Abstract
We present the Black Hole Explorer (BHEX), a mission that will produce the sharpest images in the history of astronomy by extending submillimeter Very-Long-Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) to space. BHEX will discover and measure the bright and narrow “photon ring” that is predicted to exist in images of black holes, produced from light that has orbited the black hole before escaping. This discovery will expose universal features of a black hole’s spacetime that are distinct from the complex astrophysics of the emitting plasma, allowing the first direct measurements of a supermassive black hole’s spin. In addition to studying the properties of the nearby supermassive black holes M87∗ and Sgr A∗, BHEX will measure the properties of dozens of additional supermassive black holes, providing crucial insights into the processes that drive their creation and growth. BHEX will also connect these supermassive black holes to their relativistic jets, elucidating the power source for the brightest and most efficient engines in the universe. BHEX will address fundamental open questions in the physics and astrophysics of black holes that cannot be answered without submillimeter space VLBI. The mission is enabled by recent technological breakthroughs, including the development of ultra-high-speed downlink using laser communications, and it leverages billions of dollars of existing ground infrastructure. We present the motivation for BHEX, its science goals and associated requirements, and the pathway to launch within the next decade.
Original language | English (US) |
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Title of host publication | Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024 |
Subtitle of host publication | Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave |
Editors | Laura E. Coyle, Shuji Matsuura, Marshall D. Perrin |
Publisher | SPIE |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9781510675070 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2024 |
Event | Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave - Yokohama, Japan Duration: Jun 16 2024 → Jun 22 2024 |
Publication series
Name | Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering |
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Volume | 13092 |
ISSN (Print) | 0277-786X |
ISSN (Electronic) | 1996-756X |
Conference
Conference | Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave |
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Country/Territory | Japan |
City | Yokohama |
Period | 6/16/24 → 6/22/24 |
Keywords
- AGN
- Black Holes
- EHT
- Jet Launching
- Photon Ring
- VLBI
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Computer Science Applications
- Applied Mathematics
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering