Eos: a FUV spectroscopic mission to observe molecular hydrogen in molecular clouds

Erika T. Hamden, David Schiminovich, Neal J. Turner, Blakesley Burkhart, Thomas J. Haworth, Nicole Arulanantham, Haeun Chung, Shuo Kong, Keri Hoadley, Karen Willacy, Thavisha Dharmawardena, Jinyoung S Kim, Shmuel Bialy, Min Young Lee, Miles Smith, Elizabeth Luthman

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Eos is a mission concept to be proposed to the expected 2025 NASA Small Explorers Announcement of Opportunity (SMEX AO). Eos observes molecular clouds in our galaxy and nearby planet forming disks to understand the link between star and planet formation and molecular hydrogen in galactic star forming regions. Eos does this using very long-slit, high resolution spectroscopy of far ultraviolet (FUV) emission from fluorescent molecular hydrogen (H2), a powerful and underutilized FUV diagnostic. H2 is the most abundant molecule in the universe, but is typically observed in the infrared (IR) or inferred via proxies such as CO. Eos will directly observe H2 via fluorescence, which can be stimulated from a range of sources (shocks, interstellar UV radiation, bright stars, etc). Here we briefly describe the science objectives of Eos, as well as the instrument implementation.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationSpace Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024
Subtitle of host publicationUltraviolet to Gamma Ray
EditorsJan-Willem A. den Herder, Shouleh Nikzad, Kazuhiro Nakazawa
PublisherSPIE
ISBN (Electronic)9781510675094
DOIs
StatePublished - 2024
EventSpace Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray - Yokohama, Japan
Duration: Jun 16 2024Jun 21 2024

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume13093
ISSN (Print)0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)1996-756X

Conference

ConferenceSpace Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray
Country/TerritoryJapan
CityYokohama
Period6/16/246/21/24

Keywords

  • molecular clouds
  • molecular hydrogen
  • NASA SMEX
  • UV spectroscopy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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