Lynx X-Ray Observatory: an overview

Jessica A. Gaskin; Douglas Swartz; Alexey A. Vikhlinin; Feryal Özel; Karen E. E. Gelmis; Jonathan W. Arenberg; Simon R. Bandler; Mark W. Bautz; Marta M. Civitani; Alexandra Dominguez; Megan E. Eckart; Abraham D. Falcone; Enectali Figueroa-Feliciano; Mark D. Freeman; Hans M. Günther; Keith A. Havey Jr.; Ralf K. Heilmann; Kiranmayee Kilaru; Ralph P. Kraft; Kevin S. McCarley; Randall L. McEntaffer; Giovanni Pareschi; William R. Purcell; Paul B. Reid; Mark L. Schattenburg; Daniel A. Schwartz; Eric D. Schwartz Sr.; Harvey D. Tananbaum; Grant R. Tremblay; William W. Zhang; John A. Zuhone

doi:10.1117/1.JATIS.5.2.021001

29 May 2019 Lynx X-Ray Observatory: an overview

Jessica A. Gaskin, Douglas Swartz, Alexey A. Vikhlinin, Feryal Özel, Karen E. E. Gelmis, Jonathan W. Arenberg, Simon R. Bandler, Mark W. Bautz, Marta M. Civitani, Alexandra Dominguez, Megan E. Eckart, Abraham D. Falcone, Enectali Figueroa-Feliciano, Mark D. Freeman, Hans M. Günther, Keith A. Havey Jr., Ralf K. Heilmann, Kiranmayee Kilaru, Ralph P. Kraft, Kevin S. McCarley, Randall L. McEntaffer, Giovanni Pareschi, William R. Purcell, Paul B. Reid, Mark L. Schattenburg, Daniel A. Schwartz, Eric D. Schwartz Sr., Harvey D. Tananbaum, Grant R. Tremblay, William W. Zhang, John A. Zuhone

Author Affiliations +

Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems, Vol. 5, Issue 2, 021001 (May 2019). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JATIS.5.2.021001

Abstract

Lynx, one of the four strategic mission concepts under study for the 2020 Astrophysics Decadal Survey, provides leaps in capability over previous and planned x-ray missions and provides synergistic observations in the 2030s to a multitude of space- and ground-based observatories across all wavelengths. Lynx provides orders of magnitude improvement in sensitivity, on-axis subarcsecond imaging with arcsecond angular resolution over a large field of view, and high-resolution spectroscopy for point-like and extended sources in the 0.2- to 10-keV range. The Lynx architecture enables a broad range of unique and compelling science to be carried out mainly through a General Observer Program. This program is envisioned to include detecting the very first seed black holes, revealing the high-energy drivers of galaxy formation and evolution, and characterizing the mechanisms that govern stellar evolution and stellar ecosystems. The Lynx optics and science instruments are carefully designed to optimize the science capability and, when combined, form an exciting architecture that utilizes relatively mature technologies for a cost that is compatible with the projected NASA Astrophysics budget.

CC BY: © The Authors. Published by SPIE under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported License. Distribution or reproduction of this work in whole or in part requires full attribution of the original publication, including its DOI.

Citation Download Citation

Jessica A. Gaskin, Douglas Swartz, Alexey A. Vikhlinin, Feryal Özel, Karen E. E. Gelmis, Jonathan W. Arenberg, Simon R. Bandler, Mark W. Bautz, Marta M. Civitani, Alexandra Dominguez, Megan E. Eckart, Abraham D. Falcone, Enectali Figueroa-Feliciano, Mark D. Freeman, Hans M. Günther, Keith A. Havey Jr., Ralf K. Heilmann, Kiranmayee Kilaru, Ralph P. Kraft, Kevin S. McCarley, Randall L. McEntaffer, Giovanni Pareschi, William R. Purcell, Paul B. Reid, Mark L. Schattenburg, Daniel A. Schwartz, Eric D. Schwartz Sr., Harvey D. Tananbaum, Grant R. Tremblay, William W. Zhang, and John A. Zuhone "Lynx X-Ray Observatory: an overview," Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems 5(2), 021001 (29 May 2019). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JATIS.5.2.021001

Received: 28 February 2019; Accepted: 26 April 2019; Published: 29 May 2019

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

JOURNAL ARTICLE
15 PAGES

DOWNLOAD PAPER SAVE TO MY LIBRARY