EUV and X-ray Measurements for Astrophysics Missions

Peter Beiersdorfer (LLNL and SSL)

We have been carrying out a multi-institutional, multi-faceted laboratory astrophysics program utilizing primarily the Livermore electron beam ion trap facility and the Princeton tokamaks and an assortment of crystal and grating spectrometers, including a 45 m grazing incidence spectrometer, and a 6x6 microcalorimeter array from the ASTRO-E/Suzaku mission. Our measurements aim to address specific spectral issues associated with current and future missions. For example, we are conducting complete spectral surveys to identify and catalog unknown emission lines from L-shell ions that fall into the 10-200 Å region observed with XMM and Chandra. We are also measuring the stationary wavelengths of K-shell absorption lines needed for determining the flows of absorbers surrounding AGNs. Close to a thousand emission lines from O, Ne, Mg, Al, Si, S, Ar, and Fe ions with charge as low as O²⁺ and Mg²⁺ and as high as Fe²³⁺ have now been measured at densities of near $10^{1! 1}$ cm^-3. The density-sensitivity of various lines has been calibrated, and we have discovered the first X-ray diagnostic for magnetic field strength. We have also successfully simulated the X-ray emission of comets C/Linear 1999 S4 and C/McNaught-Hartley 1999 T1. An overview of recent results will be given, and the implications for various astrophysical and solar missions will be discussed.