Update on the Micro-X Sounding Rocket payload

The Micro-X High Resolution Microcalorimeter X-ray Imaging Rocket is a sounding rocket experiment that will combine a transition-edge-sensor X-ray-microcalorimeter array with a conical imaging mirror to obtain high- spectral-resolution images of extended X-ray sources. The target for Micro-X’s first flight (slated for January 2013) is the Puppis A supernova remnant. The Micro-X observation of the bright eastern knot of Puppis A will obtain a line-dominated spectrum with up to 27,000 counts collected in 300 seconds at 2 eV resolution across the 0.3-2.5 keV band. Micro-X will determine the thermodynamic and ionization state of the plasma, search for line shifts and broadening associated with dynamical processes, and seek evidence of ejecta enhancement. We describe the progress made in developing this payload, including the detector, cryogenics, and electronics assemblies.

[1]  G. Hilton,et al.  Time-division superconducting quantum interference device multiplexer for transition-edge sensors , 2003 .

[2]  D. Crenshaw,et al.  Mass Loss from the Nuclei of Active Galaxies , 2003 .

[3]  Daniel Castro,et al.  FERMI LARGE AREA TELESCOPE OBSERVATIONS OF SUPERNOVA REMNANTS INTERACTING WITH MOLECULAR CLOUDS , 2010, 1002.2738.

[4]  K. Bernlöhr,et al.  The H.E.S.S. Survey of the Inner Galaxy in Very High Energy Gamma Rays , 2005 .

[5]  Simon R. Bandler,et al.  Small Pitch Transition-Edge Sensors with Broadband High Spectral Resolution for Solar Physics , 2012 .

[6]  Samuel Harvey Moseley,et al.  Sounding rocket experiment employing microcalorimeter detectors to obtain a high-resolution spectrum of the diffuse x-ray background , 1994, Optics & Photonics.

[7]  田村 啓輔.  ASCA observation of the Puppis A supernova remnant , 1994 .

[8]  Brian D. Ramsey,et al.  Replicated Nickel Optics for the Hard-X-Ray Region , 2006 .

[9]  S. Funk,et al.  Measuring the Cosmic-Ray Acceleration Efficiency of a Supernova Remnant , 2009, Science.

[10]  Jörn Beyer,et al.  In-focal-plane SQUID multiplexer , 2004 .

[11]  Robert P. Kirshner,et al.  Discovery of fast-moving oxygen filaments in Puppis A , 1985 .

[12]  Gino Tosti,et al.  FERMI LAT DISCOVERY OF EXTENDED GAMMA-RAY EMISSION IN THE DIRECTION OF SUPERNOVA REMNANT W51C , 2009 .

[13]  D. N. Burrows,et al.  Discovery of Fast-Moving X-Ray-Emitting Ejecta Knots in the Oxygen-Rich Supernova Remnant Puppis A , 2008, 0805.1369.

[14]  Paul Gorenstein,et al.  A hard x-ray telescope science enhancement package for the Constellation X-Ray mission , 2007, SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications.

[15]  J. Jernigan,et al.  High-Resolution X-Ray Spectroscopic Constraints on Cooling-Flow Models for Clusters of Galaxies , 2002, astro-ph/0210662.

[16]  S. R. Bandler,et al.  Performance of TES X-ray Microcalorimeters with a Novel Absorber Design , 2008 .

[17]  P. F. Winkler,et al.  Evidence for elemental enrichment of Puppis A by a Type II supernova , 1981 .

[18]  John Raymond,et al.  EFFICIENT COSMIC RAY ACCELERATION, HYDRODYNAMICS, AND SELF-CONSISTENT THERMAL X-RAY EMISSION APPLIED TO SUPERNOVA REMNANT RX J1713.7–3946 , 2010, 1001.1932.

[19]  Jelle S. Kaastra,et al.  High-Resolution X-Ray Spectroscopy , 2011 .

[20]  Nancy S. Brickhouse,et al.  Approximating the X-ray spectrum emitted from astrophysical charge exchange , 2012 .

[21]  John P. Hughes,et al.  Morphological Evidence for Azimuthal Variations of the Cosmic-Ray Ion Acceleration at the Blast Wave of SN 1006 , 2008, 0803.0805.

[22]  Simon R. Bandler,et al.  Kilopixel X-ray Microcalorimeter Arrays for Astrophysics: Device Performance and Uniformity , 2012 .

[23]  W. Marsden.  I and J , 2012 .

[24]  P. P. Plucinsky,et al.  Cosmic-Ray Acceleration at the Forward Shock in Tycho’s Supernova Remnant: Evidence from Chandra X-Ray Observations , 2005, astro-ph/0507478.

[25]  Herbert W. Schnopper,et al.  A survey of X-ray line emission from the supernova remnant Puppis A , 1981 .

[26]  S. H. Moseley,et al.  A High Spectral Resolution Observation of the Soft X-Ray Diffuse Background with Thermal Detectors , 2000, astro-ph/0205012.

[27]  Simon R. Bandler,et al.  THE ADIABATIC DEMAGNETIZATION REFRIGERATOR FOR THE MICRO-X SOUNDING ROCKET TELESCOPE , 2010 .

[28]  Jelle S. Kaastra,et al.  High Resolution X-ray Spectroscopic Constraints on Cooling-Flow Mod - , 2003 .

[29]  Kathryn A. Flanagan,et al.  X-Ray-emitting Ejecta in Puppis A Observed with Suzaku , 2007, 0712.3208.

[30]  J. L. Linsky,et al.  Flares from small to large: X-ray spectroscopy of Proxima Centauri with XMM-Newton , 2004 .

[31]  Daniel Castro,et al.  FERMI-LAT OBSERVATIONS AND A BROADBAND STUDY OF SUPERNOVA REMNANT CTB 109 , 2012, 1207.1432.

[32]  Simon R. Bandler,et al.  Close-packed Arrays of Transition-edge X-ray Microcalorimeters with High Spectral Resolution at 5.9 keV , 2008 .

[33]  J. Martinis,et al.  A series array of DC SQUIDs , 1991 .

[34]  Koji Mori,et al.  Discovery of X-ray-emitting O-Ne-Mg-rich Ejecta in the Galactic Supernova Remnant Puppis A , 2010 .

[35]  Daniel Castro,et al.  THE IMPACT OF EFFICIENT PARTICLE ACCELERATION ON THE EVOLUTION OF SUPERNOVA REMNANTS IN THE SEDOV–TAYLOR PHASE , 2011, 1104.1179.

[36]  Kathryn A. Flanagan,et al.  Chandra X-Ray Observation of a Mature Cloud-Shock Interaction in the Bright Eastern Knot Region of Puppis A , 2005, astro-ph/0508243.

[37]  J. Martinis,et al.  Two-stage integrated SQUID amplifier with series array output , 1993, IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity.

[38]  Robert Petre,et al.  DIRECT MEASUREMENT OF NEUTRON STAR RECOIL IN THE OXYGEN-RICH SUPERNOVA REMNANT PUPPIS A , 2007 .

[39]  G. Hilton,et al.  Prototype system for superconducting quantum interference device multiplexing of large-format transition-edge sensor arrays , 2003 .

[40]  Richard I. Klein,et al.  The Interaction of Supernova Remnants with Interstellar Clouds: Experiments on the Nova Laser , 2003 .

[41]  K. Flanagan.  Plasma Diagnostics with X-Ray Emission Lines of Puppis a. , 1990 .

[42]  P. F. Winkler,et al.  A Central Stellar Remnant in Puppis A , 1995 .

[43]  John P. Hughes,et al.  Electron Heating and Cosmic Rays at a Supernova Shock from Chandra X-Ray Observations of 1E 0102.2-7219 , 2000 .