Integral field spectroscopy in the IR: Gemini-CIRPASS observations and the star-formation history in the nucleus of M83 While HST offers excellent spatial resolution, broad band photometry cannot tell the whole story for a number of reasons: It is subject to dust bias as the reddening vector parallels much of the evolutionary track Biased against young star-forming regions which may have strong line emission but weak continuum Instantaneous burst and continuous star-formation models are degenerate in colour space Long slit spectroscopy can overcome some of these problems, but introduces a bias based on the selection of targets for follow-up. Observations were performed over two nights during April The 0.36arcsec IFU lens scale was used to observe three telescope pointing in the central nuclear starburst region of M83. Each pointing was observed, in both the J and H bands, with 2x900sec exposures on target, interleaved with offset sky frames. Here we see the three colour (F300W,F547M,F814W) HST/WFPC2 image of Harris et al ApJ The three CIRPASS IFU points are overlaid. [Fe II ] 1.64  m Pa  1.28  m Emission line maps are created by profile fitting the spectrum recorded by each lens in the IFU. The equivalent width map for Pa  in the J-band and H-band [Fe II ]  m are shown here. The IR observations penetrate the prominent dust lane, seen in the WFPC2 image. CIRPASS, The Cambridge Infra-Red Panoramic Survey Spectrograph, is a Fiber fed multi- mode IR J+H band spectrograph. In multi-object mode CIRPASS offers 150 object MOS spectroscopy over a field of view in excess of 20arcmins. A multi-IFU MOS mode will be commissioned in The CIRPASS wide field Integral field mode implements a 490 element macro lens array giving a field of view of 13x9arcsec at 0.36arcsec resolution. Intermediate resolution spectra (R~4000, working between the bright night sky OH lines) are recorded on a 2Kx2K Hawaii-2 IR array. Using the STARBURST99 models of Leitherer et al. and the Pa  and [Fe II ]  m emission lines we see a clear trends to the star-formation history across the central region of M83, a continuous star-formation model is not well suited to the observations. 6.2 Myr 6.5 Myr 7.6 Myr 10.6 Myr We present Gemini-South observations of the nuclear starburst region of M83 from the CIRPASS near-IR integral field spectrograph. Spectroscopic diagnostics are used to overcome many of the uncertainties inherent in photometric studies of the star-formation history of the central region of M83. We use Pa  and [Fe II ] emission, along with absorption in the CO(6,3) band head, to demonstrate an age gradient, as oppose to stochastic star-formation, across the nuclear star-forming region of M83. Robert Sharp and Stuart Ryder AAO Johan Knapen U. Hertfordshire Lisa Mazzuca GSFC Ian Parry U. Cambridge Summary Photometry gives an incomplete/ambiguous age picture. Photometry gives an incomplete/ambiguous age picture. NIR IFU spectroscopy is less biased by extinction and selection effects. NIR IFU spectroscopy is less biased by extinction and selection effects. Multiple independent spectral line diagnostics help constrain Star Formation History. Multiple independent spectral line diagnostics help constrain Star Formation History. Circumnuclear Star Formation in M83 takes place in short- lived, high-efficiency bursts (rather than continuous mode), consistent with scarcity of gas in ring. Circumnuclear Star Formation in M83 takes place in short- lived, high-efficiency bursts (rather than continuous mode), consistent with scarcity of gas in ring. Clear azimuthal age gradients in M83 (and M100, ) argue for gas fuelling via bar, and sequential triggering. Clear azimuthal age gradients in M83 (and M100, Ryder, Knapen & Takamiya 2001 MNRAS ) argue for gas fuelling via bar, and sequential triggering. SMA CO(J=3-2) Sakamoto et al. astro-ph/ Molecular gas traces the dust lane but is scares in the older regions of star-formation. J-band spectrum of Knot 10 from Harris et al OH sky emission H-band spectrum