18 July 2012 Thoughts on Astrophysics with nano/6u cubesats Harvey Butcher Stars & Planets Interstellar medium Transients Other ideas
Recall: Space platforms can provide: Access to γ-ray, x-ray, UV, IR, FIR, ULF-radio High precision photometry High angular resolution Low background in visible, near-ir Long term (weeks/months) flux monitoring
Nano-sats in LEO Space platforms can provide: Access to γ-ray, x-ray, UV, IR, FIR, ULF-radio High precision photometry High angular resolution Low background in visible, near-ir Long term (weeks/months) flux monitoring
Stars & Exo-planets Asteroseismology - precision photometry MOST: Microvariability & Oscillations of STars 1st space sat for asteroseismology, 2003 Science goals acoustic oscillations to probe structures and ages» solar-type, metal poor subdwarfs, magnetic stars (roap) physics of Wolf-Rayet stars, mass loss reflected light from exoplanets for sizes and atmospheres (ΔL / L ~ 10-6 ) and frequency resolution (Δν~ 0.1 µhz) 54kg, 15cm telescope, 350-700nm, 820 km orbit simultaneous spectroscopy (ground) and photometry (space)
Transit of exo-planet
Stars BRITE - constellation of 6 nanosats BRIght-star Target Explorer Austria, Canada, Poland (2012-13; 2014) Science niche: stars to study w/ ground-based telescopes OB-star structure and evolution» extent of convective cores» influence of rotation, mass loss RG/AGB/RSG-stars» oscillation spectra for breaking degeneracy in HR diagram» understanding surface fluctuations
BRITE Generic Nanosat Bus Instrumentation 3cm optical telescopes, 25degr fov < 4th mag highest precision to 7th mag with less precision one filter per satellite: 3xblue, 2xred, 1xUV
BRITE @ 20C Instrumentation 3cm optical telescopes, 25degr fov < 4th mag highest precision to 7th mag with less precision one filter per satellite: 3xblue, 2xred, 1xUV photometric precision < 0.1% rms; < 20ppm after a month
β Cephei stars
Interstellar medium Science: map hot/warm interfaces in ISM UV spectroscopy: C IV (155nm) @ ~10 5 K Non-scanning FTS for high spectral resolution = Heterodyned Holographic Spectrograph spatial Fourier transforms on CCD retain Jacquinot advantage (field widened = 10 4 x ) no moving parts compact, low-mass designs (full resolution of grating) all reflection optics possible, suitable for UV
Interstellar medium Science: map hot/warm interfaces in ISM UV spectroscopy: C IV (155nm) @ ~10 5 K Non-scanning FTS for high spectral resolution = Heterodyned Holographic Spectrograph High latitude halo spatial Fourier transforms on CCD retain Jacquinot advantage (field widened = 10 4 x ) no moving parts compact, low-mass designs (full resolution of grating) all reflection optics possible, suitable for UV
X-ray transients 6U nano-sat as Trigger for ground based follow-up Candidate Galactic Targets Crab nebula & pulsar Supernova remnant and X-ray pulsar Cygnus X-1 Most probable black hole candidate Cygnus X-3 Binary system Hercules X-1 Neutron star with strong magnetic field GRS1915+105 Black hole candidate with superluminal radio jets Scorpius X-1 Binary with weak field non-pulsed neutron star GS1843+00 Transient X-ray pulsar EXO1846-031 Black hole candidate Candidate extragalactic targets NGC4151 Active galaxy 3C273 Active galaxy
Flux collection & imaging
Flux collection & imaging
Nano-sat X-ray mission CdZnTe room temp detector
Other ideas for nano-sats Solar system Imaging Sun, planets (e.g. meteors on Jupiter) NEOs interior to Earth s orbit Jupiter activity (Io volcanism)
Other ideas for nano-sats Solar system Imaging Sun, planets (e.g. meteors on Jupiter) NEOs interior to Earth s orbit Jupiter activity (Io volcanism)
Other ideas for nano-sats ULF radio telescope antenna swarm survey sky at 30kHz to 10MHz (ionosphere opaque) 10-50 autonomous nanosats in Lunar orbits tripole antennas, interferometrically synchronized Jupiter Ionospheric cutoff
Other ideas for nano-sats ULF radio telescope antenna swarm survey sky at 30kHz to 10MHz (ionosphere opaque) 10-50 autonomous nanosats in Lunar orbits tripole antennas, interferometrically synchronized Moon