The development of a testbed for the x-ray interferometry mission

Hartog, R. den; Uttley, P.; Willingale, R.; Hoevers, H.; Herder, Jan-Willem den; Wise, Michael

doi:10.1117/12.2562831

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…We note that X-ray interferometry missions have also been proposed [166][167][168][169]. A naïve check of the photon shot-noise level of the brightest, localized X-ray sources in the sky, indicates that this may be a promising avenue to pursue for GW detection.…”

Section: Other Targetsmentioning

confidence: 94%

Astrometric gravitational-wave detection via stellar interferometry

et al. 2022

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We evaluate the potential for gravitational-wave (GW) detection in the frequency band from 10 nHz to 1 µHz using extremely high-precision astrometry of a small number of stars. In particular, we argue that non-magnetic, photometrically stable, hot white dwarfs (WD) located at ∼ kpc distances may be optimal targets for this approach. Previous studies of astrometric GW detection have focused on the potential for less precise surveys of large numbers of stars; our work provides an alternative optimization approach to this problem. Interesting GW sources in this band are expected at characteristic strains around hc ∼ 10 −17 ×(µHz/fgw). The astrometric angular precision required to see these sources is ∆θ ∼ hc after integrating for a time T ∼ 1/fgw. We show that jitter in the photometric center of WD of this type due to starspots is bounded to be small enough to permit this high-precision, small-N approach. We discuss possible noise arising from stellar reflex motion induced by orbiting objects and show how it can be mitigated. The only plausible technology able to achieve the requisite astrometric precision is a space-based stellar interferometer. Such a future mission with few-meter-scale collecting dishes and baselines of O(100 km) is sufficient to achieve the target precision. This collector size is broadly in line with the collectors proposed for some formation-flown, space-based astrometer or optical synthetic-aperture imaging-array concepts proposed for other science reasons. The proposed baseline is however somewhat larger than the km-scale baselines discussed for those concepts, but we see no fundamental technical obstacle to utilizing such baselines. A mission of this type thus also holds the promise of being one of the few ways to access interesting GW sources in this band.

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Section: Other Targetsmentioning

confidence: 94%

Astrometric gravitational-wave detection via stellar interferometry

et al. 2022

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“…The quality of the initial prototype (see Figure 3) indicated that SPO technology has the potential to produce a slatted mirror meeting the required specifications. Further developments are planned, [24][25][26] beginning in early 2024, to optimize the slat figure and improve coplanarity.…”

Section: X-ray Interferometrymentioning

confidence: 99%

Silicon pore optics: a mature and adaptable x-ray mirror technology

Girou,

Keek,

Smith

et al. 2023

Optics for EUV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Astronomy XI

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Silicon Pore Optics (SPO) is a technology that makes it possible to build light-weight x-ray optics modules from silicon mirror plates using semiconductor industry technology and custom robots. By combining a large number of modules, the technology solves the problem of aperture segmentation and achieves a large collecting area with consistently high optical quality. Additionally, SPO is a highly adaptable technology that can be optimized for new applications beyond the Athena mission. Several applications have already been proposed for SPO, including Arcus Probe, a candidate probe-class mission that uses SPO modules in combination with transmission gratings to perform high-resolution spectroscopy. The Off-plane Grating Rocket Experiment (OGRE) uses SPO’s direct bonding techniques to align its reflection gratings to high accuracy. SPO has also been investigated in different optical designs, including x-ray interferometry. Furthermore, SPO technology can be used in Silicon Laue Components (SiLC) to focus hard x-rays and soft gamma rays in the energy range of 80 keV to about 500 keV. In conclusion, SPO technology is mature and can be mass-produced, enabling efficient adaptation to different needs. Its versatility and adaptability make it an excellent candidate for future x-ray astronomy missions and beyond.

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“…We note that X-ray interferometry missions have also been proposed [155][156][157][158]. A naïve check of the photon shot-noise level of the brightest, localized X-ray sources in the sky, indicates that this may be a promising avenue to pursue for GW detection.…”

Section: Other Targetsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Astrometric Gravitational-Wave Detection via Stellar Interferometry

Fedderke,

Graham,

Macintosh

et al. 2022

Preprint

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We evaluate the potential for gravitational-wave (GW) detection in the frequency band from 10 nHz to 1 µHz using extremely high-precision astrometry of a small number of stars. In particular, we argue that non-magnetic, photometrically stable hot white dwarfs (WD) located at ∼ kpc distances may be optimal targets for this approach. Previous studies of astrometric GW detection have focused on the potential for less precise surveys of large numbers of stars; our work provides an alternative optimization approach to this problem. Interesting GW sources in this band are expected at characteristic strains around hc ∼ 10 −17 × (µHz/fgw). The astrometric angular precision required to see these sources is ∆θ ∼ hc after integrating for a time T ∼ 1/fgw. We show that jitter in the photometric center of WD of this type due to starspots is bounded to be small enough to permit this high-precision, small-N approach. We discuss possible noise arising from stellar reflex motion induced by orbiting objects and show how it can be mitigated. The only plausible technology able to achieve the requisite astrometric precision is a space-based stellar interferometer. Such a future mission with few-meter-scale collecting dishes and baselines of O(100 km) is sufficient to achieve the target precision. This collector size is broadly in line with the collectors proposed for some formation-flown, space-based astrometer or optical synthetic-aperature imaging-array concepts proposed for other science reasons. The proposed baseline is however somewhat larger than the km-scale baselines discussed for those concepts, but we see no fundamental technical obstacle to utilizing such baselines. A mission of this type thus also holds the promise of being one of the few ways to access interesting GW sources in this band. CONTENTS

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The development of a testbed for the x-ray interferometry mission

Cited by 4 publications

References 13 publications

Astrometric gravitational-wave detection via stellar interferometry

Astrometric gravitational-wave detection via stellar interferometry

Silicon pore optics: a mature and adaptable x-ray mirror technology

Astrometric Gravitational-Wave Detection via Stellar Interferometry

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