Nuclear and extended spectra of NGC 1068-II. Near-infrared stellar population synthesis

We performed stellar population synthesis on the nuclear and extended regions of NGC 1068 by means of near-infrared spectroscopy to disentangle their spectral energy distribution components. This is the first time that such a technique is applied to the whole 0.8-2.4 mu m wavelength interval in this galaxy. NGC 1068 is one of the nearest and probably the most studied Seyfert 2 galaxy, becoming an excellent laboratory to study the interaction between black holes, the jets that they can produce and the medium in which they propagate. Our main result is that traces of young stellar population are found at similar to 100 pc south of the nucleus. The contribution of a power-law continuum in the centre is about 25 per cent, which is expected if the light is scattered from a Seyfert 1 nucleus. We find peaks in the contribution of the featureless continuum about 100-150 pc from the nucleus on both sides. They might be associated with regions where the jet encounters dense clouds. Further support to this scenario is given by the peaks of hot dust distribution found around these same regions and the H(2) emission-line profile, leading us to propose that the peaks might be associated to regions where stars are being formed. Hot dust also has an important contribution to the nuclear region, reinforcing the idea of the presence of a dense, circumnuclear torus in this galaxy. Cold dust appears mostly in the south direction, which supports the view that the south-west emission is behind the plane of the galaxy and is extinguished very likely by dust in the plane. Intermediate-age stellar population contributes significantly to the continuum, especially in the inner 200 pc.

Cosmic shear requirements on the wavelength dependence of telescope point spread functions

Cosmic shear requires high precision measurement of galaxy shapes in the presence of the observational point spread function (PSF) that smears out the image. The PSF must therefore be known for each galaxy to a high accuracy. However, for several reasons, the PSF is usually wavelength dependent; therefore, the differences between the spectral energy distribution of the observed objects introduce further complexity. In this paper, we investigate the effect of the wavelength dependence of the PSF, focusing on instruments in which the PSF size is dominated by the diffraction limit of the telescope and which use broad-band filters for shape measurement. We first calculate biases on cosmological parameter estimation from cosmic shear when the stellar PSF is used uncorrected. Using realistic galaxy and star spectral energy distributions and populations and a simple three-component circular PSF, we find that the colour dependence must be taken into account for the next generation of telescopes. We then consider two different methods for removing the effect: (i) the use of stars of the same colour as the galaxies and (ii) estimation of the galaxy spectral energy distribution using multiple colours and using a telescope model for the PSF. We find that both of these methods correct the effect to levels below the tolerances required for per cent level measurements of dark energy parameters. Comparison of the two methods favours the template-fitting method because its efficiency is less dependent on galaxy redshift than the broad-band colour method and takes full advantage of deeper photometry.

Challenges in Radiative Transfer Modeling - W3 IRS5

By modeling the spectral energy distribution (SED) of the W3 IRS5 high-mass star formation region and matching this model to observed data, we can constrain the physical parameters of the basic system geometry and cloud mass distribution. From these parameters, we hope to add to the understanding of high-mass star formation processes. In particular, we hope to determine if the geometries associated with lowmass star formation carry over into the high-mass regime.

Probing the properties of Be star discs with spectroastrometry and NLTE radiative transfer modelling: beta CMi

While the presence of discs around classical Be stars is well established, their origin is still uncertain. To understand what processes result in the creation of these discs and how angular momentum is transported within them, their physical properties must be constrained. This requires comparing high spatial and spectral resolution data with detailed radiative transfer modelling. We present a high spectral resolution, R similar to 80 000, sub-milliarcsecond precision, spectroastrometric study of the circumstellar disc around the Be star beta CMi. The data are confronted with 3D, non-local thermodynamic equilibrium radiative transfer calculations to directly constrain the properties of the disc. Furthermore, we compare the data to disc models featuring two velocity laws: Keplerian, the prediction of the viscous disc model, and angular momentum conserving rotation. It is shown that the observations of beta CMi can only be reproduced using Keplerian rotation. The agreement between the model and the observed spectral energy distribution, polarization and spectroastrometric signature of beta CMi confirms that the discs around Be stars are well modelled as viscous decretion discs.

The young stellar cluster [DBS2003] 157 associated with the H ii region GAL 331.31-00.34

We report a study of the stellar content of the near-infrared (NIR) cluster [DBS2003] 157 embedded in the extended H ii region GAL 331.31-00.34, which is associated with the IRAS source 16085-5138. JHK photometry was carried out in order to identify potential ionizing candidates, and the follow-up NIR spectroscopy allowed the spectral classification of some sources, including two O-type stars. A combination of NIR photometry and spectroscopy data was used to obtain the distance of these two stars, with the method of spectroscopic parallax: IRS 298 (O6 V, 3.35 +/- 0.61 kpc) and IRS 339 (O9 V, 3.24 +/- 0.56 kpc). Adopting the average distance of 3.29 +/- 0.58 kpc and comparing the Lyman continuum luminosity of these stars with that required to account for the radio continuum flux of the H ii region, we conclude that these two stars are the ionizing sources of GAL 331.31-00.34. Young stellar objects (YSOs) were searched by using our NIR photometry and mid-infrared (MIR) data from the Galactic Legacy Infrared Mid-Plane Survey Extraordinaire (GLIMPSE) survey. The analysis of NIR and MIR colourcolour diagrams resulted in 47 YSO candidates. The GLIMPSE counterpart of IRAS 16085-5138, which presents IRAS colour indices compatible with an ultracompact H ii region, has been identified. The analysis of its spectral energy distribution between 2 and m revealed that this source shows a spectral index a= 3.6 between 2 and m, which is typical of a YSO immersed in a protostellar envelope. Lower limits to the bolometric luminosity and the mass of the embedded protostar have been estimated as L= 7.7 x 10(3) L? and M= 10 M?, respectively, which correspond to a B0B1 V zero-age main sequence star.

The VIMOS-VLT Deep Survey: the evolution of type-1 AGN

Quasars and AGN play an important role in many aspects of the modern cosmology. Of particular interest is the issue of the interplay between AGN activity and formation and evolution of galaxies and structures. Studies on nearby galaxies revealed that most (and possibly all) galaxy nuclei contain a super-massive black hole (SMBH) and that between a third and half of them are showing some evidence of activity (Kormendy and Richstone, 1995). The discovery of a tight relation between black holes mass and velocity dispersion of their host galaxy suggests that the evolution of the growth of SMBH and their host galaxy are linked together. In this context, studying the evolution of AGN, through the luminosity function (LF), is fundamental to constrain the theories of galaxy and SMBH formation and evolution. Recently, many theories have been developed to describe physical processes possibly responsible of a common formation scenario for galaxies and their central black hole (Volonteri et al., 2003; Springel et al., 2005a; Vittorini et al., 2005; Hopkins et al., 2006a) and an increasing number of observations in different bands are focused on collecting larger and larger quasar samples. Many issues remain however not yet fully understood. In the context of the VVDS (VIMOS-VLT Deep Survey), we collected and studied an unbiased sample of spectroscopically selected faint type-1 AGN with a unique and straightforward selection function. Indeed, the VVDS is a large, purely magnitude limited spectroscopic survey of faint objects, free of any morphological and/or color preselection. We studied the statistical properties of this sample and its evolution up to redshift z 4. Because of the contamination of the AGN light by their host galaxies at the faint magnitudes explored by our sample, we observed that a significant fraction of AGN in our sample would be missed by the UV excess and morphological criteria usually adopted for the pre-selection of optical QSO candidates. If not properly taken into account, this failure in selecting particular sub-classes of AGN could, in principle, affect some of the conclusions drawn from samples of AGN based on these selection criteria. The absence of any pre-selection in the VVDS leads us to have a very complete sample of AGN, including also objects with unusual colors and continuum shape. The VVDS AGN sample shows in fact redder colors than those expected by comparing it, for example, with the color track derived from the SDSS composite spectrum. In particular, the faintest objects have on average redder colors than the brightest ones. This can be attributed to both a large fraction of dust-reddened objects and a significant contamination from the host galaxy. We have tested these possibilities by examining the global spectral energy distribution of each object using, in addition to the U, B, V, R and I-band magnitudes, also the UV-Galex and the IR-Spitzer bands, and fitting it with a combination of AGN and galaxy emission, allowing also for the possibility of extinction of the AGN flux. We found that for 44% of our objects the contamination from the host galaxy is not negligible and this fraction decreases to 21% if we restrict the analysis to a bright subsample (M1450 <-22.15). Our estimated integral surface density at IAB < 24.0 is 500 AGN per square degree, which represents the highest surface density of a spectroscopically confirmed sample of optically selected AGN. We derived the luminosity function in B-band for 1.0 < z < 3.6 using the 1/Vmax estimator. Our data, more than one magnitude fainter than previous optical surveys, allow us to constrain the faint part of the luminosity function up to high redshift. A comparison of our data with the 2dF sample at low redshift (1 < z < 2.1) shows that the VDDS data can not be well fitted with the pure luminosity evolution (PLE) models derived by previous optically selected samples. Qualitatively, this appears to be due to the fact that our data suggest the presence of an excess of faint objects at low redshift (1.0 < z < 1.5) with respect to these models. By combining our faint VVDS sample with the large sample of bright AGN extracted from the SDSS DR3 (Richards et al., 2006b) and testing a number of different evolutionary models, we find that the model which better represents the combined luminosity functions, over a wide range of redshift and luminosity, is a luminosity dependent density evolution (LDDE) model, similar to those derived from the major Xsurveys. Such a parameterization allows the redshift of the AGN density peak to change as a function of luminosity, thus fitting the excess of faint AGN that we find at 1.0 < z < 1.5. On the basis of this model we find, for the first time from the analysis of optically selected samples, that the peak of the AGN space density shifts significantly towards lower redshift going to lower luminosity objects. The position of this peak moves from z 2.0 for MB <-26.0 to z 0.65 for -22< MB <-20. This result, already found in a number of X-ray selected samples of AGN, is consistent with a scenario of “AGN cosmic downsizing”, in which the density of more luminous AGN, possibly associated to more massive black holes, peaks earlier in the history of the Universe (i.e. at higher redshift), than that of low luminosity ones, which reaches its maximum later (i.e. at lower redshift). This behavior has since long been claimed to be present in elliptical galaxies and it is not easy to reproduce it in the hierarchical cosmogonic scenario, where more massive Dark Matter Halos (DMH) form on average later by merging of less massive halos.

Multiwavelength study of quiescent states of MrK 421 with unprecedented hard x-Ray coverage provided by NuStar in 2013

We present coordinated multiwavelength observations of the bright, nearby BL Lacertae object Mrk 421 taken in 2013 January–March, involving GASP-WEBT, Swift, NuSTAR, Fermi-LAT, MAGIC, VERITAS, and other collaborations and instruments, providing data from radio to very high energy (VHE) γ-ray bands. NuSTAR yielded previously unattainable sensitivity in the 3–79 keV range, revealing that the spectrum softens when the source is dimmer until the X-ray spectral shape saturates into a steep G » 3 power law, with no evidence for an exponential cutoff or additional hard components up "aprox" 80keV. For the first time, we observed both the synchrotron and the inverse-Compton peaks of the spectral energy distribution (SED) simultaneously shifted to frequencies below the typical quiescent state by an order of magnitude. The fractional variability as a function of photon energy shows a double-bump structure that relates to the two bumps of the broadband SED. In each bump, the variability increases with energy, which, in the framework of the synchrotron self-Compton model, implies that the electrons with higher energies are more variable. The measured multi band variability, the significant X-ray-toVHE correlation down to some of the lowest fluxes ever observed in both bands, the lack of correlation between optical/UV and X-ray flux, the low degree of polarization and its significant (random) variations, the short estimated electron cooling time, and the significantly longer variability timescale observed in the NuSTAR light curves point toward in situ electron acceleration and suggest that there are multiple compact regions contributing to the broadband emission of Mrk 421 during low-activity states.

Discovery of "isolated" co-moving T Tauri stars in Cepheus

Context. During the course of a large spectroscopic survey of X-ray active late-type stars in the solar neighbourhood, we discovered four lithium-rich stars packed within just a few degrees on the sky. Although located in a sky area rich in CO molecular regions and dark clouds, the Cepheus-Cassiopeia complex, these very young stars are projected several degrees away from clouds in front of an area void of interstellar matter. As such, they are very good "isolated" T Tauri star candidates. Aims. We present optical observations of these stars conducted with 1-2 m class telescopes. We acquired high-resolution optical spectra as well as photometric data allowing us to investigate in detail their nature and physical parameters with the aim of testing the "runaway" and "in-situ" formation scenarios. Their kinematical properties are also analyzed to investigate their possible connection to already known stellar kinematic groups. Methods. We use the cross-correlation technique and other tools developed by us to derive accurate radial and rotational velocities and perform an automatic spectral classification. The spectral subtraction technique is used to infer chromospheric activity level in the Hα line core and clean the spectra of photospheric lines before measuring the equivalent width of the lithium absorption line. Results. Both physical (lithium content, chromospheric, and coronal activities) and kinematical indicators show that all stars are very young, with ages probably in the range 10-30 Myr. In particular, the spectral energy distribution of TYC4496-780-1 displays a strong near-and far-infrared excess, typical of T Tauri stars still surrounded by an accretion disc. They also share the same Galactic motion, proving that they form a homogeneous moving group of stars with the same origin. Conclusions. The most plausible explanation of how these "isolated" T Tauri stars formed is the "in-situ" model, although accurate distances are needed to clarify their connection with the Cepheus-Cassiopeia complex. The discovery of this loose association of "isolated" T Tauri stars can help to shed light on atypical formation processes of stars and planets in low-mass clouds.

Multiwavelength study of the fast rotating supergiant high-mass X-ray binary IGR J16465−4507

Context. Since its launch, the X-ray and γ-ray observatory INTEGRAL satellite has revealed a new class of high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXB) displaying fast flares and hosting supergiant companion stars. Optical and infrared (OIR) observations in a multi-wavelength context are essential to understand the nature and evolution of these newly discovered celestial objects. Aims. The goal of this multiwavelength study (from ultraviolet to infrared) is to characterise the properties of IGR J16465−4507, to confirm its HMXB nature and that it hosts a supergiant star. Methods. We analysed all OIR, photometric and spectroscopic observations taken on this source, carried out at ESO facilities. Results. Using spectroscopic data, we constrained the spectral type of the companion star between B0.5 and B1 Ib, settling the debate on the true nature of this source. We measured a high rotation velocity of v = 320 ± 8km s-1 from fitting absorption and emission lines in a stellar spectral model. We then built a spectral energy distribution from photometric observations to evaluate the origin of the different components radiating at each energy range. Conclusions. We finally show that, having accurately determined the spectral type of the early-B supergiant in IGR J16465−4507, we firmly support its classification as an intermediate supergiant fast X-ray transient (SFXT).

Discovery of "Warm Dust" galaxies in clusters at z ~ 0.3: evidence for stripping of cool dust in the dense environment?

Using far-infrared imaging from the "Herschel Lensing Survey," we derive dust properties of spectroscopically confirmed cluster member galaxies within two massive systems at z ~ 0.3: the merging Bullet Cluster and the more relaxed MS2137.3-2353. Most star-forming cluster sources (~90%) have characteristic dust temperatures similar to local field galaxies of comparable infrared (IR) luminosity (T_dust ~ 30 K). Several sub-luminous infrared galaxy (LIRG; L_IR < 10^11 L_☉) Bullet Cluster members are much warmer (T_dust > 37 K) with far-infrared spectral energy distribution (SED) shapes resembling LIRG-type local templates. X-ray and mid-infrared data suggest that obscured active galactic nuclei do not contribute significantly to the infrared flux of these "warm dust" galaxies. Sources of comparable IR luminosity and dust temperature are not observed in the relaxed cluster MS2137, although the significance is too low to speculate on an origin involving recent cluster merging. "Warm dust" galaxies are, however, statistically rarer in field samples (>3σ), indicating that the responsible mechanism may relate to the dense environment. The spatial distribution of these sources is similar to the whole far-infrared bright population, i.e., preferentially located in the cluster periphery, although the galaxy hosts tend toward lower stellar masses (M_* < 10^10 M_☉). We propose dust stripping and heating processes which could be responsible for the unusually warm characteristic dust temperatures. A normal star-forming galaxy would need 30%-50% of its dust removed (preferentially stripped from the outer reaches, where dust is typically cooler) to recover an SED similar to a "warm dust" galaxy. These progenitors would not require a higher IR luminosity or dust mass than the currently observed normal star-forming population.

MID-IR luminosities and UV/optical star formation rates at z < 1.4

Ultraviolet (UV) nonionizing continuum and mid-infrared (IR) emission constitute the basis of two widely used star formation (SF) indicators at intermediate and high redshifts. We study 2430 galaxies with z < 1.4 in the Extended Groth Strip with deep MIPS 24 μm observations from FIDEL, spectroscopy from DEEP2, and UV, optical, and near-IR photometry from the AEGIS. The data are coupled with dust-reddened stellar population models and Bayesian spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting to estimate dust-corrected star formation rates (SFRs). In order to probe the dust heating from stellar populations of various ages, the derived SFRs were averaged over various timescales—from 100 Myr for "current" SFR (corresponding to young stars) to 1-3 Gyr for long-timescale SFRs (corresponding to the light-weighted age of the dominant stellar populations). These SED-based UV/optical SFRs are compared to total IR luminosities extrapolated from 24 μm observations, corresponding to 10-18 μm rest frame. The total IR luminosities are in the range of normal star-forming galaxies and luminous IR galaxies (10^10-10^12 L_☉). We show that the IR luminosity can be estimated from the UV and optical photometry to within a factor of 2, implying that most z < 1.4 galaxies are not optically thick. We find that for the blue, actively star-forming galaxies the correlation between the IR luminosity and the UV/optical SFR shows a decrease in scatter when going from shorter to longer SFR-averaging timescales. We interpret this as the greater role of intermediate age stellar populations in heating the dust than what is typically assumed. Equivalently, we observe that the IR luminosity is better correlated with dust-corrected optical luminosity than with dust-corrected UV light. We find that this holds over the entire redshift range. Many so-called green valley galaxies are simply dust-obscured actively star-forming galaxies. However, there exist 24 μm detected galaxies, some with L_IR>10^11 L_☉, yet with little current SF. For them a reasonable amount of dust absorption of stellar light (but presumably higher than in nearby early-type galaxies) is sufficient to produce the observed levels of IR, which includes a large contribution from intermediate and old stellar populations. In our sample, which contains very few ultraluminous IR galaxies, optical and X-ray active galactic nuclei do not contribute on average more than ~50% to the mid-IR luminosity, and we see no evidence for a large population of "IR excess" galaxies.

Determining star formation rates for infrared galaxies

We show that measures of star formation rates (SFRs) for infrared galaxies using either single-band 24 μm or extinction-corrected Paα luminosities are consistent in the total infrared luminosity = L(TIR) ~ 10^10 L_☉ range. MIPS 24 μm photometry can yield SFRs accurately from this luminosity upward: SFR(M_☉ yr^–1) = 7.8 × 10^–10 L(24 μm, L_☉) from L(TIR) = 5× 10^9 L_☉ to 10^11 L_☉ and SFR = 7.8 × 10^–10 L(24 μm, L_☉)(7.76 × 10^–11 L(24))^0.048 for higher L(TIR). For galaxies with L(TIR) ≥ 10^10 L_☉, these new expressions should provide SFRs to within 0.2 dex. For L(TIR) ≥ 10^11 L_☉, we find that the SFR of infrared galaxies is significantly underestimated using extinction-corrected Paα (and presumably using any other optical or near-infrared recombination lines). As a part of this work, we constructed spectral energy distribution templates for eleven luminous and ultraluminous purely star forming infrared galaxies and over the spectral range 0.4 μm to 30 cm. We use these templates and the SINGS data to construct average templates from 5 μm to 30 cm for infrared galaxies with L(TIR) = 5× 10^9 to 10^13 L_☉. All of these templates are made available online.

Insights into the emission of the blazar 1ES 1011+496 through unprecedented broadband observations during 2011 and 2012

Context. 1ES 1011+496 (z = 0.212) was discovered in very high-energy (VHE, E >100 GeV) γ rays with MAGIC in 2007. The absence of simultaneous data at lower energies led to an incomplete characterization of the broadband spectral energy distribution (SED). Aims. We study the source properties and the emission mechanisms, probing whether a simple one-zone synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) scenario is able to explain the observed broadband spectrum. Methods. We analyzed data in the range from VHE to radio data from 2011 and 2012 collected by MAGIC, Fermi-LAT, Swift, KVA, OVRO, and Metsähovi in addition to optical polarimetry data and radio maps from the Liverpool Telescope and MOJAVE. Results. The VHE spectrum was fit with a simple power law with a photon index of 3.69 ± 0.22 and a flux above 150 GeV of (1.46±0.16)×10^(−11) ph cm^(−2) s^(−1) . The source 1ES 1011+496 was found to be in a generally quiescent state at all observed wavelengths, showing only moderate variability from radio to X-rays. A low degree of polarization of less than 10% was measured in optical, while some bright features polarized up to 60% were observed in the radio jet. A similar trend in the rotation of the electric vector position angle was found in optical and radio. The radio maps indicated a superluminal motion of 1.8 ± 0.4 c, which is the highest speed statistically significant measured so far in a high-frequency-peaked BL Lac. Conclusions. For the first time, the high-energy bump in the broadband SED of 1ES 1011+496 could be fully characterized from 0.1 GeV to 1 TeV, which permitted a more reliable interpretation within the one-zone SSC scenario. The polarimetry data suggest that at least part of the optical emission has its origin in some of the bright radio features, while the low polarization in optical might be due to the contribution of parts of the radio jet with different orientations of the magnetic field with respect to the optical emission.

Investigating the peculiar emission from the new VHE gamma-ray source H1722+119

The MAGIC (Major Atmospheric Gamma-ray Imaging Cherenkov) telescopes observed the BL Lac object H1722+119 (redshift unknown) for six consecutive nights between 2013 May 17 and 22, for a total of 12.5 h. The observations were triggered by high activity in the optical band measured by the KVA (Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien) telescope. The source was for the first time detected in the very high energy (VHE, E > 100 GeV) γ-ray band with a statistical significance of 5.9 σ. The integral flux above 150 GeV is estimated to be (2.0 ± 0.5) per cent of the Crab Nebula flux. We used contemporaneous high energy (HE, 100MeV < E < 100 GeV) γ-ray observations from Fermi-LAT (Large Area Telescope) to estimate the redshift of the source. Within the framework of the current extragalactic background light models, we estimate the redshift to be z = 0.34±0.15. Additionally, we used contemporaneous X-ray to radio data collected by the instruments on board the Swift satellite, the KVA, and the OVRO (Owens Valley Radio Observatory) telescope to study multifrequency characteristics of the source. We found no significant temporal variability of the flux in the HE and VHE bands. The flux in the optical and radio wavebands, on the other hand, did vary with different patterns. The spectral energy distribution (SED) of H1722+119 shows surprising behaviour in the ∼ 3×1014 −1018 Hz frequency range. It can be modelled using an inhomogeneous helical jet synchrotron self-Compton model.

Near-infrared Instrumentation For Rapid-response Astronomy

Ɣ-ray bursts (GRBs) are the Universe's most luminous transient events. Since the discovery of GRBs was announced in 1973, efforts have been ongoing to obtain data over a broader range of the electromagnetic spectrum at the earliest possible times following the initial detection. The discovery of the theorized ``afterglow'' emission in radio through X-ray bands in the late 1990s confirmed the cosmological nature of these events. At present, GRB afterglows are among the best probes of the early Universe (z ≳ 9). In addition to informing theories about GRBs themselves, observations of afterglows probe the circum-burst medium (CBM), properties of the host galaxies and the progress of cosmic reionization. To explore the early-time variability of afterglows, I have developed a generalized analysis framework which models near-infrared (NIR), optical, ultra-violet (UV) and X-ray light curves without assuming an underlying model. These fits are then used to construct the spectral energy distribution (SED) of afterglows at arbitrary times within the observed window. Physical models are then used to explore the evolution of the SED parameter space with time. I demonstrate that this framework produces evidence of the photodestruction of dust in the CBM of GRB 120119A, similar to the findings from a previous study of this afterglow. The framework is additionally applied to the afterglows of GRB 140419A and GRB 080607. In these cases the evolution of the SEDs appears consistent with the standard fireball model. Having introduced the scientific motivations for early-time observations, I introduce the Rapid Infrared Imager-Spectrometer (RIMAS). Once commissioned on the 4.3 meter Discovery Channel Telescope (DCT), RIMAS will be used to study the afterglows of GRBs through photometric and spectroscopic observations beginning within minutes of the initial burst. The instrument will operate in the NIR, from 0.97 μm to 2.37 μm, permitting the detection of very high redshift (z ≳ 7) afterglows which are attenuated at shorter wavelengths by Lyman-ɑ absorption in the intergalactic medium (IGM). A majority of my graduate work has been spent designing and aligning RIMAS's cryogenic (~80 K) optical systems. Design efforts have included an original camera used to image the field surrounding spectroscopic slits, tolerancing and optimizing all of the instrument's optics, thermal modeling of optomechanical systems, and modeling the diffraction efficiencies for some of the dispersive elements. To align the cryogenic optics, I developed a procedure that was successfully used for a majority of the instrument's sub-assemblies. My work on this cryogenic instrument has necessitated experimental and computational projects to design and validate designs of several subsystems. Two of these projects describe simple and effective measurements of optomechanical components in vacuum and at cryogenic temperatures using an 8-bit CCD camera. Models of heat transfer via electrical harnesses used to provide current to motors located within the cryostat are also presented.