An x-ray interferometry concept for ESA's Voyage 2050 programme

Abstract

© 2020 SPIE We have proposed the development of X-ray interferometry as part of ESA's Voyage 2050 programme, to reveal the universe at high energies with ultra-high spatial resolution. With only a 1 m baseline, which could be accommodated on a single spacecraft, X-ray interferometry can reach 100 µas resolution at 10 Å (1.24 keV) and exceed that of the Event Horizon Telescope at 2 Å (6.2 keV). A multi-spacecraft 'constellation' interferometer would resolve well below 1 µas. Here we focus on the single-spacecraft interferometer design and discuss the process of fringe detection and image reconstruction from multiple baselines, showing simulated images of test cases from our Voyage 2050 White Paper. We also discuss the challenges and feasibility of reaching the technical requirements needed for a single-spacecraft interferometer. Most key requirements are already feasible or within easy reach. Besides a ground-based testbed, covered elsewhere in these proceedings, the most important areas for development include large format, small-pixel X-ray detectors and pointing which is stable or can be reconstructed to tens of µas precision.