Speakers
Description
T-REX (Time-Resolving Explorer) is a proposed SmallSat which seeks to time-resolve the accretion disk of Sgr A through direct radio interferometric imaging utilizing VLBI -- enabling the first constraints on black hole spin. T-REX will operate in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) at 86 GHz (𝜆 ∼ 3.5𝑚𝑚) with a 𝑑 ∼ 2.5𝑚 antenna. It will co-observe with BHEX (Black Hole Explorer) in MEO and the EHT (Event Horizon Telescope) in a unique MEO-LEO-Ground "sandwich" configuration. If successful, T-REX would be the first demonstration of Space-Space VLBI (between BHEX and T-REX). Additionally, unlike BHEX which has only long baselines (> 20𝐺𝜆) which can reveal horizon- scale structure of Sgr 𝐴/M87 (but which is not as adept at observing larger-scale structure like jets), T-REX will benefit from both a long Space-Space Baseline (BHEX to T-REX) and a shorter, Space-Ground Baseline (T-REX to EHT). T-REX is thus uniquely positioned to access both horizon-scale and extended jet-structure morphology of low-accretion state black hole targets. T-REX’s primary science objective is to leverage this orbital structure to time-resolve Sgr A, effectively creating the first ever video of a black hole. In addition to this ambitious goal, T-REX plans to conduct an all-sky survey of ∼ 25 targets, potentially enabling multi-messenger astronomy on binary black hole systems, quasars, and black hole accretion disks.
