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Toward a 2-eV Microcalorimeter X-ray Spectrometer for Constellation-X

Published

Author(s)

C. K. Stahle, Simon R. Bandler, T W. Barbee, J. Beeman, R.P. Brekosky, B. Cabrera, M. Cunningham, Steven Deiker, Enectali Figueroa-Feliciano, F. M. Finkbeiner, G R. Frank, K. C. Gendreau, E. E. Haller, Gene C. Hilton, Kent D. Irwin, R. L. Kelley, S. E. Labov, M. J. Li, N. Madden, John M. Martinis, D. McCammon, Sae Woo Nam, F. S. Porter, H. Schnopper, E. H. Silver, A. E. Szymkowiak, G. S. Tucker, A. Walker, David A. Wollman

Abstract

Constellation-X is a cluster of identical observatories that together constitute a promising concept for a next-generation, high-throughput, high-resolution, astrophysical x-ray spectroscopy mission. The heart of the Constellation-X mission concept is a high-quantum-efficiency imaging spectrometer with 2 eV resolution at 6 keV. Collectively across the cluster, this imaging spectrometer will have twenty times the collecting efficiency of XRS on Astro-E and better than 0.25 arc minute imaging resolution. The spectrometer on each satellite will be able to handle count rates of up to 1000 counts per second per imaging pixel for a point source and 30 counts per second per pixel for an extended source filling the array. Focal plan coverage of at least 2.5 arc minutes x 2.5 arc minutes, comparable to XRS but with a factor of thirty more pixels, is required. This paper will present the technologies that have the potential to meet all these requirements. It will identify the ones chosen for development for Constellation-X and explain why those were considered closer to realization, and it will summarize the results of the development work so far.
Proceedings Title
Proc. Intl. Soc. for Optical Engineering (SPIE)
Volume
3765
Conference Dates
July 21-23, 1999
Conference Location
Seattle, WA, USA
Conference Title
EUV, X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Instrum. for Astronomy X

Keywords

Constellation-X, low temperature detector, microcalorimeter, spectroscopy, x-ray

Citation

Stahle, C. , Bandler, S. , Barbee, T. , Beeman, J. , Brekosky, R. , Cabrera, B. , Cunningham, M. , Deiker, S. , Figueroa-Feliciano, E. , Finkbeiner, F. , Frank, G. , Gendreau, K. , Haller, E. , Hilton, G. , Irwin, K. , Kelley, R. , Labov, S. , Li, M. , Madden, N. , Martinis, J. , McCammon, D. , Nam, S. , Porter, F. , Schnopper, H. , Silver, E. , Szymkowiak, A. , Tucker, G. , Walker, A. and Wollman, D. (1999), Toward a 2-eV Microcalorimeter X-ray Spectrometer for Constellation-X, Proc. Intl. Soc. for Optical Engineering (SPIE), Seattle, WA, USA (Accessed March 29, 2024)
Created September 30, 1999, Updated October 12, 2021