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STROBE-X: X-ray Timing & Spectroscopy on Dynamical Timescales from Milliseconds to YearsWe describe a probe-class mission concept that provides an unprecedented view of the X-ray sky, performing timing and 0.2-30 keV spectroscopy over timescales from microseconds to years. The Spectroscopic Time-Resolving Observatory for Broadband Energy X-rays (STROBE-X) has three key science drivers: (1) measuring the spin distribution of accreting black holes, (2) understanding the equation of state of dense matter, and (3) exploring the properties of the precursors and electromagnetic counterparts of gravitational wave sources. To perform these science investigations, STROBE-X comprises three primary instruments. The first uses an array of lightweight optics (3-m focal length) that concentrate incident photons onto solid state detectors with CCD-level (85-130 eV) energy resolution, 100 ns time resolution, and low background rates to cover the 0.2-12 keV band. This technology is scaled up from NICER, with enhanced optics to take advantage of the longer focal length of STROBE-X. The second uses large-area collimated silicon drift detectors, developed for ESA's LOFT, to cover the 2-30 keV band. These two instruments each provide an order of magnitude improvement in effective area compared with its predecessor (NICER and RXTE, respectively). Finally, a sensitive sky monitor triggers pointed observations, provides high duty cycle, high time resolution, high spectral resolution monitoring of the X-ray sky with ~20 times the sensitivity of the RXTE ASM, and enables multi-wavelength and multi-messenger studies on a continuous, rather than scanning basis. The STROBE-X mission concept is a rapidly repointable observatory in low-Earth orbit, similar to RXTE or Swift, and will be presented to the 2020 Astrophysics Decadal Survey for consideration as a probe-class mission.
Document ID
20190000028
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Presentation
Authors
Wilson-Hodge, Colleen A. (NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Ray, P.S. (Naval Research Lab. Washington, DC, United States)
Maccarone, T. (Texas Tech Univ. Lubbock, TX, United States)
Chakrabarty, D. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Cambridge, MA, United States)
Gendreau, K. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Arzoumanian, Z. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Jenke, P. (Alabama Univ. Huntsville, AL, United States)
Ballantyne, D. (Georgia Inst. of Technology Atlanta, GA, United States)
Bozzo, E. (Université de Genève Geneva, Switzerland)
Brenneman, L. (Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Cambridge, MA, United States)
Christophersen, M. (Naval Research Lab. Washington, DC, United States)
DeRosa, A. (Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali (INAF-IAPS) Rome, Italy)
Feroci, M. (Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali (INAF-IAPS) Rome, Italy)
Goldstein, A. (Universities Space Research Association (USRA) Huntsville, AL, United States)
Hartmann, D. (Clemson Univ. SC, United States)
Hernanz, M. (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas Barcelona, Spain)
Kar, E. (NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
McDonald, M. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Cambridge, MA, United States)
Phlips, B. (Naval Research Lab. Washington, DC, United States)
Remillard, R. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Cambridge, MA, United States)
Stevens, A. (Amsterday Univ. of Applied Sciences Amsterdam, Netherlands)
Tomsick, J. (California Univ. Berkeley, CA, United States)
Watts, A. (Amsterday Univ. of Applied Sciences Amsterdam, Netherlands)
Wood, K. (Praxis, Inc. Alexandria, VA, United States)
Zane, S. (Mullard Space Science Lab. Dorking, United Kingdom)
Date Acquired
January 9, 2019
Publication Date
January 6, 2019
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Report/Patent Number
MSFC-E-DAA-TN64215
Meeting Information
Meeting: Meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS)
Location: Seattle,WA
Country: United States
Start Date: January 6, 2019
End Date: January 10, 2019
Sponsors: American Astronautical Society
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Portions of document may include copyright protected material.
Keywords
STROBE-X: X-ray

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