The Next Generation of X-Ray Observatories

Details The Next Generation of X-Ray Observatories The Next Generation of X-Ray Observatories

Jan 1997

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1997ngxo.conf.....t&link_type=abstract

The Next Generation of X Ray Observatories

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

X Ray Astronomy, X Ray Astrophysics Facility, X Ray Sources, Conferences, Imaging Techniques, Time Measurement, Mission Planning, X Ray Spectroscopy, Space Missions, Electromagnetic Fields, Galactic Clusters, High Temperature, Angular Resolution, Spectral Resolution, Energy Bands, High Resolution, Rosat Mission

Scientific paper

During the last 34 years X ray astronomy has become one of the major fields in astrophysics. What we see if we look at the sky in X rays are objects having very high temperatures - millions to billions degrees, or places where very energetic electrons interact with electromagnetic fields. It has turned out that almost all kinds of astrophysical objects emit measurable X ray fluxes. They span enormous ranges in size - from 106 cm for neutron stars to 1,021 cm for clusters of galaxies, in distance - from the moon out to distant quasars, and in luminosity - from 1,016 erg s-1 for comets to 1,046 erg s-1 for luminous quasars. X ray observations provide us with information about the physical conditions in the sources which often cannot be obtained by any other means. Since the early days of X ray astronomy the number of known X ray sources has risen from three (Sun, Sco X-1 and the X ray background) to - 135,000. An enormous amount of interesting astrophysics has been extracted from these data and samples have become available for many object classes which are large enough for systematic bias-free studies. In this meeting we are addressing the future of X ray astronomy in terms of astrophysics, instrumentation and missions. The big question is how to proceed after the next generation of X ray missions which are in an advanced step of preparation and will be available around the year 2000. In the US, and in Europe, there would have been long starvation periods without national, bi- or trilateral projects. At present, the main stream of X ray astronomy is represented by ROSAT and ASCA which are complementary in their capabilities, deep imaging and sensitive spectroscopy, respectively, and serve large observer communities. In addition, there are two more specialized missions - ROSSI XTE and Beppo SAX - addressing timing and broad band observations. The next 3 or 4 years will see an enormous expansion of observational capabilities in X ray astronomy. XMM, AXAF, Spectrum-X and ASTRO-E will provide large gains in collecting power, spectral and angular resolution and observation time. XMM will do better than ROSAT and ASCA together, AXAF will go much deeper than the ROSAT deep surveys, Spectrum-X will allow very high resolution spectroscopy of bright sources as well as polarimetry, and ASTRO-E will perform high resolution spectroscopy of rather faint sources. These pointed missions will be supplemented by ABRIXAS performing a deep all-sky survey in the full energy bands of AXAF and XMM.

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