The e - ASTROGAM mission Exploring the extreme Universe in the MeV – GeV range

e-ASTROGAM (‘enhanced ASTROGAM’) is a breakthrough Observatory mission dedicated to the study of the non-thermal Universe in the Alessandro De Angelis INFN Padova, Via Marzolo 8, I-35141 Padova, Italy; also at INAF Padova, Udine University, and LIP/IST Lisboa Tel.: +39-049-967.7364 E-mail: [email protected] Vincent Tatischeff CSNSM, CNRS and Univ Paris-Sud, F-91405 Orsay Cedex, France Tel.: +33-(0)1-69 15 52 41 E-mail: [email protected] ar X iv :1 61 1. 02 23 2v 2 [ as tr oph .H E ] 8 N ov 2 01 6 2 The e-ASTROGAM Collaboration photon energy range from 0.3 MeV to 3 GeV. The mission is based on an advanced space-proven detector technology, with unprecedented sensitivity, angular and energy resolution, combined with polarimetric capability. In the largely unexplored MeV-GeV domain, e-ASTROGAM will open a new window on the non-thermal Universe, making pioneering observations of the most powerful Galactic and extragalactic sources, elucidating the nature of their relativistic outflows and their effects on Galactic ecosystems. With a line sensitivity in the MeV energy range one to two orders of magnitude better than previous generation instruments, e-ASTROGAM will determine the origin of key isotopes fundamental for the understanding of supernova explosion and the chemical evolution of our Galaxy. The mission will provide unique data of significant interest to a broad astronomical community, complementary to powerful observatories such as LIGO-Virgo-GEO600-KAGRA, SKA, ALMA, E-ELT, TMT, LSST, JWST, Athena, CTA, IceCube, KM3NeT, and the promise of eLISA.