The NuSTAR Galactic Key Science Program
Abstract
I will describe the scientific motivations and technical considerations that will be used to design the Galactic component of the NuSTAR key science program. Four areas have been identified so far. First, NuSTAR will characterize the population of hard X-ray point sources. NuSTAR will be particularly efficient at identifying cataclysmic variables (CVs) and X-ray binaries, and at distinguishing between the two. Second, NuSTAR will resolve the point-like contribution to the Galactic diffuse hard X-ray emission, and determine whether large-scale particle acceleration mechanisms need to be identified to explain any remaining emission. Third, NuSTAR will map localized regions where particles are accelerated, such as supernova remnants, shocks in the winds produced by star clusters, and non-thermal radio filaments in the Galactic center. Finally, in the Galactic center, we will trace past outbursts from Sgr A* through hard X-rays that have been Compton-scattered by molecular gas. I will briefly describe the exposure and spatial coverage needed for these goals, and how these observations could be complemented by the guest observer program.
- Publication:
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AAS/High Energy Astrophysics Division #10
- Pub Date:
- March 2008
- Bibcode:
- 2008HEAD...10.4005M