U.S.-Japan Cooperative Research: Research and Development of Space Qualified Change-Coupled Devices (CCDs) for X-ray Spectroscopy

9603347 Ricker该奖项支持麻省理工学院空间研究中心George Ricker教授和日本京都大学物理系Katsuji Koyama教授之间为期三年的合作研究项目。联合研究项目的重点是为Astro-E任务作科学准备。Astro-E是一个日本/美国轨道天文台，定于2000年2月由日本空间和宇航科学研究所发射。该项目将通过窄视场高光谱分辨率微热量计（X射线光谱仪，XRS）和宽视场，中等分辨率成像光谱仪（X射线成像光谱仪，XIS）提供强大的X射线光谱能力。这个项目的重点是开发XIS。XIS的科学目标有两个方面：(1)它将提供宽视场成像和空间分辨光谱，以支持基于微热量计的XRS观测，其寿命受到低温的限制；(2)它将扩展由astrod任务上成功飞行的固态成像光谱仪（SIS）发起的广泛的中分辨率光谱观测。该奖项支持与该实验相关的非硬件任务，该实验将由京都、大阪和东京的科学家进行。这些任务包括XIS仪器校准和测试工作。由于Astro-E更大的望远镜面积和改进的角度望远镜分辨率，预计将大大提高XIS的灵敏度。因此，对较暗天体的光谱观测，或者对某一类天体的更多成员的探索，都是可以期待的。作为一种独特的观测工具，XIS的力量将广泛适用于整个美国和日本的天文学界。研究生和年轻的博士后科学家将参与科技事业的各个阶段。预计这次合作将产生若干出版物。通过思想和技术的交流，该项目将扩大我们的知识基础，促进国际理解与合作。＊＊＊

9603347 Ricker This award supports a three year collaborative research project between Professor George Ricker, Center for Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Professor Katsuji Koyama of the Department of Physics at Kyoto University in Japan. The joint research project focuses on scientific preparations for the Astro-E mission, a Japan/USA orbiting observatory scheduled for launch by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) in Japan during February, 2000. The project will provide powerful X- ray spectroscopic capability through both a narrow-field high spectral resolution microcalorimeter instrument (the X- ray Spectrometer, XRS) and a wide-field, moderate resolution, imaging spectrometer (the X-ray Imaging Spectrometer, or XIS). This project places emphasis on development of the XIS. The scientific objectives of the XIS are two-fold: (1) it will provide wide field imaging and spatially resolved spectroscopy in support of observations with the microcalorimeter-based XRS, which is limited in lifetime by its cryogenics, and (2) it will expand upon the broad range of moderate resolution spectroscopic observations initiated by the Solid-State Imaging Spectrometer (SIS) successfully flown on the Astro-D mission. This award supports the non-hardware tasks associated with the experiment, which will be carried out with scientists in Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo. These tasks include XIS instrument calibration and testing efforts. As a result of the greater telescope area and improved angular telescope resolution for Astro-E, greatly improved sensitivity for the XIS is expected. Thus spectroscopic observations of fainter objects, or exploration of more members of a given class can be expected. The power of the XIS, as a unique observational tool, will be widely available to the entire US and Japanese astronomical community. Graduate students and young postdoctoral scientists will participate in all phases of the scientifi c and technical enterprise. It is anticipated that a number of publications will result from the collaboration. Through the exchange of ideas and technology, this project will broaden our base of knowledge and promote international understanding and cooperation. ***