray bursts.

Category:Astronomical surveys