Final Analysis of ELAIS 15 μm Observations

Abstract

The European Large Area ISO Survey [10, ELAIS] was the largest Open Time project carried out with the Infrared Space Observatory [3, ISO], mapping areas of about 12 deg² at 15 and 90 μm and smaller areas at 7 and 175 μm with the ISOCAM [1] and ISOPHOT [8] cameras. Thanks to an extensive multi-wavelength coverage [11], the ELAIS fields have now arguably become the best studied sky areas of their size, and natural targets of on-going or planned large-area surveys with the most powerful ground and space-based facilities. Thus the need of reducing such data with the uttermost care and provide the community with an agreed-upon legacy from the ISO mission.