SIMBOL-X, a new generation X-ray telescope for the 0.5-70 keV range

Abstract

SIMBOL-X is a high energy "mini" satellite class mission that is proposed by a French-Italian-English collaboration for a launch in 2009. SIMBOL-X is making use of a classical X-ray mirror, of ~ 600 cm2 maximum effective area, with a 30 m focal length in order to cover energies up to several tens of keV. This focal length will be achieved through the use of two spacecrafts in a formation flying configuration. This will give to SIMBOL-X unprecedented spatial resolution (20" HEW) and sensitivity in the hard X-ray range. By its coverage, from 0.5 to 70 keV, and sensitivity, SIMBOL-X will be an excellent instrument for the study of high energy processes in a large number of sources, as in particular accreting black-holes, extragalactic jets and AGNs.

4 pages, 3 figures; Proceedings of the 4th Microquasar Workshop, eds. Ph Durouchoux, Y. Fuchs and J. Rodriguez, published by the Center for Space Physics: Kolkata