eROSITA – Mapping the X-ray universe

摘要

eROSITA (extended ROentgen Survey with an Imaging Telescope Array) is the core instrument on the Russian/German Spektrum-Roentgen-Gamma (SRG) mission which is currently scheduled for launch late 2015/early 2016. eROSITA will perform a deep survey of the entire X-ray sky. In the soft band (0.5–2 keV), it will be about 30 times more sensitive than ROSAT, while in the hard band (2–8 keV) it will provide the first ever true imaging survey of the sky. The design driving science is the detection of large samples of galaxy clusters to redshifts z > 1 in order to study the large scale structure in the universe and test cosmological models including dark energy. In addition, eROSITA is expected to yield a sample of a few million active galactic nuclei, including obscured objects, revolutionizing our view of the evolution of supermassive black holes. The survey will also provide new insights into a wide range of astrophysical phenomena, including X-ray binaries, active stars, and diffuse emission within the Galaxy. eROSITA is currently (Jan 2014) in its flight model and calibration phase. All seven flight mirror modules (plus one spare) have been delivered and measured in X-rays. The first camera including the complete electronics has been extensively tested. So far, all subsystems and components are well within the expected performance.