Mission
Astrosat will be a proposal-driven general purpose observatory, with main scientific focus on:
- Simultaneous multi-wavelength monitoring of intensity variations in a broad range of cosmic sources
- Monitoring the X-ray sky for new transients
- Sky surveys in the hard X-ray and UV bands
- Broadband spectroscopic studies of X-ray binaries, AGN, SNRs, clusters of galaxies and stellar coronae
- Studies of periodic and non-periodic variability of X-ray sources
Astrosat will carry out multi-wavelength observations covering spectral bands from radio, optical, IR, UV, X-ray and Gamma ray regions both for study of specific sources of interest and in survey mode. While radio, optical, IR observations would be coordinated through ground-based telescopes, the high energy regions, i.e., UV, X-rays and Gamma rays would be covered by the dedicated satellite borne instrumentation of Astrosat.
The mission would also study near simultaneous muti-wavelength data from different variable sources. In a binary system for example regions near the compact object emit predominantly in X-rays, the accretion disc emitting most of its light in the UV/ optical waveband, and the mass donating star being brightest in the optical band.
The observatory will also carry out (a) low to moderate resolution spectroscopy over wide energy band with the primary emphasis on studies of X-ray emitting objects, (b) Timing studies of periodic and aperiodic phenomenon in X-ray binaries, (c) Studies of pulsations in X-ray pulsars, (d) QPOs, flickering. Flaring and other variations in X-ray binaries, (e) short and long term intensity variations in AGNs, (f) time lag studies in low/hard X-rays and UV/optical radiation, (g) detection and study of x-ray transients. In particular, the mission will train its instruments at active galactic nuclei at the core of the Milky Way that is believed to have a super massive black hole.
Read more about this topic: Astrosat
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