Panchromatic modeling is one of the most powerful tools at our disposal to measure reliably the physical properties of galaxies across cosmic times. We present here an entirely new implementation in python of one such tool: CIGALE. Developed along three main design principles: simplicity, modularity, and efficiency, it has proven to be a versatile code that in addition to estimating the physical properties of galaxies (or regions within galaxies), can generate arbitrary sets of theoretical models or be used as a library to build other tools. Among its defining features, it is a truly panchromatic code ranging from the far-ultraviolet to the radio that takes into account numerous physical components (including active nuclei or synchrotron emission), that can fit non-photometric data, handle upper limits, determine photometric redshifts, and even build mock catalogs.

We compiled a sample of 57 galaxies with spectroscopically confirmed redshifts and SPIRE detections in all three bands at z = 2.5-6.4, and compared their SPIRE colors with SED templates from local and high-z libraries. We find that local calibrations are inconsistent with high-z observations. For high-z libraries, the templates with an evolution from z = 0 to 3 can describe the average colors of the observations at high redshift well. Based on the templates, we defined color cuts to divide the SPIRE color-color diagram into different regions with different mean redshifts. We tested this method and two other color cut methods using a larger sample (783 galaxies) with photometric redshifts. We find that these color cuts can separate the sample into subsamples with different mean redshifts, but the dispersion of redshifts in each subsample is considerably large. Additional information is needed for better sampling.

Multiwavelength Spectral Energy Distributions (SEDs) of far-infrared (FIR) galaxies detected in the AKARI South Ecliptic Poles Survey (ADF-S) allow to trace differences between [Ultra]-Luminous Infrared Galaxies ([U]LIRGS) and other types of star-forming galaxies (SF).

PILOT (the Pathfinder for an International Large Optical Telescope) is a proposed 2.5-m optical/infrared telescope to be located at Dome C on the Antarctic plateau. The atmospheric conditions at Dome C deliver a high sensitivity, high photometric precision, wide-field, high spatial resolution, and high-cadence imaging capability to the PILOT telescope. These capabilities enable a unique scientific potential for PILOT, which is addressed in this series of papers. The current paper presents a series of projects dealing with the distant (redshift >1) Universe, that have been identified as key science drivers for the PILOT facility. The potential for PILOT to detect the first populations of stars to form in the early Universe, via infrared projects searching for pair-instability supernovae and gamma-ray burst afterglows, is investigated. Two projects are proposed to examine the assembly and evolution of structure in the Universe: an infrared survey searching for the first evolved galaxies at high redshift, and an optical survey aimed at characterising moderate-redshift galaxy clusters. Finally, a large-area weak-lensing survey and a program to obtain supernova infrared light-curves are proposed to examine the nature and evolution of dark energy and dark matter.

PILOT (the Pathfinder for an International Large Optical Telescope) is a proposed 2.5-m optical/infrared telescope to be located at Dome C on the Antarctic plateau. Conditions at Dome C are known to be exceptional for astronomy. The seeing (above ∼30 m height), coherence time, and isoplanatic angle are all twice as good as at typical mid-latitude sites, while the water-vapour column, and the atmosphere and telescope thermal emission are all an order of magnitude better. These conditions enable a unique scientific capability for PILOT, which is addressed in this series of papers. The current paper presents an overview of the optical and instrumentation suite for PILOT and its expected performance, a summary of the key science goals and observational approach for the facility, a discussion of the synergies between the science goals for PILOT and other telescopes, and a discussion of the future of Antarctic astronomy. Paper II and Paper III present details of the science projects divided, respectively, between the distant Universe (i.e. studies of first light, and the assembly and evolution of structure) and the nearby Universe (i.e. studies of Local Group galaxies, the Milky Way, and the Solar System).

This report provides the recommendations of ARENA Working Group 1 concerning the development of and objectives for a wide-field, optical/infrared, 2.5 m class telescope for Antarctica. It discusses the key science drivers for such a telescope, the performance and capabilities it should have, and the logistics and infrastructure issues relevant to its construction and operation.

The Wide-field High-resolution Infrared TElescope (WHITE) that we propose for Dome Cwill be dedicated in the first years of its life to carry out a few legacy surveys (well-focused in terms of science objectives and time).
WHITE would have an angular resolution of ~0.3'' uniform over ~0.7 sq. deg. in the wavelength range 1 µm to 5 µm, which means that we will very efficiently use all the available observational time during night time and day time. Moreover, the deepest observations will be performed by summing up shorter individual frames. We will obtain temporal information that can be used to study variable objects.
The three key science objectives of WHITE are: 1) A survey of the Magellanic Clouds to make a complete census of young stellar objects in the Clouds and in the Bridge and to study their star formation history and the link with the Milky Way. The interaction of the two Clouds with our Galaxy might be the closest example of a minor merging event that could be the main driver of galaxy evolution in the last 5 Gyrs. 2) Establishing of the first sample of dusty supernovae at z < 1.2 in the near infrared range (1.0 - 5.0 µm) to constrain the equation of state of these obscured objects, study the formation of dust in galaxies, and build the first high resolution sample of high-redshift galaxies observed in their optical frame 3) A very wide weak lensing survey that would allow to estimate the equation of state of dark energy in a way that would favourably compete with space projects.

Surveys provide a wealth of data to the astronomical community that are used well after their completion. In this paper, we propose a project that would take the maximum benefit of Dome C in Antarctica by performing two surveys, in the wavelength range from 1–5 µm, complementary to SNAP space surveys. The first one over 1000 sq. deg. (1 KdF) for 4 years and the second one over 15 sq. deg (SNAP-IR) for the next 4 years at the same time as SNAP 0.35–1.7 µm survey. By using a Ground-Layer Adaptive Optics system, we would be able to recover, at the ice level and over at least half a degree in radius, the ~300 mas angular resolution available above the 30-m high turbulent layer. Such a survey, combining a high angular resolution with high sensitivities in the NIR and MIR, should also play the role of a pre-survey for JWST and ALMA.

Properties related to dust attenuation and star formation of an UV selected sample of intermediate redshift galaxies are presented in this work. We find hints of a decrease of the LIR/LFUV ratio with increasing redshift at low values of the total luminosity. Downsizing is observed at all redshifts, and the SSFR is found to increase with increasing redshift at all stellar masses.

We select far-infrared (60 μm) and far-ultraviolet (1530Å) samples of nearby galaxies. We derived distributions of the bolometric luminosity of young stars in both samples: they are found to be consistent with each other for galaxies of intermediate luminosities but some differences are found for high (>5 × 1010L⊙) luminosities. The ratio of the total IR luminosity to the FUV one is found to increase with the bolometric luminosity in a similar way for both samples up to 5 × 1010L⊙. Brighter galaxies are found to have a different behavior according to their selection: the LTIR/LFUV ratio of the FUV selected galaxies brighter than 5 × 1010L⊙ reaches a plateau whereas LTIR/LFUV continues to increase with the luminosity of bright galaxies selected in FIR. The volume averaged specific star formation rate (SFR per unit galaxy stellar mass, SSFR) is found to decrease toward massive galaxies within each selection. The SSFR is found larger than that measured for optical and NIR selected sample for the whole mass range for the FIR selection and for masses larger than 1010M⊙ for the FUV selection. Luminous and massive galaxies selected in FIR appear as active as galaxies with similar characteristics detected at z ~ 0.7. Details are presented in Buat et al. (2006).