arcusTrace: Modular Raytracing Software for the Arcus X-ray Spectrometer

Casey T. DeRoo; Dustin K. Swarm; Randall K. Smith

doi:10.1117/12.2528497

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Conference proceeding

arcusTrace: Modular Raytracing Software for the Arcus X-ray Spectrometer

Casey T. DeRoo, Dustin K. Swarm and Randall K. Smith

ASTRONOMICAL OPTICS: DESIGN, MANUFACTURE, AND TEST OF SPACE AND GROUND SYSTEMS II, Vol.11116, pp.111161F-111161F-10

Proceedings of SPIE

01/01/2019

DOI: 10.1117/12.2528497

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Abstract

Commercially available optical design software lacks support for optimizing X-ray instruments for astronomy, which can feature thousands of optical surfaces operating at grazing incidence. To address this need for software, we present arcusTrace, a modular, Python-based raytracing software developed in support of the Arcus soft X-ray spectrometer. Each modular package models the behavior of an optical component in the spectrometer, allowing raytracing of single components up to the entire instrument. In addition, we leverage Python's built-in class structure to define common objects and simplify function calls. We have employed arcusTrace to predict the performance of the Arcus spectrometer and validated the software's performance by comparing its output to X-ray measurements conducted at the PANTER X-ray test facility. The resulting optical design for Arcus yields a high-resolution, high effective area spectrometer uniquely capable of addressing outstanding science questions in large scale structure formation, feedback, and stellar astrophysics.

Engineering

Engineering, Aerospace

Optics

Physical Sciences

Science & Technology

Technology

Details

Title: Subtitle: arcusTrace: Modular Raytracing Software for the Arcus X-ray Spectrometer
Creators: Casey T. DeRoo - Univ Iowa, Dept Phys & Astron, 210 Van Allen Hall, Iowa City, IA 52242 USA
Dustin K. Swarm - University of Iowa
Randall K. Smith - Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian
Contributors: T B Hull (Editor)
D W Kim (Editor)
P Hallibert (Editor)
Resource Type: Conference proceeding
Publication Details: ASTRONOMICAL OPTICS: DESIGN, MANUFACTURE, AND TEST OF SPACE AND GROUND SYSTEMS II, Vol.11116, pp.111161F-111161F-10
Publisher: Spie-Int Soc Optical Engineering
Series: Proceedings of SPIE
DOI: 10.1117/12.2528497
ISSN: 0277-786X
eISSN: 1996-756X
Number of pages: 10
Grant note: University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Language: English
Date published: 01/01/2019
Academic Unit: Physics and Astronomy; University College Courses
Record Identifier: 9984428672102771

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