Overview
ESTREMO/WFXRT
is a space mission under study aimed to address fundamental questions on
the evolution
of the Universe from the dark era to the present age and
its violent manifestations of phenomena in extreme conditions.
The mission is based on innovative instrumental and
observational approaches,
out of
the mainstream of observatories of progressively increasing area.
ESTREMO/WFXRT assets are:
-
observing with fast reaction transient sources at their
brightest levels, thus allowing high resolution spectroscopy.
-
Observing and surveying with a wide field of view X-ray
telescope and with high sensitivity extended sources
These
instrumental and operational capabilities are unique in the ensemble of
present and future planned astronomical missions
Main themes
ESTREMO/WFXRT will use cosmological
probes from star-size (Gamma-Ray Burts) to large scale structures
(Clusters of Galaxies and the cosmic network) to address this
challenging goal.
Precision cosmology will be carried out by
measuring the baryon mass budget, that is residing mostly in the
outskirts of clusters and in filaments (WHIM: Warm Hot Intragalactic
Medium)of gas accreting onto Dark Matter web. This gas is heated at
high temperatures, and is thus visible and detectable only in
X-rays. Cluster surveys will allow to derive information on Dark
Energy.
Gamma-Ray Bursts, the brightest and most distant
sources of the Universe, will be used as beacons to
-
pinpoint the
formation of first population of luminous sources ignited in the
dark Universe (z>7)
-
perform a Tomography
of the Universe, in particular:
- measuring
the cosmic history of metals
- probing
the WHIM properties through high resolution absorption studies.
-
Derive the luminosity-redshift
relation of GRB as clues to the nature of the Dark Energy
-
The violent Universe
ESTREMO/WFXRT will study objects under
extreme conditions, in terms of gravity, density and temperature
(Gamma-Ray Bursts, Neutron Stars, Black Holes). It will examine the
accretion process of matter falling into black holes in X-rays, and
look for clues to the processes at work in gamma-ray bursts.
The key asset of ESTREMO/WFXRT in this regard is the
capability to observe the most extreme objects of the Universe
during their bursting phases. The large flux achieved in this phase
allows unprecedented measurements with high resolution
spectroscopy.
This capability opens a new observational window on several classes
of celestial sources. Several of the most outstanding discoveries in
the history of high energy astrophysics have been achieved by
serendipitous observations of sources in bursting phase. With this
mission we transform these occasional events into a resident
programme.
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