High-resolution X-ray spectroscopy of astrophysical plasmas with X-ray microcalorimeters

X-ray spectroscopy of astrophysical plasmas.

We provide a qualitative review of key X-ray spectral diagnostics of astrophysical plasmas. We begin with a brief discussion of the two major types of equilibria, collisional ionization and photoionization, and then consider the behaviour of hydrogen-like, helium-like, iron L-shell and iron K-shell transitions for these separate cases. Where possible, we discuss explicit examples using high-res...

High-resolution X-ray emission and X-ray absorption spectroscopy.

In this review, high-resolution X-ray emission and X-ray absorption spectroscopy will be discussed. The focus is on the 3d transition-metal systems. To understand high-resolution X-ray emission and resonant X-ray emission, it is first necessary to spend some time discussing the X-ray absorption process. Section II discusses 1s X-ray absorption, i.e., the K edges, and section III deals with 2p X...

X-ray Spectroscopy from Fusion Plasmas

High resolution hard x-ray spectroscopy of femtosecond laser-produced plasmas with a CZT detector

We present measurement of characteristic Ka emission from Mo, Ag, and La targets irradiated by a 60 fs, 600 mJ, 10 Hz Ti:sapphire laser pulse at 10– 10 W/cm. These x-ray emissions can potentially be used in applications from laser-based hard x-ray sources to x-ray mammography so detailed knowledge of the spectra is required to assess imaging of the figure of merit. We show here that high resolv...

Towards Three Bursting Low - Mass X - ray Binaries from High Resolution X - ray Spectroscopy

We measured the galactic hydrogen column densities to the neutron-star binaries GX 17+2, 4U 1705−44, and 4U 1728−34 by modeling the Mg and Si absorption edges found in high-resolution X-ray spectra obtained by the Chandra X-ray Observatory. We found for GX 17+2, NH = (2.38 ± 0.12) × 10 22 cm, for 4U 1705−44, NH = (2.44 ± 0.09) × 10 cm, and for 4U 1728−34, NH = (2.49 ± 0.14) × 10 22 cm. These va...