Periodic Reporting for period 2 - AHEAD2020 (Integrated Activities for the High Energy Astrophysics Domain)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2021-09-02 al 2023-03-01
The overall objective of AHEAD2020 is to integrate the activities in the field of high energy astrophysics in space, extending to the multi-messenger community, and to promote the domain at the EU level.
AHEAD2020 involves 38 participants from 16 countries, including major European institutions in the field, one large space company and 3 SMEs and it offers to users 30 facilities for instrument tests and calibration of space-based sensors and electronics, data analysis and computational astrophysics/multimessenger modelling, including one virtual access for GW and multimessenger data. The technological development focuses on the improvement of selected technologies, like sensors and X-ray mirrors, for the benefit of future high energy facilities like Athena, wide-field detectors and nanosat constellations. Full exploitation of the new observing capabilities will be achieved by the ongoing delivery of tools for data analysis, models and atomic database, with a dedicated effort in facilitating the accessibility and the analysis of data in the multi-messenger context. The advancement in cutting-edge sensor technology in Europe will enable the development of new technologies and the growth of the related European market with a dedicated technology innovation package. Through AHEAD2020, studies of future space-based high energy missions and multi-messenger facilities, such as the next generation of GW interferometers (Einstein Telescope) are being carried out. Finally, AHEAD2020 supports the community via grants for collaborative studies, dissemination of results, and promotion of workshops, and a strong public outreach package ensures that the domain is well publicized at national, European and International level. AHEAD2020 activities and their links are visualized in Figure 1.
AHEAD2020 involves 38 participants from 16 countries, including major European institutions in the field, one large space company and 3 SMEs and it offers to users 30 facilities for instrument tests and calibration of space-based sensors and electronics, data analysis and computational astrophysics/multimessenger modelling, including one virtual access for GW and multimessenger data. The technological development focuses on the improvement of selected technologies, like sensors and X-ray mirrors, for the benefit of future high energy facilities like Athena, wide-field detectors and nanosat constellations. Full exploitation of the new observing capabilities will be achieved by the ongoing delivery of tools for data analysis, models and atomic database, with a dedicated effort in facilitating the accessibility and the analysis of data in the multi-messenger context. The advancement in cutting-edge sensor technology in Europe will enable the development of new technologies and the growth of the related European market with a dedicated technology innovation package. Through AHEAD2020, studies of future space-based high energy missions and multi-messenger facilities, such as the next generation of GW interferometers (Einstein Telescope) are being carried out. Finally, AHEAD2020 supports the community via grants for collaborative studies, dissemination of results, and promotion of workshops, and a strong public outreach package ensures that the domain is well publicized at national, European and International level. AHEAD2020 activities and their links are visualized in Figure 1.
-Networking Activities:
The visiting program in NA1 is experiencing a good level of demand reaching an overbooking factor of >3. A number of meetings/conferences have been organized in NA1 and NA2. In RP1, noteworthy is the support to the Athena-multimessenger team, on synergies with key multi-messenger astronomy (MMA) facilities (Fig.2). Key result is also the high-res spectroscopy school in view of the imminent XRISM launch. Whereas in NA2 meetings and activities for the improvement of MMA tools, support to Einstein telescope (ET), and low-latency triggers for future GW runs have been organised. The studies for the ET had contributed to its adoption as ESFRI infrastructure in RP1. A workshop was also held in Nov 2022 preparing the framework for a common proposal in Horizon Europe. The outreach programme is delivering excellent products: updated web page, educational material, open days, new videos. Noteworthy is the outstanding success of the full dome video (Fig.3) that has reached in this RP2 >3 million viewers. The visibility through dedicated social media channels (e.g. facebook, twitter, youtube) has also notably increased during RP2. Several initiatives for the general public have been organised (Fig.4).
-Transnational Access:
AHEAD2020 will issue 7 AOs during ~5 years to advertise both the Visitor Program and the TA visits. A set of 4 visits to facilities used to test and/or calibrate space hardware has been carried out in RP2 (total of 5 for the project). The TA devoted to data analysis (TA2) has essentially reached the nominal expected demand during the last two AOs (AO3 and AO4) and counted a total of 17 visits achieved in RP2. The computational astrophysics category (TA3) was about 2-3 times lower in request than the initially assessed performance, counting however 8 user visits during RP2.
-Virtual access:
VA1 has been subject to significant issues over the course of the latest reporting period, mostly related to the lack of person-power available to work directly on the work package; the second has been the re-definition of the goal to be undertaken, as discussed during many meetings and also during the 1st review, but still not finalised in an amendment.
-Joint research Activities:
Two out of the seven JRA, JRA1& 2 are focused on detector and mirror technology developments for X-ray, mostly linked to Athena and other space missions launched recently or in the closer future. The activities carried out until now have proved to be successful, e.g. improvements on the instrument background studies aimed at Athena, that can be as well exploited for existing missions, and the testing/calibration of X-ray optics for the close-to-launch Einstein Probe and SVOM (Fig.5). Enhancing developments of the next generation of HE space experiments for MMA (Fig.6) is the scope of JRA3, that is in particular focusing on the novel Lobster-eye technology for wide sky monitoring and the new venue offered by nanosat constellations, also including the support to Theseus, one of the candidates for the ESA M7 slot.
The full exploitation of the upcoming observing MMA facilities is being addressed with significant improvements in tools for data and alerts analysis, models and atomic database, that is the scope of JRA 4, 5 &6 (Fig. 7). These are progressing as expected with several tools already delivered and nvestigations properly timed to exploit novel data from high-res X-ray spectroscopy missions as XRISM (Fig.8). Innovative technologies developed under the aforementioned JRAs are being applied for the benefit of the society JRA7, that has recently carried out the realization of a prototype high res X-ray spectrometer for material science (Fig.9).
In summary, the activities are overall in schedule and key results are in line with the strategic goals of AHEAD2020. About 100 publications have been produced until now.
The visiting program in NA1 is experiencing a good level of demand reaching an overbooking factor of >3. A number of meetings/conferences have been organized in NA1 and NA2. In RP1, noteworthy is the support to the Athena-multimessenger team, on synergies with key multi-messenger astronomy (MMA) facilities (Fig.2). Key result is also the high-res spectroscopy school in view of the imminent XRISM launch. Whereas in NA2 meetings and activities for the improvement of MMA tools, support to Einstein telescope (ET), and low-latency triggers for future GW runs have been organised. The studies for the ET had contributed to its adoption as ESFRI infrastructure in RP1. A workshop was also held in Nov 2022 preparing the framework for a common proposal in Horizon Europe. The outreach programme is delivering excellent products: updated web page, educational material, open days, new videos. Noteworthy is the outstanding success of the full dome video (Fig.3) that has reached in this RP2 >3 million viewers. The visibility through dedicated social media channels (e.g. facebook, twitter, youtube) has also notably increased during RP2. Several initiatives for the general public have been organised (Fig.4).
-Transnational Access:
AHEAD2020 will issue 7 AOs during ~5 years to advertise both the Visitor Program and the TA visits. A set of 4 visits to facilities used to test and/or calibrate space hardware has been carried out in RP2 (total of 5 for the project). The TA devoted to data analysis (TA2) has essentially reached the nominal expected demand during the last two AOs (AO3 and AO4) and counted a total of 17 visits achieved in RP2. The computational astrophysics category (TA3) was about 2-3 times lower in request than the initially assessed performance, counting however 8 user visits during RP2.
-Virtual access:
VA1 has been subject to significant issues over the course of the latest reporting period, mostly related to the lack of person-power available to work directly on the work package; the second has been the re-definition of the goal to be undertaken, as discussed during many meetings and also during the 1st review, but still not finalised in an amendment.
-Joint research Activities:
Two out of the seven JRA, JRA1& 2 are focused on detector and mirror technology developments for X-ray, mostly linked to Athena and other space missions launched recently or in the closer future. The activities carried out until now have proved to be successful, e.g. improvements on the instrument background studies aimed at Athena, that can be as well exploited for existing missions, and the testing/calibration of X-ray optics for the close-to-launch Einstein Probe and SVOM (Fig.5). Enhancing developments of the next generation of HE space experiments for MMA (Fig.6) is the scope of JRA3, that is in particular focusing on the novel Lobster-eye technology for wide sky monitoring and the new venue offered by nanosat constellations, also including the support to Theseus, one of the candidates for the ESA M7 slot.
The full exploitation of the upcoming observing MMA facilities is being addressed with significant improvements in tools for data and alerts analysis, models and atomic database, that is the scope of JRA 4, 5 &6 (Fig. 7). These are progressing as expected with several tools already delivered and nvestigations properly timed to exploit novel data from high-res X-ray spectroscopy missions as XRISM (Fig.8). Innovative technologies developed under the aforementioned JRAs are being applied for the benefit of the society JRA7, that has recently carried out the realization of a prototype high res X-ray spectrometer for material science (Fig.9).
In summary, the activities are overall in schedule and key results are in line with the strategic goals of AHEAD2020. About 100 publications have been produced until now.
Three JRAs are hinged on instrument developments beyond the baseline of Athena and to space missions in time domain. Activities are focussed in a few strategic areas, thus aiming at a long-standing impact, and where the investment can be more effective: sensor and mirror technologies, reduction of particle background, on the LOBSTER-eye wide-field X-ray based missions (SMILE, Einstein Probe, THESEUS, Gamow…), and nanosat constellations.
Adequate tools important to enhance the science return of the new and more capable observing facilities. This is the scope of three other JRA. One of them brings effectively together the high energy astrophysics and astro-particle communities, in developing tools for multi-messenger astronomy. This initial goal has now become reality with different interactions between the high energy, astroparticle and GW community in AHEAD2020. Another JRA aims at improving the knowledge of atomic transitions in the X-ray regime, that is needed to exploit the high-res spectra from XRISM and Athena. This is tackled with theoretical and experimental studies. Advanced tools for missions such as XRISM, ERosita, Einstein Probe, Athena are being defined and developed in another JRA.
Technology innovation focuses on the application of AHEAD2020 technologies for our society. This activity is led by a space company, strengthening the technological transfer from pure research to industry. A key application is the use of cryogenic microcalorimeters in a PIXE system suited for non-invasive analysis on fine arts/archeology items or for high-sensitivity measurements of air pollution. The realization of a movable array of robots equipped with environmental sensors for use in GW observatories can be also applied to the monitoring of geophysical risks.
Adequate tools important to enhance the science return of the new and more capable observing facilities. This is the scope of three other JRA. One of them brings effectively together the high energy astrophysics and astro-particle communities, in developing tools for multi-messenger astronomy. This initial goal has now become reality with different interactions between the high energy, astroparticle and GW community in AHEAD2020. Another JRA aims at improving the knowledge of atomic transitions in the X-ray regime, that is needed to exploit the high-res spectra from XRISM and Athena. This is tackled with theoretical and experimental studies. Advanced tools for missions such as XRISM, ERosita, Einstein Probe, Athena are being defined and developed in another JRA.
Technology innovation focuses on the application of AHEAD2020 technologies for our society. This activity is led by a space company, strengthening the technological transfer from pure research to industry. A key application is the use of cryogenic microcalorimeters in a PIXE system suited for non-invasive analysis on fine arts/archeology items or for high-sensitivity measurements of air pollution. The realization of a movable array of robots equipped with environmental sensors for use in GW observatories can be also applied to the monitoring of geophysical risks.