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X-ray calorimeters

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Observing Photons in Space

Part of the book series: ISSI Scientific Report Series ((ISSI,volume 9))

Abstract

X-ray calorimeter instruments for astrophysics have seen rapid development since they were invented in 1984. The prime instrument on all currently planned X-ray spectroscopic observatories is based on calorimeter technology. This relatively simple detection concept that senses the energy of an incident photon by measuring the temperature rise of an absorber material at very low temperatures can form the basis of a very high-performance, non-dispersive spectrometer. State-of-the-art calorimeter instruments have resolving powers of over 3000, large simultaneous bandpasses, and near unit efficiency. Coupled with the intrinsic imaging capability of a pixelated X-ray calorimeter array, this allows true spectral-spatial instruments to be constructed. This chapter briefly reviews the detection scheme, the state of the art in X-ray calorimeter instruments and the future outlook for this technology.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The IXO mission concept was a merger of the U.S. Constellation-X and the European XEUS concept missions.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA

    F. Scott Porter

Authors
  1. F. Scott Porter
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen PSI, Switzerland

    Martin C. E. Huber , Anuschka Pauluhn  & Alex Zehnder ,  & 

  2. Mullard Space Science Lab, University College London, Dorking, Surrey, UK

    J. Len Culhane

  3. Nightsen, Inc., Tiverton, Rhode Island, USA

    J. Gethyn Timothy

  4. Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany

    Klaus Wilhelm

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Porter, F.S. (2013). X-ray calorimeters. In: Huber, M.C.E., Pauluhn, A., Culhane, J.L., Timothy, J.G., Wilhelm, K., Zehnder, A. (eds) Observing Photons in Space. ISSI Scientific Report Series, vol 9. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7804-1_28

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7804-1_28

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-7803-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-7804-1

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