1. The relativistic astrophysics explorer: A new mission for X-ray timing.
- Author
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Kaaret, P., Grindlay, J., Lamb, F. K., Morgan, E. H., Swank, J. H., and Zhang, W.
- Subjects
- *
ASTROPHYSICS , *SUPERMASSIVE black holes , *NEUTRON stars - Abstract
The great success of the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) has given us a new probe to study strong gravitational fields and to measure the physical properties of black holes and neutron stars. Here, we describe a "next-generation" x-ray timing mission, the Relativistic Astrophysics Explorer (RAE), designed to fit within the envelope of a "medium-sized" mission. The main instruments will be a narrow-field x-ray detector array with an area of at least 60,000 cm² equal to ten times that of RXTE, and a wide-field x-ray monitor with good sensitivity and few arcminute position resolution. We describe the design of the instruments and the science which will be possible with a factor of ten increase in collecting area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2001