报告题目：Athena, probing the Hot and Energetic Univserse in X-rays

报 告 人：Jan-Willem den Herder（SRON）

报告时间：10.am, June 29 (Thursday)

报告地点：蒙民伟科技南楼S727

报告摘要：X-rays are a unique probe to explore the Hot and Energetic Universe. About half of the baryons have gone so far undetected and are assumed to be in filaments between clusters of galaxies. In cluster of galaxies the mass in the hot medium (0.1 – 10 billion degree) is about a factor 5 more than in the visible light. X-rays are the best probe to study these baryons. With the ESA Athena mission, scheduled for launch in 2028, it will be for the first time possible to measure this gas with high angular resolution in combination with a large area and very high spectral resolution. This opens a new window where extended sources can be studied in unprecedented detail and abundances, temperatures, ionization stages and densities of the gas can be mapped. X-rays also provide a unique window on the energetic Universe: gas swirling around a blackhole has a clear imprint on the shape of the spectral lines and can be used to study these objects in great detail.

Following a general introduction I will present the key science of Athena followed by a description of the technology developments which made the mission feasible. With the same technology wide-field imaging is in reach as well and I will also touch upon this.