Thermal Limit Spectroscopy as a Goal for X-ray Astronomy
Abstract
The R~300-1000 grating spectra from XMM-Newton and Chandra are a radical advance, allowing spectroscopic physics techniques to be applied to X-ray astronomy, revolutionizing a wide range of research. Ten years on these spectra will be routine, and higher resolution will be needed. I propose ``Thermal Limit Spectroscopy'' as the next natural goal for X-ray spectroscopy. This will open up new physics: plasma physics, velocity widths, Doppler shifts, line profiles, and absorption lines in photoionized plasmas. A resolution of R=3000-10,000 is required, and the technology is within reach.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.astro-ph/0106053,
title = {Thermal Limit Spectroscopy as a Goal for X-ray Astronomy},
author = {Martin Elvis},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:astro-ph/0106053},
year = {2007}
}
Comments
4 pages, 0 figures. to be published in the proceedings of `New Century of X-ray Astronomy' revised to clarify `temperatures' used; also corrected typos, minor text changes