IGRINS and the Revolution in High Resolution Infrared Spectroscopy

The Immersion Grating Infrared Spectrograph (IGRINS) is the first of a new generation of infrared instruments with high sensitivity, high spectral resolution, and broad spectral grasp. IGRINS, a joint project of the University of Texas and the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, designed and constructed by a team at UT, KASI, and Kyung Hee University, has been available to the Korean and Texas communities on the McDonald Observatory 2.7m telescope since 2014 September. On this modest-sized telescope, the instrument has 30 times the spectral grasp of CRIRES at the 8m VLT and is only slightly less sensitive. Already, Korean and UT astronomers have produced a raft of new results in star formation studies, investigations of the interstellar medium, and the nature of cool stars. Several programs are under way to detect and study the atmospheres of exoplanets. We will present highlights from the first 6 months of IGRINS operations and look at the future of IR spectroscopy both with IGRINS and with GMTNIRS, a UT/KASI/KHU instrument for the Giant Magellan Telescope.