Far-Infrared and Submillimeter Observations of High Redshift Galaxies

Abstract

Observations at far-infrared and submillimeter wavelengths promise to revolutionize the study of high redshift galaxies and AGN by providing a unique probe of the conditions within heavily extinguished regions of star formation and nuclear activity. Observational capabilities in this spectral region will expand greatly in the next decade as new observatories are developed both in space and on the ground. These facilities include the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF), the far-infrared and submillimeter telescope (FIRST), and the millimeter array (MMA). In the longer term, the requirements of high angular resolution (comparable to that of HST), full wavelength coverage, and high sensitivity (approaching the fundamental limit imposed by photon counting statistics) will motivate the development of far-IR and submillimeter space interferometry using cold telescopes and incoherent detector arrays.