Nearby Galaxy Surveys in the 2020's and Beyond: The Post Chandra and XMM-Newton Era
Abstract
We present prospects for studying black hole and neutron star populations in nearby galaxies, focusing on science topics that need to be addressed by next generation X-ray telescopes. Important questions that can be answered by next generation X-ray telescopes include: how many of the rare (and potential gravitational-wave progenitor) Wolf-Rayet X-ray binaries exist? What are the population characteristics (e.g., accretion mechanism, age dependence, spin period distribution) of X-ray pulsars and the newly discovered ultraluminous X-ray pulsars? What is the role of supernova kicks in the dynamical evolution of X-ray binaries in different environments? Capabilities such as a large field of view, improved angular resolution, increased sensitivity/effective area, and timing capabilities are required to answer such questions and expand our understanding of X-ray binaries in the Local Universe. We will summarize the prospects for answering these questions based on our current knowledge and simulations of Athena Wide Field Imager observations of galaxies. Athena is an ESA mission planned for launch in ~2031 and the Wide Field Imager is an example of a next generation instrument that will be excellent for studies of black holes and neutron stars in nearby galaxies.
- Publication:
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American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #233
- Pub Date:
- January 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019AAS...23341801V