Laboratory astrophysics and atomic physics using the NASA/GSFC microcalorimeter spectrometers at the LLNL electron beam ion trap and radiation properties facility

The 32 pixel laboratory microcalorimeter spectrometer built by the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is now an integral part of the spectroscopy suite used routinely by the electron beam ion trap and radiative properties group at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The second generation laboratory instrument, dubbed the XRS/EBIT, is nearly identical to the XRS instrument on the Suzaku X-ray Observatory, formerly Astro-E2. The detector array is from the same processed wafer and uses the same HgTe absorbers. It is being used to measure the photon emission from a variety of radiation sources. These include X-ray emission from laboratory simulated celestial sources, X-ray emission from highly charged ions of Au, and X-ray emission following charge exchange and radiative electron capture. The wide range of applications demonstrates the versatility of a high-resolution, high-efficiency low-temperature detector that is able to collect data continually with minimal operator servicing.