The future XRISM (X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission, pronounced “kris”) spacecraft will explore the hottest regions of the universe, the largest structures, and the objects with the strongest gravity. Led by JAXA (Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency), XRISM will look at these cosmic extremes using spectroscopy, which studies the interaction of light and matter. In this explanatory note, video producer Sophia Roberts of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center discusses how understanding spectroscopy deepens our knowledge of the universe.

“We’re all excited about the wonderful images we’re getting from missions like NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope,” said Roberts. “But after taking a deep dive into spectroscopy, I really appreciate the critical context it gives scientists about the story behind these images.”

The XRISM microcalorimetric spectrometer called Resolve is a collaboration between JAXA and NASA. It will produce spectra that are measurements of light intensity over an energy range for X-rays of 400 to 12,000 electron volts. (For comparison, the energy of visible light ranges from about 2 to 3 electron volts.)

To do this, Resolve measures the subtle temperature changes that occur when an X-ray beam hits a 6 by 6 pixel detector. To measure this small increase and determine the energy of the X-ray, the detector needs to be cooled to about minus 460° Fahrenheit (about minus 270° Celsius), just one degree above absolute zero. The device reaches operating temperature after a multistage mechanical cooling process in a refrigerator-sized vessel containing liquid helium.

Watch to learn about spectroscopy, the dance between matter and light, and how NASA missions using it have helped scientists answer important questions about our universe. Credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Resolve will help astronomers learn more about the composition and movement of extremely hot gas in galaxy clusters, the near-light particle jets fed by black holes in active galaxies, and other cosmic mysteries.

The Webb Telescope captures similar spectra, but for infrared light. Webb’s spectra revealed the gas composition near active black holes and mapped the movement of this matter towards or away from the viewer. Data from XRISM’s Resolve will do the same at higher energies, helping to draw a more complete picture of these objects.

XRISM is a joint mission between JAXA and NASA with the participation of ESA (European Space Agency). NASA’s contribution includes scientific contributions from the Canadian Space Agency. Source