IRAC 8 micro K-band keV X-ray Emission Line Spectroscopy of Diffuse Hot Plasma XMM-Newton RGS Liu, Wang, Li, & Peterson 2010 Li & Wan 2007 T ~ 3 x 10 6 K Lx~2x10 38 erg/s Chandra ACIS-I
X-ray spectroscopy: He-like ions R ( or W) : Resonance line (allowed) 1s2p 1 P 1 1s 2 1 S 0 electronic dipole transition I (or x+y): Intercombination line 1s2p 3 P 1 1s 2 1 S 0 (y) 1s2p 3 P 2 1s 2 1 S 0 (x) Triple or quadruplet F (or z): Forbidden line 1s2s 3 S 1 1s 2 1 S 0 relativistic magnetic dipole transition (A ji very low) Simplified Grotrian diagram Porquet & Dubau (2000) R I F Photo-ionized plasma as seen in an AGN can have stronger forbidden lines.
Solar Wind Charge Exchange From Dennerl 2010
Solar Wind Charge Exchange Charge exchange (CX) nature of comet X-ray emission is confirmed, spectroscopically and temporally. CX has a cross-section of ~ cm -2 P CX /P th propto 1/n e 2 on scales of mean free path Peter Beiersdorfer CX is also expected at the heliosphere
Much of the diffuse soft X-ray background may arise from the CX! ROSAT all-sky survey in the ¾-keV band X-ray binary AGN Futamoto et al. 2004, Wang et al. 05, Yao & Wang 05/06, Yao et al. 06/07/08 4U
X-ray absorption line spectroscopy of diffuse hot plasma Fe XVII K Tracing all K transitions of metals all three phases of the ISM. Not affected by photo- electric absorption unbiased measurements of the global ISM. Yao & Wang 2006, Yao et al. 2006, Futamoto et al 2004 LETG+HETG spectrum of LMXB
Chandra ACIS observations of nearby galaxies Soria & Wu (2002) (Credit: NASA/CXC/SAO/R.DiStefano et al.)
XMM-Newton RGS spectrum of the nuclear starburst region of M51 Charge exchange may be responsible for much of diffuse soft X-ray emission in both normal and starburst galaxies.
Similar CX signatures are also observed in starburst galaxies Soft X-ray arises primarily from the interplay between a superwind and entrained cool gas clouds. Composite of optical (HST), infrared (Spitzer), and X-ray (Chandra) images Li, Mao, Wang 2011
XMM-Newton Reflection Grating Spectrometers
Spatially-resolved X-ray spectroscopy OVIII contours on HST image OVIII contours on OVII image
NGC 4438 in the Virgo Cluster Ha+[NII] image (Kenney et al. 1995).Chandra keV image, Machacek et al. 2004
Operating X-ray Telescopes SWIFT Chandra Suzaku XMM-Newton
Future X-ray telescopes Astro-H, planned for launch in 2013 eROSITA 2012 Athena???
Summary X-ray spectroscopy is the future of the X- ray astronomy X-ray astrophysics, providing key diagnostics of plasma in the Universe. Much of the diffuse X-ray emission from galaxies may arise from the charge exchange. A lot can already be done to understand the process, which traces the galactic feedback and the presence of cool gas, especially in low density environments.