MANIFEST@GMT Science Overview: a Multi-Interface, Multi-Mode Instrument Science and Simulations

The Many Instrument Fiber System (MANIFEST) is a facility fiber system for the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT). MANIFEST will be capable of feeding current and upcoming GMT instruments light from the telescopes full 20-arcmin field of view. The MANIFEST concept uses "Starbugs" - self-motile fiber heads deployed on a glass plate. MANIFEST will enhance the capabilities of different optical and near-infrared spectrographs at the GMT by feeding fibres and providing simultaneous observations. We have so far developed 15 science cases for MANIFEST which are listed under five broad science themes. Many science cases from galactic surveys, nearby galaxy surveys, intergalactic medium tomography, and spatially resolved studies of distant universe are of interest. These science cases drive the instrument requirements, modes of observations, and operation conditions for MANIFEST. Defined from the science cases, MANIFEST offers nine different modes of observations including high multiplexing, multiple and high sensitivity integral-field spectroscopy, polarimetry, and near-infrared spectroscopy. We discuss in this paper the latest developments of GMT/MANIFEST.