Observing and calibration strategies for FIR imaging with SIRTF

We present data from a 16x32 array of unstressed Ge:Ga detectors, showing t he long time constant responses and hook effect characteristic of these dev ices. This array is half the size of the 70 mu m imaging array planned for MIPS, the Multiband Imaging Photometer for SIRTE We present simulations of the FIR (far infrared) sky as viewed by a MIPS array, including realistic n oise effects and extraction of point sources with a standard photometry pac kage, showing that the photometric goals of MIPS are attainable with the cu rrent array performance and using standard analysis techniques. Previous ca lculations by Helm et al. (1998) had determined that MIPS would achieve 5-s igma detections of less than or equal to 1 mJy at 70 mu m in 2000 s; the si mulations presented here obtain results consistent with those calculations.