X-ray Surveyor Discussion Session Results from the X-ray Vision Workshop

This paper summarizes the results of a brainstorming session held during the X-ray Vision Workshop (Oct 6-8, 2015, Washington DC). The workshop was convened to discuss the scientific potential of the X-ray Surveyor mission. The X-ray Surveyor concept, which was defined by the Astrophysics Roadmap, is to effect a 100-fold gain in survey and spectroscopic capability over the Chandra X-ray Observatory, while at least matching Chandra’s sub-arcsecond imaging capability. This paper is intended to inform interested scientists of the growing discussion in our community and to solicit their input in the area of new science that a next generation high-resolution X-ray Observatory may provide for astrophysics. This paper is not an official document and is certainly not the definitive science case for an X-ray Surveyor mission. It is, instead, an early input to this discussion, which we hope will lead to a full reference white paper on the X-Ray Surveyor concept.