{
  "id": "1912.04615",
  "version": "v1",
  "published": "2019-12-10T10:21:29.000Z",
  "updated": "2019-12-10T10:21:29.000Z",
  "title": "The Athena space X-ray Observatory and the astrophysics of hot plasma",
  "authors": [
    "Didier Barret",
    "Anne Decourchelle",
    "Andy Fabian",
    "Matteo Guainazzi",
    "Kirpal Nandra",
    "Randall Smith",
    "Jan-Willem den Herder"
  ],
  "comment": "12 pages, 9 figures, Proceedings of the XMM-Newton 2019 science workshop \"Astrophysics of hot plasma in extended X -ray sources\", accepted for publication in Astronomische Nachrichten",
  "categories": [
    "astro-ph.IM",
    "astro-ph.GA",
    "astro-ph.HE"
  ],
  "abstract": "The properties (temperature, density, chemical composition, velocity) of hot astrophysical plasma and the physical processes affecting them (heating/cooling, turbulence, shocks, acceleration) can be probed by high resolution X-ray spectroscopy, to be complemented by high spatial resolution imaging. The paper presents a status of the ESA's Advanced Telescope for High Energy Astrophysics (Athena) mission, particularly focusing on the science performance of its two focal plane instruments for the studies of extended X-ray sources: the Wide Field Imager (WFI) and the X-ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU). This paper then provides a brief summary of the breakthroughs expected with Athena on the astrophysics of hot plasma, building on the vast heritage of the discoveries and revolutionary results obtained by Chandra and XMM-Newton in this field. As of November 12th, 2019, Athena successfully concluded its feasibility study, and has since then moved into the definition phase, with a launch date scheduled in the early 2030s.",
  "revisions": [
    {
      "version": "v1",
      "updated": "2019-12-10T10:21:29.000Z"
    }
  ],
  "analyses": {
    "keywords": [
      "athena space x-ray observatory",
      "hot plasma",
      "x-ray integral field unit",
      "high resolution x-ray spectroscopy",
      "high spatial resolution"
    ],
    "note": {
      "typesetting": "TeX",
      "pages": 12,
      "language": "en",
      "license": "arXiv",
      "status": "editable"
    }
  }
}