RII Track-4:NSF:Measurement of charge exchange X-ray spectra using the NIST EBIT and TES microcalorimeter array

现代天文学的一个关键目标是了解宇宙是如何运作的，以及它是如何进化的，最终使地球上的生命成为可能。对恒星在其生命的各个阶段所发射的X射线的观测，以及对它们在超新星爆炸中猛烈死亡的残余物的观测，是研究工作中的物理过程的有力工具。然而，对这些观测结果的解释在很大程度上依赖于我们对原子物理学的了解。鉴于未来观测站的预期能力，目前缺乏实验数据将成为一个限制因素。该奖学金项目的目标是收集有关氖离子与相关天体物理环境中常见的氢气和氦气相互作用的实验数据。这些数据将提高我们对高电荷离子的基本原子物理学的理解，并提高我们利用未来大型空间观测站收集的数据的能力。该奖学金计划还将培训PI和一名来自新罕布什尔州大学（UNH）的研究生，学习与国家重要科学领域相关的技术，如量子传感，量子计算和低温物理。这将使他们能够传递这些知识，并在UNH培训这些领域的研究生和本科生。电荷交换是一个高电荷离子从中性原子捕获电子的过程，在许多天体物理等离子体中起着重要作用。这是一个复合过程，导致发射线强度不同于碰撞激发，并可以作为一个重要的诊断电离平衡和组成的等离子体。天体物理数据的正确解释需要详细和准确的电荷交换截面的知识，通常依赖于合成光谱的理论建模。在对美国国家标准与技术研究所（NIST）博尔德实验室的两次奖学金访问期间，PI和一名研究生将进行一系列测量，以测试高度电离的氖Ne（8，9，10）+与中性气体的能级分辨电荷交换截面模型。这些基准将提高模型的保真度和我们解释天体物理X射线数据的能力。测量活动将利用X射线跃迁边缘传感器微量热计进行高分辨率光谱分析，并利用微型电子束离子阱来创建和捕获离子。该奖学金项目旨在成为PI与NIST团队之间更广泛合作的起点。它将超越PI目前在高能天体物理学方面的工作，使他能够参与未来的高电荷离子测量活动和与天体物理学相关的数据分析。在该奖学金期间获得的专业知识也将使PI能够使用新罕布什尔州（UNH）大学已有的设备进行其他X射线测量，并在UNH培训学生掌握与国家重要科学领域相关的技术，如量子传感，量子计算，和低-该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的评估支持影响审查标准。

A key goal of modern astronomy is to understand how the Universe works and how it evolved, eventually making life on Earth possible. Observations of X-rays emitted by stars at various stages of their life, and from the remnants of their violent deaths in supernova explosions, are a powerful tool to study the physical processes at work. The interpretation, however, of these observations relies heavily on our knowledge of the atomic physics at play. Given the expected capabilities of future observatories, the current lack of experimental data will become a limiting factor. The goal of this fellowship project is to gather experimental data about interactions of neon ions with hydrogen and helium gas commonly found in relevant astrophysical environments. These data will both improve our understanding of basic atomic physics of highly charged ions and our ability to make use of the data collected by future large space observatories. The fellowship program will also train the PI and a graduate student from the University of New Hampshire (UNH) in techniques relevant to scientific areas of national importance such as quantum sensing, quantum computing, and low-temperature physics. This will enable them to pass this knowledge on and to train graduate and undergraduate students at UNH in these fields.Charge exchange, a process in which a highly charged ion captures an electron from a neutral atom, plays a significant role in many astrophysical plasmas. It is a recombination process that results in emission line intensities that differ from collisional excitation, and can serve as an important diagnostic of the ionization balance and composition of a plasma. Correct interpretation of astrophysical data requires detailed and accurate knowledge of charge exchange cross sections, and typically relies on theoretical modeling of synthetic spectra. During two fellowship visits to the National Institute for Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Boulder Laboratories, the PI and a graduate student will carry out a sequence of measurements to test models of energy-level resolved charge exchange cross sections of highly ionized neon Ne(8,9,10)+ with neutral gasses. These benchmarks will improve the fidelity of models and our ability to interpret astrophysical X-ray data. The measurement campaign will utilize X-ray transition edge sensor microcalorimeters for high-resolution spectroscopy and a miniature Electron Beam Ion Trap to create and trap the ions. The fellowship project is intended to be the starting point of a broader collaboration between the PI and groups at NIST. It will expand beyond the PI’s current work in high-energy astrophysics enable him to participate in future measurement campaigns with highly charged ions and in the analysis of data relevant to astrophysics. Expertise gained during this fellowship will also enable the PI to carry out other X-ray measurements using equipment already available at the University of New Hampshire (UNH), and to train students at UNH in techniques relevant to scientific areas of national importance such as quantum sensing, quantum computing, and low-temperature physics.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.