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The Relativistic Astrophysics Explorer: A New Mission for X-Ray Timing

P. Kaaret·J. Grindlay·F. K. Lamb·E. H. Morgan·J. H. Swank·W. Zhang
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Abstract

The great success of the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) has given us a new probe to study strong gravitational fields and to measure the physical properties of black holes and neutron stars. Here, we describe a "next-generation" x-ray timing mission, the Relativistic Astrophysics Explorer (RAE), designed to fit within the envelope of a "medium-sized" mission. The main instruments will be a narrow-field x-ray detector array with an area of at least ten times that of RXTE, and a wide-field x-ray monitor with good sensitivity and few arcminute position resolution. We describe the design of the instruments and the science which will be possible with a factor of ten increase in collecting area.

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P. Kaaret, J. Grindlay, F. K. Lamb, E. H. Morgan, J. H. Swank, W. Zhang. 1999-11-11. The Relativistic Astrophysics Explorer: A New Mission for X-Ray Timing. https://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/9911209

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