Compact optics for high resolution spectroscopy of celestial X-ray sources

W. Cash, C. Lillie, R. McEntaffer, W. Zhang

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

The astronomy community has never flown a celestial source spectrograph that can resolve natural line widths in absorption the way the ultraviolet community since OAO-3 Copernicus in 1972. Yet there is important science to be mined there, and right now there are now missions on track to pursue it. We present a modified off-plane grating spectrograph design that will support high resolution (λ/δλ ∼ 4000) in the soft x-ray band with a high packing density that will enable a modest cost space mission. We discuss the design for the WHIMEx mission which was proposed as an Explorer earlier this year with the goal of detecting high temperature oxygen in the Intergalactic Medium.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationEUV and X-Ray Optics
Subtitle of host publicationSynergy Between Laboratory and Space II
DOIs
StatePublished - 2011
EventEUV and X-Ray Optics: Synergy Between Laboratory and Space II - Prague, Czech Republic
Duration: Apr 20 2011Apr 21 2011

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume8076
ISSN (Print)0277-786X

Other

OtherEUV and X-Ray Optics: Synergy Between Laboratory and Space II
Country/TerritoryCzech Republic
CityPrague
Period4/20/114/21/11

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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