Citation:
Marrone, Daniel P., Kazunori Akiyama, Lindy Blackburn, Bryan C. Bilyeu, Don Boroson, Edgar R. Canavan, Dave Caplan, and et al. “The Black Hole Explorer: instrument system overview .” In Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave. Yokohama, Japan, In Preparation.
Abstract:
We describe the baseline design of the science instrument for the Black Hole Explorer (BHEX), a space very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) mission concept currently in the formulation phase. BHEX will study supermassive black holes to understand fundamental physics, black hole jets, and the growth of black holes in galaxies. By co-observing with ground radio telescopes, BHEX will achieve 3-5 micro-arcsecond resolution from a distance of ~40,000 km. Observations will be conducted in two simultaneous bands between 80-350GHz, using an on-board low-power, low-mass ultra-stable oscillator as the master frequency reference, and the digitized data will be transmitted to the ground through an ultra-wide bandwidth laser downlink.
