LOFT
| General information | |
|---|---|
| Launch date | 2022 (if selected) |
| Instruments | |
| Large Area Detector (LAD) | Energy range: 2 - 30 keV |
| Wide Field Monitor (WFM) | Energy range: 2 - 50 keV |
| Website | Large Observatory for X-ray Timing |
The Large Observatory for X-ray Timing (LOFT) is a proposed ESA unmanned space mission slated to launch around 2022, and devoted to the study of neutron stars, black holes and other by means of their very rapid X-ray variability. The mission was submitted to the ESA Cosmic Vision M3 call for proposals, and was selected, together with other three missions, for an initial Assessment Phase.
LOFT is supported by a large international collaboration, led by researchers from the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF), the Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN) as well as several other institutes in Italy, Germany, United Kingdom, Greece, Ireland, The Netherlands, Poland, Czech Republic, Spain and Switzerland, with contributions from Brazil, Canada, Israel, United States and Turkey, and the support of the Thales Alenia Space in Turin. The principal investigators are Dr. Marco Feroci, from the Institute of Space Astrophysics and Cosmic Physics in Rome, and Dr. Luigi Stella, from the Rome Astronomical Observatory.
Mission architecture
The Large Observatory for X-ray Timing mission comprises two instruments.
The Large Area Detector (LAD) achieves an effective area of ~12 m (more than an order of magnitude larger than current spaceborne X-ray detectors, e.g. RXTE) in the 2-30 keV range, yet still fitting a conventional platform and small/medium-class launcher, thanks to the monolithic design of its large area Silicon Drift Detectors (SDD).
The Wide Field Monitor (WFM) is a coded mask X-ray monitor with a large field of view (> 3 steradian), and is also based on the Silicon Drift Detector technology.
Objectives
The main scientific objectives of LOFT are:
Besides these topics, LOFT will in general study the X-ray spectra and variability for a wide range of astrophysical sources, e.g. magnetars, active galactic nuclei, cataclysmic variables, X-ray transients and gamma-ray bursts.
References
External links
Retrieved from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LOFT
