Research Coordination of the Black Hole Astronomy

黑洞的存在是由爱因斯坦的一般相对论预言的，它具有基本的重要性，影响着我们对自然的基本认识。设立目前的优先研究区是为了显著促进日本一直在很大程度上做出贡献的黑洞科学。我们的方法主要是实验和观测，通过空间观测探测物质吞噬或排出黑洞时从黑洞发出的X射线和伽马射线。这项研究涉及与理论和数值研究人员的合作。通过5年的研究，我们成功地运行了HETE-2卫星，帮助SWIFT上的仪器校准，并于2005年7月10日将铃鹿飞船送入轨道。我们的活动还为两项重要的天体物理任务--美国伽马射线任务GLAST和国际空间站上的最大任务--做了准备。对于未来的观察者…此外，我们还开发了X射线量热仪、各种X射线偏振仪、新型X射线CCD和伽马射线康普顿相机等仪器，并在课程中进行了一些气球实验。通过这些研究活动，我们发现了宇宙最远端的大质量恒星塌缩成黑洞时产生的伽马射线暴；成功地探测到了巨型黑洞的广义相对论效应；确定了中等质量黑洞的潜在候选者；发现了四种吸积黑洞双星的谱态。所获得的结果包括关于黑洞发射的相对论喷流的新知识，以及与黑洞有关的核合成。因此，我们的成就加强了黑洞的存在，并大大提高了对这些神秘物体的认识。这些结果有望加速我们未来的黑洞研究，例如，利用正在准备中的下一次X射线任务。我们在被引用的期刊上发表了300多篇论文，并在国际会议上发表了100多篇科学报告。较少

Black holes, of which the existence is predicted by the Einstein's general relatively, has a basic importance affecting our fundamental recognition of nature. The preseent priority research area has been set up in order to significantly promote the black hole science for which Japan has been contributing to a great extent. Our method is primarily 'experimental and observational, detecting via space observations X-rays and gamma-rays emerging from black holes as the matter is swallowed into or expelled from them. The research involves collaborations with theoretical and numerical investigators. Through the 5 years of research term, we thus operated the HETE-2 satellite, helped the instrumental calibration onboard Swift, and put the Suzaku spacecraft into orbit on 2005 July 10. Our activity also contributed to the preparation of two important astrophysics missions, namely the US gamma-ray mission GLAST, and the MAXI mission to be onboard the International Space Station. For future observ … More ations, we developed such instrumentation as X-ray calorimeters, various X-ray polarimeters, new X-ray CCDs, and gamm-ray Compton cameras, and conducted a few balloon experiment in the course. Related theoretical/numerical studies were performed extensively.Through these research activities, we have; discovered that gamma-ray bursts are generated when massive stars at the farthest Universe collapse into black holes; successfully detected general relativistic effects from giant black holes; identified promising candidates for intermediate-mass black holes; and found four spectral states from accreting black-hole binaries. The obtained results include new knowledge on relativistic jets launched by black holes, and black-hole related nucleosynthesis. Our achievements thus strengthen the existence of black holes, and give much improved knowledge on these enigmatic objects. The results are expected to accelerate our future black-hole studies, using, e.g, the NeXT X-ray mission which is under preparation. We have published more than 300 papers on refereed journals, and conducted more than 100 scientific presentations on international conferences. Less