NASA Goddard Space Flight CenterAnna Trindade FalcãoMultiwavelength AGN astrophysicist

Future mission science

Preparing for Future X-Ray Observatories

I develop science cases and spectral simulations that translate measurements from current X-ray observatories into requirements for future missions, with a current emphasis on NewAthena.

NewAthena mission illustration surrounded by simulated X-ray science products; the inset panels are simulations, not observations.
Mission concept and simulationsAthena Community Office (ACO)

Present-day foundation

How current observations define future needs

Measurements from Chandra, XMM-Newton, NuSTAR, and XRISM establish the spatial resolution, spectral resolution, sensitivity, and bandpass limitations that shape future observing requirements for AGN winds and circumnuclear gas.

Current observatories

ChandraXMM-NewtonNuSTARXRISM

Future mission under study

NewAthena

Mission science preparation

Capabilities these science cases evaluate

Simulations evaluate how proposed future capabilities could distinguish the spatial, spectral, and temporal signatures of accretion and AGN-driven winds. These are prospective tests, not achieved mission performance.

Capability questions

Questions guiding mission preparation

01

Which feedback measurements require NewAthena's high-throughput imaging and calorimeter spectroscopy?

02

How can XRISM spectroscopy and observations from Chandra, XMM-Newton, and NuSTAR provide the preparatory measurements needed for NewAthena?

03

How could future X-ray observations distinguish the spatial, spectral, and temporal signatures of accretion onto supermassive black holes and their winds?

Scientific foundations

Observational studies informing mission requirements

publicationHot, Photoionized X-Ray Gas in Two Luminous Type 2 Quasars: Chandra-HST Evidence for a Wind-driven SequenceMotivates sensitivity and spectral-diagnostic requirements for separating highly ionized and warm-ionized gas.View publication publicationDeep Chandra Observations of NGC 5728 · Paper IEstablishes the spatial scales and surface-brightness structure that future imaging must recover.View publication publicationDeep Chandra Observations of NGC 5728 · Paper IIShows why high spectral resolution is needed to test the origin of complex Fe Kα emission.View publication publicationDeep Chandra Observations of NGC 5728 · Paper IIIConnects X-ray morphology with molecular and optical phases across the circumnuclear environment.View publication publicationThe Multiphase Nuclear Environment of NGC 5005 · Paper IIDemonstrates the need to separate faint extended emission from a compact, weak active nucleus.View publication

Connected research areas

Highly Ionized X-Ray-Emitting GasUsing Chandra imaging spectroscopy and physical modeling to determine what powers spatially extended X-ray emission around active nuclei.Imaging, Spectroscopy, and Physical ModelingUsing spatially resolved imaging, spectroscopy, and physical modeling to measure faint, extended emission around bright or heavily obscured active nuclei.