Earlier this year a gas cloud was discovered to be falling (accelerating)towards SgrA* and it is predicted to reach peribothron (at 2200 rS) in September2013. At a minimum, the cloud-SgrA* interaction is expected to induce enhancedemission varying on timescales of months/years. However, the cloud physics andSgrA*.s close environment are not well understood. We propose 4*50ks XMMobservations to study the near-future evolution of the cloud. Its emissionproperties will be a sensitive probe of the characteristics of the accretionflow onto the supermassive Galactic BH, at milli-parsec scales.
Instrument
EMOS1, EMOS2, EPN, OM, RGS1, RGS2
Temporal Coverage
2013-08-30T20:13:12Z/2013-09-23T09:27:29Z
Version
17.56_20190403_1200
Mission Description
The European Space Agencys (ESA) X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM-Newton) was launched by an Ariane 504 on December 10th 1999. XMM-Newton is ESAs second cornerstone of the Horizon 2000 Science Programme. It carries 3 high throughput X-ray telescopes with an unprecedented effective area, and an optical monitor, the first flown on a X-ray observatory. The large collecting area and ability to make long uninterrupted exposures provide highly sensitive observations. Since Earths atmosphere blocks out all X-rays, only a telescope in space can detect and study celestial X-ray sources. The XMM-Newton mission is helping scientists to solve a number of cosmic mysteries, ranging from the enigmatic black holes to the origins of the Universe itself. Observing time on XMM-Newton is being made available to the scientific community, applying for observational periods on a competitive basis.
European Space Agency, Dr Gabriele Ponti, 2014, 'Monitoring the close encounter between a small cloud and a supermassive BH', 17.56_20190403_1200, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-wbpoh3o
