1. Contratto ASI/Luna Astrofisica delle Alte Energie

2. The observation and study of the Universe requires coordinated, if possible, contemporary observations in different windows of the Electromagnetic Spectrum

3. The lack of atmosphere renders the Moon surface an appealing location for X and Gamma-ray telescopes. However, to be competitive with the space instruments already in operations, we need large X and gamma-ray telescopes that are far too big to be considered for space operations.

4. However, instruments do not perform better on the Moon. Thus, to be competitive with the space instruments already in operations, we need large X and gamma-ray telescopes that are far too big to be considered for space operations.

5. The four Telescopes we have selected to explore the Universe in the energy band “few keV, many GeV”, are transit instruments with no specific pointing requirements, (the sources will cross the instruments’ field of view at 0.5°/h at the Equator). Placing the instruments on the Moon equatorial region would allow an even coverage of the sky and ease the communications.

6. Requirements for the “Lunar” AO >> Four Instruments to explore the Sky in the few keV- many GeV energy band >> The Instruments are not pointed but only aligned to a selected region of the sky, the sources will drift in the FOV. >> All the pointings will be possible (when the Sun is not in the FOV) >> 27 terrestrial days (one Lunar rotation) continuous observation. >>High bit-rate communication with Earth. >>Possibility to build the Observatory via a modular approach,

7. ASRI All Sky X-ray Imager Energy Range: 0.5-60 KeV 2 Detectors : 0.5-15 KeV, 5-60 KeV FoV30 arcmin Angular Resolution: 10 (5) arcsec Energy Resolution:ΔE/E ~ 200 Time resolution:no stringent requirements

8. Scientific Objectives to survey the sky in the 1-60 KeV energy band at flux levels much fainter than any survey has reached so far. One million sources reaching redshift Z>4 for an area of 1000 square degrees.

9. Mirrors and Detectors will be mounted into two separate units which will be placed in the proper position by a robotic system.

10. Formation Flying for Astrophysics SIMBOL-X : An X Ray Mission ~ [ 0,5keV – 70 to 80keV ]

11. Fig. 2.4: Segmented-shell design from the XEUS initial version. Segmented shells (top) are assembled into “petals” (middle) that compose the final optic system (bottom). Possible mirrors configurations

12. Fig. 2.5: Pore Optics Design (from a XEUS second Design). Silicon chemically etched wafers (top left) are piled on a curved mandrel (top right) to form a square block (bottom left), with reflecting surfaces following a shell profile. Resulting blocks are mounted onto in a suitable support structure

13. SPACE COMPETITORS eROSITA XEUS

14. TIGRE Timing Italian Gamma Ray Experiment Energy Range: 1-20 keV Timing only, 1-10 keV Imaging and Timing FoV:Timing only half sky, Slit collimator 1° x 60°, Collimator and Mask: 60°x 60° Total Geometric Area: 100 modules of 1 m 2 = 100 m 2 Time resolution 10 μs

15. Scientific Objectives Detailed study of individual cycles of Quasi Periodic Oscillations (QPOs) in Galactic binaries Survey of X-ray pulsars Temporal variability and quasi-periodicity during the prompt phase of gamma-ray bursts High resolution timing study of bursts from magnetars

16. A pictorial view of one TIGRE module, in the configuration with the open sky view (top left panel); during the mask positioning (top right) and with the coded mask in place (bottom panel).

17. SPACE COMPETITORS RXTE will stop in 1-2 y.

18. GRIM Gamma Ray IMager Energy Range: 0.03-1 MeV, up to 10 MeV in 2  mode FoV:4° x 4°, 33° x 33° Angular resolution 0.7-7 arcmin Energy resolution 1 % @100 keV 0.5% @511 keV Total Geometric Area: 9 m 2 Time resolution 5 μs

19. Scientific Objectives Obscured sources, Black Holes Physics Neutron Star Physics and Transient Phenomena GC Supermassive BH Supermassive Black Holes in AGNs GRB to probe the far Universe

20. GRIM

21. GRIM Final Configuration budget Telescope (mask-detector) units 4 (2 m 2 each) Total detection area 9 (8 + 1) m 2 No. of pixels1,000,000 Power 400 W (0.3  W/ch) Telemetry48 Mb/s (raw) Detector weight540 kg (CZT) Mask weight6800 kg (W) Total coding Area36 m 2 CollimatorHopper or egg-crated type (graded structure) Tl/W, Sn, Cu, 1 mm thick Active shieldPlastic (surrounding the whole detector plane) 5 mm thick

22. SPACE COMPETITORS

23. PIM Plastic Imager on the Moon Energy Range: 50- MeV 200 GeV FoV:3 sr. Angular resolution few arcmin Energy resolution < 10 % Total Geometric Area: >> 1 m 2 Time resolution tenth of nsec

24. Scientific Objectives Gamma-Ray Burst Galactic sources studies (all classes) Diffuse emission from the Milky Way Blazar and Active Galactic Nuclei Isotropic diffuse emission Test of Quantum gravity models

25. PIM Traker and Calorimeter configuration

26. SPACE COMPETITORS

27. The four telescopes are “very big”, they cannot be sent to the Moon in just one flight unless a system like the one in the NASA “ESAS” study is available. 35 Ton + 10 Ton 10 Ton

28. X and gamma-ray astronomy could blossom on the Moon surface. However, the flight opportunity of 2011 and 2012 is not suitable for the ambitious goals we have set for the Lunar A.O. CONCLUSIONS

29. In view of the space competitors, it makes no sense to propose a small payload for the first flight opportunity. A Payload in the 80 kg. range can accommodate only a test instrument or a technological demonstrator. Such a “small” instrument could provide useful information for the detailed design of the future BIG TELESCOPES. CONCLUSIONS

30. The 2012 opportunity could be used to fly to the Moon a small instrument to get the best possible information on one of the critical lunar parameter like the Dust, the Micrometeorites, the Temperature excursions of the Telescopes components, the total Radiation. All those inputs will be needed when the Big Telescope time will arrive.