Improving the Resolution of X-Ray Telescopes with Occulting Satellites

Abstract

One of the challenges of X-ray astronomy is how to both collect large numbers of photons yet attain high angular resolution. Because X-ray telescopes utilize grazing optics, to collect more photons requires a larger acceptance angle which in turn compromises the angular resolution. All X-ray telescopes thus have angular resolution far poorer than their diffraction limit. Although collecting more photons is a desirable goal, sometimes selective collecting fewer photons may yield more information. Natural (such as lunar) occultations have long been used to study sources on small angular scales. But natural occulters are of limited utility because of their large angular velocities relative to the telescope, and because of the serendipity of their transits. We describe here how one can make use of an X-ray Big Occulting Steerable Satellite (X-BOSS) to achieve very-high resolution of X-ray sources. An X-BOSS could significantly improve the resolution of existing X-ray facilities such as the Chandra telescope, or X-ray Multiple Mirror (XMM) satellite, and could vastly improve the resolution of some future X-ray telescopes, particularly Constellation X where sub-milliarcsecond resolution is possible for a wide range of sources. Similar occulting satellites could also be deployed in conjunction with planned space observatories for other wavebands.