Athena Wide Field Imager key science drivers

Date Issued
2016
Author(s)
Rau, Arne
•
Nandra, Kirpal
•
Aird, James
•
•
Dauser, Thomas
•
Merloni, Andrea
•
Pratt, Gabriel W.
•
Reiprich, Thomas H.
•
Fabian, Andy C.
•
Georgakakis, Antonis
•
Güdel, Manuel
•
RóŻańska, Agata
•
Sanders, Jeremy S.
•
Sasaki, Manami
•
Vaughan, Simon
•
Wilms, Jörn
•
Meidinger, Norbert
DOI
Abstract
The Wide Field Imager (WFI) is one of two instruments for the Advanced Telescope for High-ENergy Astrophysics (Athena). In this paper we summarise three of the many key science objectives for the WFI { the formation and growth of supermassive black holes, non-gravitational heating in clusters of galaxies, and spin measurements of stellar mass black holes { and describe their translation into the science requirements and ultimately instrument requirements. The WFI will be designed to provide excellent point source sensitivity and grasp for performing wide area surveys, surface brightness sensitivity, survey power, and absolute temperature and density calibration for in-depth studies of the outskirts of nearby clusters of galaxies and very good high-count rate capability, throughput, and low pile-up, paired with very good spectral resolution, for detailed explorations of bright Galactic compact objects.

Coverage
Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2016: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray
All editors
den Herder, Jan-Willem A.; Takahashi, Tadayuki; Bautz, Marshall
Series
Volume
9905
Start page
99052B
Conferenece
Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2016: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray
Conferenece place
Edinburgh, UK
Conferenece date
26 June-1 July, 2016
Uri
Url
Issn Identifier
0277-786X
Ads BibCode
2016SPIE.9905E..2BR
Rights
open.access
File(s)
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1607.00878.pdf

Description
postprint
Size

2.07 MB

Format

Adobe PDF

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