GAIA Galaxy Survey: a multi-colour galaxy survey with GAIA

Abstract

The performance expected from a galaxy survey to be carried out with GAIA, the GAIA Galaxy Survey, is outlined. From a statistical model of galaxy number density, size and surface brightness distribution, and from detailed numerical simulations based on real images, it is conservatively estimated that GAIA would be able to detect and observe about 3 million galaxies brighter than $V \simeq 17$ and to provide multi-colour and multi-epoch broad-band photometry of these with an end-of-mission angular resolution of $\simeq$ 0.35 \as and a photometric accuracy of $simeq$ 0.2 {mag/arcsec$^2$} at $μ_V = 20$ {mag/arcsec$^2$}. The substantial scientific case for performing such a survey and the additional efforts required in terms of mission preparation, operations and telemetry are also discussed.

6 pages, 5 figures, to appear in the Proceedings of the Summer School "GAIA: a European Space Project", held on the 13-18 May 2001 at the Ecole de Physique des Houches, Les Houches, France, published in the "Journal de Physique IV", EDP Sciences