BlueMUSE - Phase A

Integral field spectroscopy has all the advantages of both direct imaging and also spectroscopy, giving us a spectrum for every location within the field of view of the instrument. The scientific value of such an approach has been clearly demonstrated by the instrument MUSE on the European Southern Observatories' Very Large Telescopes. This proposal aims to extend that success by building a new MUSE-like instrument with wavelength coverage blueward of the current instrument. This blue wavelength range is where many important diagnostics for the ages and abundances of stars lie. It also makes possible the detection of fluorescence from gas in the inter-galactic medium. This gas has been predicted to exist, but has not yet been found. Finding that gas would resolve the 'missing baryon problem' which has puzzled astronomers for decades.

The requested funding will allow the UK to join a large international consortium designing this instrument, giving us a leadership role in a key aspect of the build, and giving UK astronomers early access to the scientific exploitation of the completed instrument.