Periodic Reporting for period 3 - AHEAD2020 (Integrated Activities for the High Energy Astrophysics Domain)
Berichtszeitraum: 2023-03-02 bis 2024-12-01
The overall objective of AHEAD2020 has been to integrate the activities in the field of high energy astrophysics in space, extending to the multi-messenger (MM) community, and to promote the domain at the EU level.
AHEAD2020 has involved 38 participants from 16 countries, including major European institutions in the field, one large space company and 3 SMEs and has offered to users 29 facilities for instrument tests and calibration of space-based sensors/electronics, data analysis and computational astrophysics/MM modelling, including one virtual access for GW and MM data. The technological development has focused on the improvement of selected technologies, like sensors and X-ray mirrors, for the benefit of future high energy facilities like Athena, wide-field satellites and nanosat constellations. Full exploitation of the new observing capabilities has been enabled by the development of advanced tools for data analysis, models and atomic database, with a dedicated effort in facilitating the accessibility and the analysis of data in the MM context. The advancement in cutting-edge sensors in Astrophysics has enabled the development of new technologies and the growth of the related European industries with a dedicated technology innovation package. Through AHEAD2020, studies of future space-based high energy missions and multi-messenger facilities, such as the next generation of GW interferometers (Einstein Telescope) have been achieved. Finally, AHEAD2020 has supported the community via grants for collaborative studies, dissemination of results and promotion of workshops. A strong public outreach package has raised the general public interest in the domain at national, European and International level. AHEAD2020 activities and their links are visualized in Figure 1.
AHEAD2020 has involved 38 participants from 16 countries, including major European institutions in the field, one large space company and 3 SMEs and has offered to users 29 facilities for instrument tests and calibration of space-based sensors/electronics, data analysis and computational astrophysics/MM modelling, including one virtual access for GW and MM data. The technological development has focused on the improvement of selected technologies, like sensors and X-ray mirrors, for the benefit of future high energy facilities like Athena, wide-field satellites and nanosat constellations. Full exploitation of the new observing capabilities has been enabled by the development of advanced tools for data analysis, models and atomic database, with a dedicated effort in facilitating the accessibility and the analysis of data in the MM context. The advancement in cutting-edge sensors in Astrophysics has enabled the development of new technologies and the growth of the related European industries with a dedicated technology innovation package. Through AHEAD2020, studies of future space-based high energy missions and multi-messenger facilities, such as the next generation of GW interferometers (Einstein Telescope) have been achieved. Finally, AHEAD2020 has supported the community via grants for collaborative studies, dissemination of results and promotion of workshops. A strong public outreach package has raised the general public interest in the domain at national, European and International level. AHEAD2020 activities and their links are visualized in Figure 1.
-Networking Activities:
The visiting program in NA1 has been highly demanded by the community, with overbooking factor >3. Twenty six worshops and schools have been organized in NA1 and NA2. Noteworthy are those on the Athena-multimessenger synergies (Fig.2) on high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy, timely organized with the XRISM launch, and various workshops on multimessenger and GW data analysis. The activities dedicated to Einstein Telescope have contributed to its adoption as ESFRI infrastructure. A dedicated workshop has supported the joint efforts of the astronomy and astroparticle communities in the successful proposal in Horizon Europe (ACME) for multimessenger astronomy. The outreach programme has delivered excellent products: updated web pages, educational material, open days, new videos. Noteworthy is the outstanding success of the two full dome videos (Fig.3) with the latest one having reached in this RP3 >8 million viewers. The visibility through dedicated social media channels (e.g. facebook, twitter, youtube) has also notably increased thoughout the life of the project. Several events for the general public have been organised (Fig.4) including moving initiatives in prisons and mental clinics.
-Transnational Access:
AHEAD2020 has issued 7 Announcement of Opportunity covering both the Visitor Program and TA facilities, supporting projects of 216 researchers for a total of 1765 days. The TA programs have basically met the expected accesses. About 70 researchers or enigneers, including teams from SME, have visited facilities used to test and/or calibrate space hardware (TA1) for a total of 177 days, while 74 researchers have exploited the facilities devoted to data analysis (TA2) and computational astrophysics (TA3) for a total of 710 days.
-Virtual access:
Activities for rescoping virtual access (VA1) activities have been successfully accomplished, with the development of a user-friendly interfacing tool to GWOSC website, that allows an easy data download and quick look analysis for non-expert users, facilitating multimessenger research.
-Joint research Activities:
Two out of the seven JRA, JRA1& 2 are focused on detector and mirror technology developments for X-ray, mostly linked to Athena and other space missions launched recently. The activities have been successful enabling improvements on the instrument background studies aimed at Athena, that are exploited for existing missions, such as Newton-XMM, and the testing/calibration of X-ray optics for newly launched Einstein Probe and SVOM (Fig.5). Enhancing developments of the next generation of HE space experiments for Multimessenger Astronomy (Fig.6) is the scope of JRA3, that has focussed on the novel Lobster-eye technology for wide sky monitoring, including the support to Theseus, one of the candidates for the ESA M7 mission, and the new venue offered by nanosat constellations, including the set up of a dedicated ground base and the successful proposal of a small satellite constellation to ESA.
The full exploitation of the upcoming observing MMA facilities was addressed with advanced tools for data and alerts analysis, models and atomic database, that was the scope of JRA 4, 5 &6 (Fig. 7). Some of these tools have been also properly timed to exploit novel data from high-res X-ray spectroscopy missions as XRISM (Fig.8). Innovative technologies developed under the aforementioned JRAs are being applied for the benefit of the society JRA7, including the development of high res X-ray spectrometer for material science (Fig.9) and robotic sensors for environmental monitoring.
In summary, the results have met with the strategic goals of AHEAD2020, leading to 283 publications on refereed journals, including 10 on Nature.
The visiting program in NA1 has been highly demanded by the community, with overbooking factor >3. Twenty six worshops and schools have been organized in NA1 and NA2. Noteworthy are those on the Athena-multimessenger synergies (Fig.2) on high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy, timely organized with the XRISM launch, and various workshops on multimessenger and GW data analysis. The activities dedicated to Einstein Telescope have contributed to its adoption as ESFRI infrastructure. A dedicated workshop has supported the joint efforts of the astronomy and astroparticle communities in the successful proposal in Horizon Europe (ACME) for multimessenger astronomy. The outreach programme has delivered excellent products: updated web pages, educational material, open days, new videos. Noteworthy is the outstanding success of the two full dome videos (Fig.3) with the latest one having reached in this RP3 >8 million viewers. The visibility through dedicated social media channels (e.g. facebook, twitter, youtube) has also notably increased thoughout the life of the project. Several events for the general public have been organised (Fig.4) including moving initiatives in prisons and mental clinics.
-Transnational Access:
AHEAD2020 has issued 7 Announcement of Opportunity covering both the Visitor Program and TA facilities, supporting projects of 216 researchers for a total of 1765 days. The TA programs have basically met the expected accesses. About 70 researchers or enigneers, including teams from SME, have visited facilities used to test and/or calibrate space hardware (TA1) for a total of 177 days, while 74 researchers have exploited the facilities devoted to data analysis (TA2) and computational astrophysics (TA3) for a total of 710 days.
-Virtual access:
Activities for rescoping virtual access (VA1) activities have been successfully accomplished, with the development of a user-friendly interfacing tool to GWOSC website, that allows an easy data download and quick look analysis for non-expert users, facilitating multimessenger research.
-Joint research Activities:
Two out of the seven JRA, JRA1& 2 are focused on detector and mirror technology developments for X-ray, mostly linked to Athena and other space missions launched recently. The activities have been successful enabling improvements on the instrument background studies aimed at Athena, that are exploited for existing missions, such as Newton-XMM, and the testing/calibration of X-ray optics for newly launched Einstein Probe and SVOM (Fig.5). Enhancing developments of the next generation of HE space experiments for Multimessenger Astronomy (Fig.6) is the scope of JRA3, that has focussed on the novel Lobster-eye technology for wide sky monitoring, including the support to Theseus, one of the candidates for the ESA M7 mission, and the new venue offered by nanosat constellations, including the set up of a dedicated ground base and the successful proposal of a small satellite constellation to ESA.
The full exploitation of the upcoming observing MMA facilities was addressed with advanced tools for data and alerts analysis, models and atomic database, that was the scope of JRA 4, 5 &6 (Fig. 7). Some of these tools have been also properly timed to exploit novel data from high-res X-ray spectroscopy missions as XRISM (Fig.8). Innovative technologies developed under the aforementioned JRAs are being applied for the benefit of the society JRA7, including the development of high res X-ray spectrometer for material science (Fig.9) and robotic sensors for environmental monitoring.
In summary, the results have met with the strategic goals of AHEAD2020, leading to 283 publications on refereed journals, including 10 on Nature.
Three JRAs were hinged on instrument developments beyond the baseline of Athena and to space missions in time domain. Activities have been focussed in a few strategic areas, thus aiming at a long-standing impact, and where the investment is more effective: sensor and mirror technologies, reduction of particle background, on the LOBSTER-eye wide-field X-ray based missions (SMILE, Einstein Probe, THESEUS), and nanosat constellations.
To develop adequate tools important to enhance the science return of the new and more capable observing facilities, was the scope of three other JRA. One of them brings effectively together the high energy astrophysics and astro-particle communities, in developing tools for multi-messenger astronomy. Another JRA has significantly improved the knowledge of atomic transitions in the X-ray regime, needed to exploit the high-resolution spectra from XRISM and Athena. This was tackled with theoretical and experimental studies. Advanced tools for missions such as XRISM, ERosita, Einstein Probe, Athena have been defined and developed in the third JRA.
Technology innovation focuses on the application of AHEAD2020 technologies for our society. This activity was led by a space company, strengthening the technological transfer from pure research to industry. A key application is the use of cryogenic microcalorimeters in a PIXE system, suited for non-invasive analysis on fine arts/archeology items or for high-sensitivity measurements of air pollution. The achieved realization of a movable array of robots equipped with environmental sensors for use in GW observatories can be also applied to the monitoring of geophysical risks.
AHEAD2020 has been extremely successful in ensuring the sustainability of most of its results (tools, studies, experiments..) that will be supported after the end of the project by the teams and projects that were involved.
To develop adequate tools important to enhance the science return of the new and more capable observing facilities, was the scope of three other JRA. One of them brings effectively together the high energy astrophysics and astro-particle communities, in developing tools for multi-messenger astronomy. Another JRA has significantly improved the knowledge of atomic transitions in the X-ray regime, needed to exploit the high-resolution spectra from XRISM and Athena. This was tackled with theoretical and experimental studies. Advanced tools for missions such as XRISM, ERosita, Einstein Probe, Athena have been defined and developed in the third JRA.
Technology innovation focuses on the application of AHEAD2020 technologies for our society. This activity was led by a space company, strengthening the technological transfer from pure research to industry. A key application is the use of cryogenic microcalorimeters in a PIXE system, suited for non-invasive analysis on fine arts/archeology items or for high-sensitivity measurements of air pollution. The achieved realization of a movable array of robots equipped with environmental sensors for use in GW observatories can be also applied to the monitoring of geophysical risks.
AHEAD2020 has been extremely successful in ensuring the sustainability of most of its results (tools, studies, experiments..) that will be supported after the end of the project by the teams and projects that were involved.