2 research outputs found
Science with a small two-band UV-photometry mission II: Observations of stars and stellar systems
We outline the impact of a small two-band UV-photometry satellite mission on
the field of stellar physics, magnetospheres of stars, binaries, stellar
clusters, interstellar matter, and exoplanets. On specific examples of
different types of stars and stellar systems, we discuss particular
requirements for such satellite missions in terms of specific mission
parameters such as bandpass, precision, cadence, and mission duration. We show
that such a mission may provide crucial data not only for hot stars that emit
most of their light in UV, but also for cool stars, where UV traces their
activity. This is important, for instance, for exoplanetary studies, because
the level of stellar activity influences habitability. While the main asset of
the two-band UV mission rests in time-domain astronomy, an example of open
clusters proves that such a mission would be important also for the study of
stellar populations. Properties of the interstellar dust are best explored when
combining optical and IR information with observations in UV. It is well known
that dust absorbs UV radiation efficiently. Consequently, we outline how such a
UV mission can be used to detect eclipses of sufficiently hot stars by various
dusty objects and study disks, rings, clouds, disintegrating exoplanets or
exoasteroids. Furthermore, UV radiation can be used to study the cooling of
neutron stars providing information about the extreme states of matter in the
interiors of neutron stars and used for mapping heated spots on their surfaces.Comment: Submitted to Space Science Review
Quick Ultra-VIolet Kilonova surveyor (QUVIK)
We present a near-UV space telescope on a ~70kg micro-satellite with a
moderately fast repointing capability and a near real-time alert communication
system that has been proposed in response to a call for an ambitious Czech
national mission. The mission, which has recently been approved for Phase 0, A,
and B1 study shall measure the brightness evolution of kilonovae, resulting
from mergers of neutron stars in the near-UV band and thus it shall distinguish
between different explosion scenarios. Between the observations of transient
sources, the satellite shall perform observations of other targets of interest,
a large part of which will be chosen in open competition.Comment: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentatio