IMXS-RD

Collaboration:

- INFN and University of Genova
- IAS-CNR (Rome)

Location of the experiment: International Space Station

National Responsible: F. Gatti (Ge)

1. Goal of the experiment.

The experiment aims to perform the all sky survey in the soft X-ray band (0.2-2 KeV) with high-energy resolution micro-calorimetric spectrometer.The physics goal is a measurement of the amount and the distribution of barionic matter in form of hot plasma in the interstellar and intergalactic medium. The large field of view (about 10 degrees), which doesn’t need of precision pointing, allows the housing of the apparatus on the International Space Station. The large field of view and the high spectral resolution is also useful for acquire x-ray prompt transient from Gamma Ray Burst. We expect to observe at least 30 GRB during the experiment life.

2.

Activities during 2001

The experiment is under evaluation by the INFN and ASI Committees. In this year, we have received several requests for participating to the IMXS mission. The Italian collaboration is composed by INFN (Genoa) and IAS-CNR (Rome). New Italian collaborators are the groups from Osservatorio Astronomico of Arcetri, Catania, Rome, Torino and Triestre. The non Italian groups are: the group of Space Physics Dept, Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, the group of High Energy Astrophysics Branch, GFSC, NASA.

Milestones 2002: to be defined following the possible funding of the activity.

3. Manpower and financial support.

Manpower: 8 researchers (2.9 FTE), 2 technicians and support from the mechanics and the electronics workshops of INFN-Genoa.

Budget for the year 2002: under examination

4. Publications in refereed journals (in 2001):

5. Conference talks (in 2001):

6. Number of undergraduate and doctoral thesis:

7. Leadership roles and primary responsibilities in the experiment.

The group of Genoa has the leadership role in the collaboration as main proponent and as responsible for the development of the core of the instruments: detectors, electronic and cryogenics.

8. Innovative instruments.

Array of cryogenic detectors for space applications. High autonomy and sub-Kelvin refrigerator for space application. On board detector’s pulse processor for data reduction.

9. Competing experiments

No other approved mission with similar resolution, field of view and exposed area are currently scheduled until 2004. Mission with comparable resolution, but with grating spectrometers, which are currently operating, are Chandra and Newton XMM. However, their limited field of view prevents to make measurements on diffuse emission and on Gamma Ray Burst prompt emission. Future big missions, like XEUS and Constellation X and Astro-E II, in which is foreseen the use of cryogenic detectors, are designed for point-like sources observation, mainly in the extreme region of universe.

10. International committee which has reviewed the experiment

This R&D activity is under examination of INFN Committee II.