A Study of the Occultation and Extinction of the Celestial X-ray Source Scorpius X-1 by Jupiter's Atmosphere
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摘要: 木星作为太阳系中典型气态巨行星,其大气成分承载着太阳系早期演化的重要信息。本文基于X射线掩星探测原理,利用天蝎座X-1作为辐射源,研究X射线在木星大气中的消光过程。通过建立一维前向辐射传输模型,结合Photochem生成的大气密度廓线和XCOM数据库中的吸收截面,计算大气透过率,并采用XSPEC模拟天蝎座X-1的辐射光谱,系统分析了透射谱、光变曲线和能谱的衰减特征。研究结果表明,随着光子能量从0.1 keV增至500 keV,X射线穿透深度逐渐增加,光子最低可达139 km。对光变曲线分析表明,高能光子消光的起始和结束高度均低于低能光子;对能谱分析表明,低能光子衰减更为显著,且衰减程度随高度降低而增强。基于NICER探测器响应矩阵的模拟表明,增加探测模块数量可以提高光子接收数,使用4个类NICER探测模块时,可探测到光子的最低高度降至183.5 km。本研究为我国计划于2030年左右发射的“天问四号”木星系探测任务的载荷设计提供理论依据,并为木星高层大气探测开辟新的技术途径。Abstract: Jupiter, as a typical gas giant in the solar system, harbors atmospheric composition that carries crucial information about the early evolution of the solar system. Based on the principle of X-ray occultation, this study investigates the extinction process of X-rays in Jupiter's atmosphere using Scorpius X-1 as a background source. By establishing a 1-D forward radiation transfer model, incorporating atmospheric density profiles generated by Photochem and absorption cross-sections from the XCOM database, we calculated atmospheric transmittance. The radiation spectrum of Scorpius X-1 was simulated using XSPEC, enabling systematic analysis of the attenuation characteristics of transmission spectra, light curves, and energy spectra. The results indicate that as the photon energy increases from 0.1 keV to 500 keV, the penetration depth of X-rays gradually increases, with photons reaching a minimum altitude of 139 km. Analysis of light curves shows that both the initiation and completion altitudes of high-energy photon extinction are lower than those of low-energy photons. Energy spectra analysis reveals that low-energy photons experience more significant attenuation, and the degree of attenuation intensifies with decreasing altitude. Simulations based on the NICER detector response matrix demonstrate that increasing the number of detection modules can enhance the photon count; using four NICER-like detection modules reduces the minimum detectable altitude for photons to 183.5 km. This research provides a theoretical foundation for the payload design of China's "Tianwen-4" Jupiter system exploration mission, scheduled for launch around 2030, and opens up new technical avenues for probing Jupiter's upper atmosphere.
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