University of Massachusetts - High Energy Astrophysics Group
A Chandra X-ray Survey of the Galactic Ridge
around the Center of the Milky
We have been award 360 ks Chandra Cycle 2 observing
time to conduct an X-ray survey of a 2.4x0.7 square deg field around
the Galactic center, using a set of ACIS pointings. With the
unprecedented spatial and spectral resolutions as well as the broad
energy coverage, this survey will provide an invaluable database for
studying X-ray pulsars, binaries, supernova remnants, and
superbubbles as well as many unique features observed in the field.
The resultant exquisite X-ray images, complemented by an existing
large-scale ROSAT PSPC mapping in soft X-ray, will allow for direct
comparison with similar maps in radio and infrared. In particular,
the survey will provide an excellent opportunity to determine the
origin of the well-known Galactic ridge X-ray emission.