The high energy X-ray probe (HEX-P): science overview

To answer NASA’s call for a sensitive X-ray observatory in the 2030s, we present the High Energy X-ray Probe (HEX-P) mission concept. HEX-P is designed to provide the required capabilities to explore current scientific questions and make new discoveries with a broadband X-ray observatory that simultaneously measures sources from 0.2 to 80 keV. HEX-P’s main scientific goals include: 1) understand the growth of supermassive black holes and how they drive galaxy evolution; 2) explore the lower mass populations of white dwarfs, neutron stars, and stellar-mass black holes in the nearby universe; 3) explain the physics of the mysterious corona, the luminous plasma close to the central engine of accreting compact objects that dominates cosmic X-ray emission; and 4) find the sources of the highest energy particles in the Galaxy. These goals motivate a sensitive, broadband X-ray observatory with imaging, spectroscopic, and timing capabilities, ensuring a versatile platform to serve a broad General Observer (GO) and Guest Investigator (GI) community. In this paper, we present an overview of these mission goals, which have been extensively discussed in a collection of more than a dozen papers that are part of this Research Topic volume. The proposed investigations will address key questions in all three science themes highlighted by Astro2020, including their associated priority areas. HEX-P will extend the capabilities of the most sensitive low- and high-energy X-ray satellites currently in orbit and will complement existing and planned high-energy, time-domain, and multi-messenger facilities in the next decade.

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Journal
Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences
Published
2024-11-25
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fspas.2024.1471585
Citations
5
Primary Topic
Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
1.66

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The high energy X-ray probe (HEX-P): science overview

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The high energy X-ray probe (HEX-P): science overview

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article en
5 citations

Abstract

To answer NASA’s call for a sensitive X-ray observatory in the 2030s, we present the High Energy X-ray Probe (HEX-P) mission concept. HEX-P is designed to provide the required capabilities to explore current scientific questions and make new discoveries with a broadband X-ray observatory that simultaneously measures sources from 0.2 to 80 keV. HEX-P’s main scientific goals include: 1) understand the growth of supermassive black holes and how they drive galaxy evolution; 2) explore the lower mass populations of white dwarfs, neutron stars, and stellar-mass black holes in the nearby universe; 3) explain the physics of the mysterious corona, the luminous plasma close to the central engine of accreting compact objects that dominates cosmic X-ray emission; and 4) find the sources of the highest energy particles in the Galaxy. These goals motivate a sensitive, broadband X-ray observatory with imaging, spectroscopic, and timing capabilities, ensuring a versatile platform to serve a broad General Observer (GO) and Guest Investigator (GI) community. In this paper, we present an overview of these mission goals, which have been extensively discussed in a collection of more than a dozen papers that are part of this Research Topic volume. The proposed investigations will address key questions in all three science themes highlighted by Astro2020, including their associated priority areas. HEX-P will extend the capabilities of the most sensitive low- and high-energy X-ray satellites currently in orbit and will complement existing and planned high-energy, time-domain, and multi-messenger facilities in the next decade.

Frontiers in Astronomy and Space SciencesVol. 11
Roma Tre University (IT), New York University Abu Dhabi (AE), California Institute of Technology (US), Oak Ridge Associated Universities (US), Marshall Space Flight Center (US), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), Space Telescope Science Institute (US), Goddard Space Flight Center (US), Universities Space Research Association (US), Jet Propulsion Laboratory (US), Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (FR), Howard University (US), North Carolina State University (US), University of Hertfordshire (GB), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (US), Université Fédérale de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées (FR), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (DE), Wayne State University (US), College of Charleston (US), Montana State University (US), University of Cambridge (GB), University of Michigan (US), Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory (IT), Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (IT), Brera Astronomical Observatory (IT), Yale University (US), Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica di Bologna (IT), Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (DE), Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology (US), Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian (US), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (US), Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica cosmica di Palermo (IT), Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari (IT), Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie (FR), University of Southampton (GB), Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US), Columbia University (US), Villanova University (US), University of Arkansas at Fayetteville (US), University of Maryland, Baltimore County (US), Clemson University (US), University of Tübingen (DE), National Institute for Astrophysics (IT), National University of Malaysia (MY), University of California, Berkeley (US), Stanford University (US)
Science and Technology Facilities Council
Affordable and clean energy
Openalex Percentile: Top 16%
Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations
1.66
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