The THESEUS space mission concept: science case, design and expected performances

L. Amati; P. O'Brien; D. Götz; E. Bozzo; C. Tenzer; F. Frontera; G. Ghirlanda; C. Labanti; J. P. Osborne; G. Stratta; N. Tanvir; R. Willingale; P. Attina; R. Campana; A. J. Castro-Tirado; C. Contini; F. Fuschino; A. Gomboc; R. Hudec; P. Orleanski; E. Renotte; T. Rodic; Z. Bagoly; A. Blain; P. Callanan; S. Covino; A. Ferrara; E. Le Floch; M. Marisaldi; S. Mereghetti; P. Rosati; A. Vacchi; P. D'Avanzo; P. Giommi; S. Piranomonte; L. Piro; V. Reglero; A. Rossi; A. Santangelo; R. Salvaterra; G. Tagliaferri; S. Vergani; S. Vinciguerra; M. Briggs; E. Campolongo; R. Ciolfi; V. Connaughton; B. Cordier; B. Morelli; M. Orlandini; C. Adami; A. Argan; J. L. Atteia; N. Auricchio; L. Balazs; G. Baldazzi; S. Basa; R. Basak; P. Bellutti; M. G. Bernardini; G. Bertuccio; J. Braga; M. Branchesi; S. Brandt; E. Brocato; C. Budtz-Jorgensen; A. Bulgarelli; L. Burderi; J. Camp; S. Capozziello; J. Caruana; P. Casella; B. Cenko; P. Chardonnet; B. Ciardi; S. Colafrancesco; M. G. Dainotti; V. D'Elia; D. De Martino; M. De Pasquale; E. Del Monte; M. Della Valle; A. Drago; Y. Evangelista; M. Feroci; F. Finelli; M. Fiorini; J. Fynbo; A. Gal-Yam; B. Gendre; G. Ghisellini; A. Grado; C. Guidorzi; M. Hafizi; L. Hanlon; J. Hjorth; L. Izzo; L. Kiss; P. Kumar; I. Kuvvetli; M. Lavagna; T. Li; F. Longo; M. Lyutikov; U. Maio; E. Maiorano; P. Malcovati; D. Malesani; R. Margutti; A. Martin-Carrillo; N. Masetti; S. McBreen; R. Mignani; G. Morgante; C. Mundell; H. U. Nargaard-Nielsen; L. Nicastro; E. Palazzi; S. Paltani; F. Panessa; G. Pareschi; A. Pe'er; A. V. Penacchioni; E. Pian; E. Piedipalumbo; T. Piran; G. Rauw; M. Razzano; A. Read; L. Rezzolla; P. Romano; R. Ruffini; S. Savaglio; V. Sguera; P. Schady; W. Skidmore; L. Song; E. Stanway; R. Starling; M. Topinka; E. Troja; M. van Putten; E. Vanzella; S. Vercellone; C. Wilson-Hodge; D. Yonetoku; G. Zampa; N. Zampa; B. Zhang; B. B. Zhang; S. Zhang; S. N. Zhang; A. Antonelli; F. Bianco; S. Boci; M. Boer; M. T. Botticella; O. Boulade; C. Butler; S. Campana; F. Capitanio; A. Celotti; Y. Chen; M. Colpi; A. Comastri; J. G. Cuby; M. Dadina; A. De Luca; Y. W. Dong; S. Ettori; P. Gandhi; E. Geza; J. Greiner; S. Guiriec; J. Harms; M. Hernanz; A. Hornstrup; I. Hutchinson; G. Israel; P. Jonker; Y. Kaneko; N. Kawai; K. Wiersema; S. Korpela; V. Lebrun; F. Lu; A. MacFadyen; G. Malaguti; L. Maraschi; A. Melandri; M. Modjaz; D. Morris; N. Omodei; A. Paizis; P. Páta; V. Petrosian; A. Rachevski; J. Rhoads; F. Ryde; L. Sabau-Graziati; N. Shigehiro; M. Sims; J. Soomin; D. Szécsi; Y. Urata; M. Uslenghi; L. Valenziano; G. Vianello; S. Vojtech; D. Watson; J. Zicha

doi:10.1016/j.asr.2018.03.010

The THESEUS space mission concept: science case, design and expected performances

L. Amati, P. O'Brien, D. Götz, E. Bozzo, C. Tenzer, F. Frontera, G. Ghirlanda, C. Labanti, J. P. Osborne, G. Stratta, N. Tanvir, R. Willingale, P. Attina, R. Campana, A. J. Castro-Tirado, C. Contini, F. Fuschino, A. Gomboc, R. Hudec, P. OrleanskiE. Renotte, T. Rodic, Z. Bagoly, A. Blain, P. Callanan, S. Covino, A. Ferrara, E. Le Floch, M. Marisaldi, S. Mereghetti, P. Rosati, A. Vacchi, P. D'Avanzo, P. Giommi, S. Piranomonte, L. Piro, V. Reglero, A. Rossi, A. Santangelo, R. Salvaterra, G. Tagliaferri, S. Vergani, S. Vinciguerra, M. Briggs, E. Campolongo, R. Ciolfi, V. Connaughton, B. Cordier, B. Morelli, M. Orlandini, C. Adami, A. Argan, J. L. Atteia, N. Auricchio, L. Balazs, G. Baldazzi, S. Basa, R. Basak, P. Bellutti, M. G. Bernardini, G. Bertuccio, J. Braga, M. Branchesi, S. Brandt, E. Brocato, C. Budtz-Jorgensen, A. Bulgarelli, L. Burderi, J. Camp, S. Capozziello, J. Caruana, P. Casella, B. Cenko, P. Chardonnet, B. Ciardi, S. Colafrancesco, M. G. Dainotti, V. D'Elia, D. De Martino, M. De Pasquale, E. Del Monte, M. Della Valle, A. Drago, Y. Evangelista, M. Feroci, F. Finelli, M. Fiorini, J. Fynbo, A. Gal-Yam, B. Gendre, G. Ghisellini, A. Grado, C. Guidorzi, M. Hafizi, L. Hanlon, J. Hjorth, L. Izzo, L. Kiss, P. Kumar, I. Kuvvetli, M. Lavagna, T. Li, F. Longo, M. Lyutikov, U. Maio, E. Maiorano, P. Malcovati, D. Malesani, R. Margutti, A. Martin-Carrillo, N. Masetti, S. McBreen, R. Mignani, G. Morgante, C. Mundell, H. U. Nargaard-Nielsen, L. Nicastro, E. Palazzi, S. Paltani, F. Panessa, G. Pareschi, A. Pe'er, A. V. Penacchioni, E. Pian, E. Piedipalumbo, T. Piran, G. Rauw, M. Razzano, A. Read, L. Rezzolla, P. Romano, R. Ruffini, S. Savaglio, V. Sguera, P. Schady, W. Skidmore, L. Song, E. Stanway, R. Starling, M. Topinka, E. Troja, M. van Putten, E. Vanzella, S. Vercellone, C. Wilson-Hodge, D. Yonetoku, G. Zampa, N. Zampa, B. Zhang, B. B. Zhang, S. Zhang, S. N. Zhang, A. Antonelli, F. Bianco, S. Boci, M. Boer, M. T. Botticella, O. Boulade, C. Butler, S. Campana, F. Capitanio, A. Celotti, Y. Chen, M. Colpi, A. Comastri, J. G. Cuby, M. Dadina, A. De Luca, Y. W. Dong, S. Ettori, P. Gandhi, E. Geza, J. Greiner, S. Guiriec, J. Harms, M. Hernanz, A. Hornstrup, I. Hutchinson, G. Israel, P. Jonker, Y. Kaneko, N. Kawai, K. Wiersema, S. Korpela, V. Lebrun, F. Lu, A. MacFadyen, G. Malaguti, L. Maraschi, A. Melandri, M. Modjaz, D. Morris, N. Omodei, A. Paizis, P. Páta, V. Petrosian, A. Rachevski, J. Rhoads, F. Ryde, L. Sabau-Graziati, N. Shigehiro, M. Sims, J. Soomin, D. Szécsi, Y. Urata, M. Uslenghi, L. Valenziano, G. Vianello, S. Vojtech, D. Watson, J. Zicha

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

195 Scopus citations

Abstract

THESEUS is a space mission concept aimed at exploiting Gamma-Ray Bursts for investigating the early Universe and at providing a substantial advancement of multi-messenger and time-domain astrophysics. These goals will be achieved through a unique combination of instruments allowing GRB and X-ray transient detection over a broad field of view (more than 1sr) with 0.5–1 arcmin localization, an energy band extending from several MeV down to 0.3 keV and high sensitivity to transient sources in the soft X-ray domain, as well as on-board prompt (few minutes) follow-up with a 0.7 m class IR telescope with both imaging and spectroscopic capabilities. THESEUS will be perfectly suited for addressing the main open issues in cosmology such as, e.g., star formation rate and metallicity evolution of the inter-stellar and intra-galactic medium up to redshift ∼10, signatures of Pop III stars, sources and physics of re-ionization, and the faint end of the galaxy luminosity function. In addition, it will provide unprecedented capability to monitor the X-ray variable sky, thus detecting, localizing, and identifying the electromagnetic counterparts to sources of gravitational radiation, which may be routinely detected in the late ’20s/early ’30s by next generation facilities like aLIGO/ aVirgo, eLISA, KAGRA, and Einstein Telescope. THESEUS will also provide powerful synergies with the next generation of multi-wavelength observatories (e.g., LSST, ELT, SKA, CTA, ATHENA).

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	191-244
Number of pages	54
Journal	Advances in Space Research
Volume	62
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2018.03.010
State	Published - 1 Jul 2018
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 COSPAR

Funding

S.E. acknowledges the financial support from contracts ASI-INAF I/009/10/0, NARO15 ASI-INAF I/037/12/0 and ASI 2015-046-R.0. R.H. acknowledges GACR grant 13-33324S . S.V. research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement no 606176 . D.S. was supported by the Czech grant 16-01116S GA ČR. Maria Giovanna Dainotti acknowledges funding from the European Union through the Marie Curie Action FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IOF, under grant agreement No. 626267 (“Cosmological Candles”).

Funders	Funder number
Seventh Framework Programme	626267, 606176
Marie Curie
European Commission
Grantová Agentura České Republiky	13-33324S
Seventh Framework Programme	16-01116S GA ČR

Keywords

Cosmology: observations
Dark ages
First stars
Gamma-ray: bursts
Re-ionization

Access to Document

10.1016/j.asr.2018.03.010

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0273117718302126

Cite this

Amati, L., O'Brien, P., Götz, D., Bozzo, E., Tenzer, C., Frontera, F., Ghirlanda, G., Labanti, C., Osborne, J. P., Stratta, G., Tanvir, N., Willingale, R., Attina, P., Campana, R., Castro-Tirado, A. J., Contini, C., Fuschino, F., Gomboc, A., Hudec, R., ... Zicha, J. (2018). The THESEUS space mission concept: science case, design and expected performances. Advances in Space Research, 62(1), 191-244. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2018.03.010

@article{ea553592ea2d474bb89c5aac67941922,

title = "The THESEUS space mission concept: science case, design and expected performances",

abstract = "THESEUS is a space mission concept aimed at exploiting Gamma-Ray Bursts for investigating the early Universe and at providing a substantial advancement of multi-messenger and time-domain astrophysics. These goals will be achieved through a unique combination of instruments allowing GRB and X-ray transient detection over a broad field of view (more than 1sr) with 0.5–1 arcmin localization, an energy band extending from several MeV down to 0.3 keV and high sensitivity to transient sources in the soft X-ray domain, as well as on-board prompt (few minutes) follow-up with a 0.7 m class IR telescope with both imaging and spectroscopic capabilities. THESEUS will be perfectly suited for addressing the main open issues in cosmology such as, e.g., star formation rate and metallicity evolution of the inter-stellar and intra-galactic medium up to redshift ∼10, signatures of Pop III stars, sources and physics of re-ionization, and the faint end of the galaxy luminosity function. In addition, it will provide unprecedented capability to monitor the X-ray variable sky, thus detecting, localizing, and identifying the electromagnetic counterparts to sources of gravitational radiation, which may be routinely detected in the late {\textquoteright}20s/early {\textquoteright}30s by next generation facilities like aLIGO/ aVirgo, eLISA, KAGRA, and Einstein Telescope. THESEUS will also provide powerful synergies with the next generation of multi-wavelength observatories (e.g., LSST, ELT, SKA, CTA, ATHENA).",

keywords = "Cosmology: observations, Dark ages, First stars, Gamma-ray: bursts, Re-ionization",

author = "L. Amati and P. O'Brien and D. G{\"o}tz and E. Bozzo and C. Tenzer and F. Frontera and G. Ghirlanda and C. Labanti and Osborne, {J. P.} and G. Stratta and N. Tanvir and R. Willingale and P. Attina and R. Campana and Castro-Tirado, {A. J.} and C. Contini and F. Fuschino and A. Gomboc and R. Hudec and P. Orleanski and E. Renotte and T. Rodic and Z. Bagoly and A. Blain and P. Callanan and S. Covino and A. Ferrara and {Le Floch}, E. and M. Marisaldi and S. Mereghetti and P. Rosati and A. Vacchi and P. D'Avanzo and P. Giommi and S. Piranomonte and L. Piro and V. Reglero and A. Rossi and A. Santangelo and R. Salvaterra and G. Tagliaferri and S. Vergani and S. Vinciguerra and M. Briggs and E. Campolongo and R. Ciolfi and V. Connaughton and B. Cordier and B. Morelli and M. Orlandini and C. Adami and A. Argan and Atteia, {J. L.} and N. Auricchio and L. Balazs and G. Baldazzi and S. Basa and R. Basak and P. Bellutti and Bernardini, {M. G.} and G. Bertuccio and J. Braga and M. Branchesi and S. Brandt and E. Brocato and C. Budtz-Jorgensen and A. Bulgarelli and L. Burderi and J. Camp and S. Capozziello and J. Caruana and P. Casella and B. Cenko and P. Chardonnet and B. Ciardi and S. Colafrancesco and Dainotti, {M. G.} and V. D'Elia and {De Martino}, D. and {De Pasquale}, M. and {Del Monte}, E. and {Della Valle}, M. and A. Drago and Y. Evangelista and M. Feroci and F. Finelli and M. Fiorini and J. Fynbo and A. Gal-Yam and B. Gendre and G. Ghisellini and A. Grado and C. Guidorzi and M. Hafizi and L. Hanlon and J. Hjorth and L. Izzo and L. Kiss and P. Kumar and I. Kuvvetli and M. Lavagna and T. Li and F. Longo and M. Lyutikov and U. Maio and E. Maiorano and P. Malcovati and D. Malesani and R. Margutti and A. Martin-Carrillo and N. Masetti and S. McBreen and R. Mignani and G. Morgante and C. Mundell and Nargaard-Nielsen, {H. U.} and L. Nicastro and E. Palazzi and S. Paltani and F. Panessa and G. Pareschi and A. Pe'er and Penacchioni, {A. V.} and E. Pian and E. Piedipalumbo and T. Piran and G. Rauw and M. Razzano and A. Read and L. Rezzolla and P. Romano and R. Ruffini and S. Savaglio and V. Sguera and P. Schady and W. Skidmore and L. Song and E. Stanway and R. Starling and M. Topinka and E. Troja and {van Putten}, M. and E. Vanzella and S. Vercellone and C. Wilson-Hodge and D. Yonetoku and G. Zampa and N. Zampa and B. Zhang and Zhang, {B. B.} and S. Zhang and Zhang, {S. N.} and A. Antonelli and F. Bianco and S. Boci and M. Boer and Botticella, {M. T.} and O. Boulade and C. Butler and S. Campana and F. Capitanio and A. Celotti and Y. Chen and M. Colpi and A. Comastri and Cuby, {J. G.} and M. Dadina and {De Luca}, A. and Dong, {Y. W.} and S. Ettori and P. Gandhi and E. Geza and J. Greiner and S. Guiriec and J. Harms and M. Hernanz and A. Hornstrup and I. Hutchinson and G. Israel and P. Jonker and Y. Kaneko and N. Kawai and K. Wiersema and S. Korpela and V. Lebrun and F. Lu and A. MacFadyen and G. Malaguti and L. Maraschi and A. Melandri and M. Modjaz and D. Morris and N. Omodei and A. Paizis and P. P{\'a}ta and V. Petrosian and A. Rachevski and J. Rhoads and F. Ryde and L. Sabau-Graziati and N. Shigehiro and M. Sims and J. Soomin and D. Sz{\'e}csi and Y. Urata and M. Uslenghi and L. Valenziano and G. Vianello and S. Vojtech and D. Watson and J. Zicha",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2018 COSPAR",

year = "2018",

month = jul,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.asr.2018.03.010",

language = "אנגלית",

volume = "62",

pages = "191--244",

journal = "Advances in Space Research",

issn = "0273-1177",

publisher = "Elsevier Ltd.",

number = "1",

}

Amati, L, O'Brien, P, Götz, D, Bozzo, E, Tenzer, C, Frontera, F, Ghirlanda, G, Labanti, C, Osborne, JP, Stratta, G, Tanvir, N, Willingale, R, Attina, P, Campana, R, Castro-Tirado, AJ, Contini, C, Fuschino, F, Gomboc, A, Hudec, R, Orleanski, P, Renotte, E, Rodic, T, Bagoly, Z, Blain, A, Callanan, P, Covino, S, Ferrara, A, Le Floch, E, Marisaldi, M, Mereghetti, S, Rosati, P, Vacchi, A, D'Avanzo, P, Giommi, P, Piranomonte, S, Piro, L, Reglero, V, Rossi, A, Santangelo, A, Salvaterra, R, Tagliaferri, G, Vergani, S, Vinciguerra, S, Briggs, M, Campolongo, E, Ciolfi, R, Connaughton, V, Cordier, B, Morelli, B, Orlandini, M, Adami, C, Argan, A, Atteia, JL, Auricchio, N, Balazs, L, Baldazzi, G, Basa, S, Basak, R, Bellutti, P, Bernardini, MG, Bertuccio, G, Braga, J, Branchesi, M, Brandt, S, Brocato, E, Budtz-Jorgensen, C, Bulgarelli, A, Burderi, L, Camp, J, Capozziello, S, Caruana, J, Casella, P, Cenko, B, Chardonnet, P, Ciardi, B, Colafrancesco, S, Dainotti, MG, D'Elia, V, De Martino, D, De Pasquale, M, Del Monte, E, Della Valle, M, Drago, A, Evangelista, Y, Feroci, M, Finelli, F, Fiorini, M, Fynbo, J, Gal-Yam, A, Gendre, B, Ghisellini, G, Grado, A, Guidorzi, C, Hafizi, M, Hanlon, L, Hjorth, J, Izzo, L, Kiss, L, Kumar, P, Kuvvetli, I, Lavagna, M, Li, T, Longo, F, Lyutikov, M, Maio, U, Maiorano, E, Malcovati, P, Malesani, D, Margutti, R, Martin-Carrillo, A, Masetti, N, McBreen, S, Mignani, R, Morgante, G, Mundell, C, Nargaard-Nielsen, HU, Nicastro, L, Palazzi, E, Paltani, S, Panessa, F, Pareschi, G, Pe'er, A, Penacchioni, AV, Pian, E, Piedipalumbo, E, Piran, T, Rauw, G, Razzano, M, Read, A, Rezzolla, L, Romano, P, Ruffini, R, Savaglio, S, Sguera, V, Schady, P, Skidmore, W, Song, L, Stanway, E, Starling, R, Topinka, M, Troja, E, van Putten, M, Vanzella, E, Vercellone, S, Wilson-Hodge, C, Yonetoku, D, Zampa, G, Zampa, N, Zhang, B, Zhang, BB, Zhang, S, Zhang, SN, Antonelli, A, Bianco, F, Boci, S, Boer, M, Botticella, MT, Boulade, O, Butler, C, Campana, S, Capitanio, F, Celotti, A, Chen, Y, Colpi, M, Comastri, A, Cuby, JG, Dadina, M, De Luca, A, Dong, YW, Ettori, S, Gandhi, P, Geza, E, Greiner, J, Guiriec, S, Harms, J, Hernanz, M, Hornstrup, A, Hutchinson, I, Israel, G, Jonker, P, Kaneko, Y, Kawai, N, Wiersema, K, Korpela, S, Lebrun, V, Lu, F, MacFadyen, A, Malaguti, G, Maraschi, L, Melandri, A, Modjaz, M, Morris, D, Omodei, N, Paizis, A, Páta, P, Petrosian, V, Rachevski, A, Rhoads, J, Ryde, F, Sabau-Graziati, L, Shigehiro, N, Sims, M, Soomin, J, Szécsi, D, Urata, Y, Uslenghi, M, Valenziano, L, Vianello, G, Vojtech, S, Watson, D & Zicha, J 2018, 'The THESEUS space mission concept: science case, design and expected performances', Advances in Space Research, vol. 62, no. 1, pp. 191-244. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2018.03.010

TY - JOUR

T1 - The THESEUS space mission concept

T2 - science case, design and expected performances

AU - Amati, L.

AU - O'Brien, P.

AU - Götz, D.

AU - Bozzo, E.

AU - Tenzer, C.

AU - Frontera, F.

AU - Ghirlanda, G.

AU - Labanti, C.

AU - Osborne, J. P.

AU - Stratta, G.

AU - Tanvir, N.

AU - Willingale, R.

AU - Attina, P.

AU - Campana, R.

AU - Castro-Tirado, A. J.

AU - Contini, C.

AU - Fuschino, F.

AU - Gomboc, A.

AU - Hudec, R.

AU - Orleanski, P.

AU - Renotte, E.

AU - Rodic, T.

AU - Bagoly, Z.

AU - Blain, A.

AU - Callanan, P.

AU - Covino, S.

AU - Ferrara, A.

AU - Le Floch, E.

AU - Marisaldi, M.

AU - Mereghetti, S.

AU - Rosati, P.

AU - Vacchi, A.

AU - D'Avanzo, P.

AU - Giommi, P.

AU - Piranomonte, S.

AU - Piro, L.

AU - Reglero, V.

AU - Rossi, A.

AU - Santangelo, A.

AU - Salvaterra, R.

AU - Tagliaferri, G.

AU - Vergani, S.

AU - Vinciguerra, S.

AU - Briggs, M.

AU - Campolongo, E.

AU - Ciolfi, R.

AU - Connaughton, V.

AU - Cordier, B.

AU - Morelli, B.

AU - Orlandini, M.

AU - Adami, C.

AU - Argan, A.

AU - Atteia, J. L.

AU - Auricchio, N.

AU - Balazs, L.

AU - Baldazzi, G.

AU - Basa, S.

AU - Basak, R.

AU - Bellutti, P.

AU - Bernardini, M. G.

AU - Bertuccio, G.

AU - Braga, J.

AU - Branchesi, M.

AU - Brandt, S.

AU - Brocato, E.

AU - Budtz-Jorgensen, C.

AU - Bulgarelli, A.

AU - Burderi, L.

AU - Camp, J.

AU - Capozziello, S.

AU - Caruana, J.

AU - Casella, P.

AU - Cenko, B.

AU - Chardonnet, P.

AU - Ciardi, B.

AU - Colafrancesco, S.

AU - Dainotti, M. G.

AU - D'Elia, V.

AU - De Martino, D.

AU - De Pasquale, M.

AU - Del Monte, E.

AU - Della Valle, M.

AU - Drago, A.

AU - Evangelista, Y.

AU - Feroci, M.

AU - Finelli, F.

AU - Fiorini, M.

AU - Fynbo, J.

AU - Gal-Yam, A.

AU - Gendre, B.

AU - Ghisellini, G.

AU - Grado, A.

AU - Guidorzi, C.

AU - Hafizi, M.

AU - Hanlon, L.

AU - Hjorth, J.

AU - Izzo, L.

AU - Kiss, L.

AU - Kumar, P.

AU - Kuvvetli, I.

AU - Lavagna, M.

AU - Li, T.

AU - Longo, F.

AU - Lyutikov, M.

AU - Maio, U.

AU - Maiorano, E.

AU - Malcovati, P.

AU - Malesani, D.

AU - Margutti, R.

AU - Martin-Carrillo, A.

AU - Masetti, N.

AU - McBreen, S.

AU - Mignani, R.

AU - Morgante, G.

AU - Mundell, C.

AU - Nargaard-Nielsen, H. U.

AU - Nicastro, L.

AU - Palazzi, E.

AU - Paltani, S.

AU - Panessa, F.

AU - Pareschi, G.

AU - Pe'er, A.

AU - Penacchioni, A. V.

AU - Pian, E.

AU - Piedipalumbo, E.

AU - Piran, T.

AU - Rauw, G.

AU - Razzano, M.

AU - Read, A.

AU - Rezzolla, L.

AU - Romano, P.

AU - Ruffini, R.

AU - Savaglio, S.

AU - Sguera, V.

AU - Schady, P.

AU - Skidmore, W.

AU - Song, L.

AU - Stanway, E.

AU - Starling, R.

AU - Topinka, M.

AU - Troja, E.

AU - van Putten, M.

AU - Vanzella, E.

AU - Vercellone, S.

AU - Wilson-Hodge, C.

AU - Yonetoku, D.

AU - Zampa, G.

AU - Zampa, N.

AU - Zhang, B.

AU - Zhang, B. B.

AU - Zhang, S.

AU - Zhang, S. N.

AU - Antonelli, A.

AU - Bianco, F.

AU - Boci, S.

AU - Boer, M.

AU - Botticella, M. T.

AU - Boulade, O.

AU - Butler, C.

AU - Campana, S.

AU - Capitanio, F.

AU - Celotti, A.

AU - Chen, Y.

AU - Colpi, M.

AU - Comastri, A.

AU - Cuby, J. G.

AU - Dadina, M.

AU - De Luca, A.

AU - Dong, Y. W.

AU - Ettori, S.

AU - Gandhi, P.

AU - Geza, E.

AU - Greiner, J.

AU - Guiriec, S.

AU - Harms, J.

AU - Hernanz, M.

AU - Hornstrup, A.

AU - Hutchinson, I.

AU - Israel, G.

AU - Jonker, P.

AU - Kaneko, Y.

AU - Kawai, N.

AU - Wiersema, K.

AU - Korpela, S.

AU - Lebrun, V.

AU - Lu, F.

AU - MacFadyen, A.

AU - Malaguti, G.

AU - Maraschi, L.

AU - Melandri, A.

AU - Modjaz, M.

AU - Morris, D.

AU - Omodei, N.

AU - Paizis, A.

AU - Páta, P.

AU - Petrosian, V.

AU - Rachevski, A.

AU - Rhoads, J.

AU - Ryde, F.

AU - Sabau-Graziati, L.

AU - Shigehiro, N.

AU - Sims, M.

AU - Soomin, J.

AU - Szécsi, D.

AU - Urata, Y.

AU - Uslenghi, M.

AU - Valenziano, L.

AU - Vianello, G.

AU - Vojtech, S.

AU - Watson, D.

AU - Zicha, J.

PY - 2018/7/1

Y1 - 2018/7/1

N2 - THESEUS is a space mission concept aimed at exploiting Gamma-Ray Bursts for investigating the early Universe and at providing a substantial advancement of multi-messenger and time-domain astrophysics. These goals will be achieved through a unique combination of instruments allowing GRB and X-ray transient detection over a broad field of view (more than 1sr) with 0.5–1 arcmin localization, an energy band extending from several MeV down to 0.3 keV and high sensitivity to transient sources in the soft X-ray domain, as well as on-board prompt (few minutes) follow-up with a 0.7 m class IR telescope with both imaging and spectroscopic capabilities. THESEUS will be perfectly suited for addressing the main open issues in cosmology such as, e.g., star formation rate and metallicity evolution of the inter-stellar and intra-galactic medium up to redshift ∼10, signatures of Pop III stars, sources and physics of re-ionization, and the faint end of the galaxy luminosity function. In addition, it will provide unprecedented capability to monitor the X-ray variable sky, thus detecting, localizing, and identifying the electromagnetic counterparts to sources of gravitational radiation, which may be routinely detected in the late ’20s/early ’30s by next generation facilities like aLIGO/ aVirgo, eLISA, KAGRA, and Einstein Telescope. THESEUS will also provide powerful synergies with the next generation of multi-wavelength observatories (e.g., LSST, ELT, SKA, CTA, ATHENA).

AB - THESEUS is a space mission concept aimed at exploiting Gamma-Ray Bursts for investigating the early Universe and at providing a substantial advancement of multi-messenger and time-domain astrophysics. These goals will be achieved through a unique combination of instruments allowing GRB and X-ray transient detection over a broad field of view (more than 1sr) with 0.5–1 arcmin localization, an energy band extending from several MeV down to 0.3 keV and high sensitivity to transient sources in the soft X-ray domain, as well as on-board prompt (few minutes) follow-up with a 0.7 m class IR telescope with both imaging and spectroscopic capabilities. THESEUS will be perfectly suited for addressing the main open issues in cosmology such as, e.g., star formation rate and metallicity evolution of the inter-stellar and intra-galactic medium up to redshift ∼10, signatures of Pop III stars, sources and physics of re-ionization, and the faint end of the galaxy luminosity function. In addition, it will provide unprecedented capability to monitor the X-ray variable sky, thus detecting, localizing, and identifying the electromagnetic counterparts to sources of gravitational radiation, which may be routinely detected in the late ’20s/early ’30s by next generation facilities like aLIGO/ aVirgo, eLISA, KAGRA, and Einstein Telescope. THESEUS will also provide powerful synergies with the next generation of multi-wavelength observatories (e.g., LSST, ELT, SKA, CTA, ATHENA).

KW - Cosmology: observations

KW - Dark ages

KW - First stars

KW - Gamma-ray: bursts

KW - Re-ionization

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85046789580&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.asr.2018.03.010

DO - 10.1016/j.asr.2018.03.010

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AN - SCOPUS:85046789580

SN - 0273-1177

VL - 62

SP - 191

EP - 244

JO - Advances in Space Research

JF - Advances in Space Research

IS - 1

ER -

The THESEUS space mission concept: science case, design and expected performances

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