The new space telescope, due to launch in January 2024, will observe the universe with a revolutionary “lobster eye”, looking for X-ray bursts originating from some of the most powerful phenomena in the universe, including the supply of black holes, neutron star collisions and neutron star collisions .explode Star.
named albert einsteinthe Einstein detector is a joint effort between both parties European Space Agency (ESA), the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).
The spacecraft will have highly sensitive, next-generation X-ray instruments with an unusually wide field of view, allowing scientists to identify new events and study them in detail.
“The universe is the only laboratory in which we study the most energetic processes,” said Erik Kumarkers, ESA’s Einstein probe project scientist. said in a statement. “Missions like the Einstein Probe are critical to improving our understanding of these processes and learning more about fundamental aspects of high-energy physics.”
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Discover the most violent events in the universe
X-rays are emitted by powerful and violent events like supernovae, which are emitted when the core of a dying star collapses. They are directly connected to the star’s material, which is shattered before being consumed by the star. black hole Likewise, there are collisions of ultra-dense, dead stars called neutron stars.
However, because these violent cosmic events are often short-lived, the X-rays they emit can be highly variable and unpredictable. This light can appear and disappear, brighten and dim at incredible speeds, often appearing in the sky for only a brief moment before disappearing for a long time – that is, if they do come back If it appears.
Scientists are eager to discover these X-rays because encoded in this high-energy light is information about the source that produced it. This means that by observing X-rays, the Einstein detector can help scientists decode such events, while also enabling astronomers to identify new X-ray sources.
Because neutron star collisions emit X-rays and gravity waves— First predicted by Einstein in his 1915 theory gravity general relativity — Einstein detectors could help gravitational wave detectors locate the source of these tiny ripples space –timeThey have spanned millions or even billions of light years.
This could ultimately help scientists observe these collisions before they disappear, revealing more about the dynamics of these collision events and the unique physics that occur around them.For example, it is known that heavy elements such as gold are found in neutron star collision.
Why “lobster eyes”?
To realize his pioneering ideas universe The Einstein detector is equipped with two revolutionary instruments – the Wide Field X-ray Telescope (WXT) and the High-Sensitivity Tracking X-ray Telescope (FXT).
WXT gets its cosmic scope thanks to its unique modular design, which resembles a lobster’s eye. Unlike the eyes of other animals, lobster eyes have evolved to perceive light through reflection rather than refraction, which means these crustaceans have an extraordinary 180-degree field of vision.
WXT’s so-called “microhole optics technology” allows the Einstein detector to see 3,600 square degrees in a single image, which covers 10% of Earth’s entire celestial sphere.This makes it possible to see almost the entire night skyExceed EarthIt only takes about 96 minutes for the Einstein probe to complete three orbits of the Earth.
Once WXT discovers an interesting or new X-ray emission event, the Einstein Detector’s FXT instrument takes over, targeting the X-ray source and studying it in more detail.
Beyond that, when WXT makes a significant X-ray detection, the Einstein detector will beam a signal to ground-based observatories, allowing them to train other telescopes to observe the source and study it in other light frequency ranges from low to low . – Energy longwave radio waves to high energy shortwave gamma rays.
This multi-wavelength data is absolutely critical to conduct detailed studies Supernovaneutron star collisions, feeding black holes.
“With its innovative design, the Einstein probe can monitor large swaths of the sky at a glance,” Kurkes added. “In this way, we can discover many new sources while studying the long-term behavior of X-rays from known objects.”
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Image Source : www.space.com