The Science Performance of JWST as Characterized in Commissioning
Jane R. Rigby, Marshall D. Perrin, Michael W. McElwain, Randy A. Kimble, S. D. Friedman, Matthew Lallo, René Doyon, Lee D. Feinberg, Pierre Ferruit, Alistair Glasse, Marcia Rieke, G. H. Rieke, Gillian Wright, Chris J. Willott, Knicole D. Colón, Stefanie N. Milam, Susan G. Neff, Christopher C. Stark, Jeff A. Valenti, Jim Abell, Faith Abney, Yasin M. Abul-Huda, D. Scott Acton, Evan M. Adams, David Adler, Jonathan Aguilar, Nasif Ahmed, Loïc Albert, Stacey Alberts, David C. Aldridge, Marsha Allen, Martin Altenburg, Javier Álvarez-Márquez, Catarina Alves de Oliveira, Greg Andersen, Harry L. Anderson, Sara Anderson, Ioannis Argyriou, Amber Armstrong, Santiago Arribas, Étienne Artigau, Amanda Arvai, Charles B. Atkinson, Gregory Bacon, Thomas Bair, Kimberly C. Banks, Jaclyn Barrientes, Bruce R. Barringer, Peter Bartosik, William D. Bast, Pierre Baudoz, Thomas G. Beatty, Katie Bechtold, Tracy L. Beck, E. Bergeron, Matthew D. Bergkoetter, Rachana Bhatawdekar, Stephan M. Birkmann, Ronald Blazek, Claire Blome, A. Boccaletti, Torsten Böker, John Boia, Nina Bonaventura, Nicholas Bond, Kari Bosley, Ray Boucarut, Matthew Bourque, J. Bouwman, Gary Bower, Charles W. Bowers, Martha L. Boyer, Larry Bradley, Gregory R. Brady, Hannah Braun, David Breda, Pamela Bresnahan, Stacey N. Bright, C. T. Britt, Asa Bromenschenkel, Brian Brooks, Keira Brooks, Bob Brown, Matthew Brown, Patricia D. Brown, Andy Bunker, M. Bürger, H. Bushouse, Steven Cale, Alex J. Cameron, Peter J. Cameron, Alicia Canipe, James Caplinger, Francis Caputo, Mihai Cara, Larkin Carey, Stefano Carniani, Maria Carrasquilla, Margaret Carruthers, Michael Case
Abstract
Abstract This paper characterizes the actual science performance of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), as determined from the six month commissioning period. We summarize the performance of the spacecraft, telescope, science instruments, and ground system, with an emphasis on differences from pre-launch expectations. Commissioning has made clear that JWST is fully capable of achieving the discoveries for which it was built. Moreover, almost across the board, the science performance of JWST is better than expected; in most cases, JWST will go deeper faster than expected. The telescope and instrument suite have demonstrated the sensitivity, stability, image quality, and spectral range that are necessary to transform our understanding of the cosmos through observations spanning from near-earth asteroids to the most distant galaxies.