Nuclear Particle Astrophysics (NPA) Seminar: Antonia Hubbard, Northwestern University, “MicroX”

Event time: 
Thursday, February 21, 2019 - 1:00pm to 2:00pm
Location: 
Wright Lab (WNSL), 216 See map
272 Whitney Avenue
New Haven, CT 06511
Event description: 

The Micro-X Microcalorimeter X-Ray Imaging Rocket is a sounding rocket mission that launched on July 22, 2018. This was the first operation of high resolution Transition Edge Sensors in space, opening up sensitivity to new physics. Micro-X is designed to observe Supernova Remnants and BSM X-ray interactions, like those proposed from keV-scale sterile neutrino dark matter. I will present the engineering results of the first flight, with special emphasis on the successful performance of the cryostat and electronics within the challenging conditions of a sounding rocket flight. While a rocket pointing error led to minimal time on-target, the science instrument operated as expected, and data from this flight will be used to establish background flux limits and as calibration data in preparation for future flights. I will additionally present the future of the instrument for dark matter searches, and the unique sensitivity it holds in resolving the 3.5 keV line controversy.

Open to: 
undergraduate