XSTAR: Spectral Modeling for the XRISM Era

Spectroscopy is a centerpiece of the science from missions such as the Hubble Space Telescope, Chandra X-ray Observatory, XMM–Newton Observatory, and James Webb Space Telescope. The spectral instruments on Chandra and XMM–Newton have demonstrated the power and unique insights provided by high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy. This will become more important this year with the launch of the XRISM mission. Modeling is a necessary tool for interpreting these spectra, and modeling tools are generally available and robust. However, models are often treated as a “black box” whereby only the final spectrum is queried to gain physical insight. The goal of the proposed research is to provide tools to allow the user to “get under the hood” and understand the ingredients that are used in the calculation that leads to a model spectrum. This involves decomposing our well-known modeling package xstar into functional modules and allowing access via Python. We will create a library of Python wrappers for the various xstar modules, along with a framework for calling them sequentially to provide model spectra but allowing the user at the same time to intercept internal quantities that provide validation and physical insight to the final fit. A key goal is to facilitate the visualization and understanding of the atomic data that the model employs; in this sense the proposed research will enable laboratory astrophysics investigations.

The Astrophysics Research and Analysis program (APRA) supports suborbital and suborbital-class investigations, development of detectors and supporting technology, laboratory astrophysics, and limited ground-based observing. Basic research proposals in these areas are solicited for investigations that are relevant to NASA's programs in astronomy and astrophysics, including the entire range of photons, gravitational waves, and particle astrophysics. The emphasis of this solicitation is on technologies and investigations that advance NASA astrophysics missions and goals.

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