X-ray grating spectroscopy as a mission enhancement

Hans Moritz Guenther; Ehud Behar; Joel N. Bregman; Laura W. Brenneman; Alexander R. Bruccoleri; Lía Corrales; Elisa Costantini; Thomas Dauser; Casey T. DeRoo; Abraham D. Falcone; Adam R. Foster; Luigi Gallo; Catherine E. Grant; Sean J. Gunderson; Ralf K. Heilmann; David P. Huenemoerder; Maurice Leutenegger; Eric D. Miller; Michael Nowak; Frits Paerels; David A. Principe; Ioanna Psaradaki; Andrew Ptak; Agata Rozanska; Randall K. Smith; Pasquale Temi; Todd M. Tripp; Lynne Valencic; Joern Wilms; Scott J. Wolk

arXiv · 2608.28804

X-ray grating spectroscopy as a mission enhancement

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Abstract

We propose to add instruments to any potential future X-ray mission with focussing optics that is considered in NASA's ASTRA framework. Such an instrument is a necessity to study AGN wind outflows and feedback, find the missing baryons, study the intergalactic medium, and analyze abundances and chemical bonds in dust grains throughout the Milky Way. We conclude that those science goals can be achieved with a spectral resolving power > 3000 in the soft X-ray band (about 10-40 Ang) and an effective area a few times larger than current instruments. We describe a possible mission implementation for a soft X-ray grating spectrometer that can be folded in and out or be mounted permanently in the beam. Such an instrument can reach the requirements for a wide variety of host mission properties. A small UV imager and a UV spectrograph can be mounted on the same platform with independent optics. These added instruments vastly enhance the science capabilities of the host mission for a modest cost (100-200 million $) and with weight and power needs that can be easily accommodated in any major mission.

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Hans Moritz Guenther, Ehud Behar, Joel N. Bregman, Laura W. Brenneman, Alexander R. Bruccoleri, Lía Corrales, Elisa Costantini, Thomas Dauser, Casey T. DeRoo, Abraham D. Falcone, Adam R. Foster, Luigi Gallo, Catherine E. Grant, Sean J. Gunderson, Ralf K. Heilmann, David P. Huenemoerder, Maurice Leutenegger, Eric D. Miller, Michael Nowak, Frits Paerels, David A. Principe, Ioanna Psaradaki, Andrew Ptak, Agata Rozanska, Randall K. Smith, Pasquale Temi, Todd M. Tripp, Lynne Valencic, Joern Wilms, Scott J. Wolk. 2026-08-28. X-ray grating spectroscopy as a mission enhancement. https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.28804

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