Studying the spectral properties of Active Galactic Nuclei in the JWST era

Abstract: The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), due to launch in 2014, shall provide an unprecedented wealth of information in the near and mid-infrared wavelengths, thanks to its high-sensitivity instruments and its 6.5m primary mirror, the largest ever launched into space. NIRSpec and MIRI, the two spectrographs onboard JWST, will play a key role in the study of the spectral features of Active Galactic Nuclei in the 0.6–28μm wavelength range. This article aims at presenting an overview of the possibilities provided by these two instruments, in order to prepare the astronomical community for the JWST era. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]