Science¶
Astro2020 identified time-domain and multi-messenger astrophysics as a priority for the coming decade. Rubin, Roman, Euclid, gravitational-wave facilities, and high-energy missions will provide rapidly evolving and often faint targets. Gaia, Rubin, and LISA will provide compact binaries that require both precision spectroscopy and fast photometry.
ZShooter will support time-domain and multi-messenger astrophysics with
Simultaneous 0.31 to 2.45 um spectroscopy.
Resolving powers from ≈ 1,000 (after binning) to ≈ 40,000 (with narow slits or AO enhancement).
Three-band qCMOS imaging.
Rapid target-of-opportunity response.
Low-resolution optical and NIR spectral sequences of neutron-star merger counterparts.
Flash spectroscopy and velocity-resolved measurements of circumstellar material during the first hours and days.
Rapid low-resolution spectroscopy and three-band imaging of GRB afterglows and luminous fast blue optical transients.
Optical and NIR spectroscopy of nuclear transients, including host-contaminated events.
Optical and NIR classification and host redshifts for supernovae at high redshift.
Late-time line luminosities and profiles that constrain ejecta composition, progenitor mass, and power source.
Radial velocities and chemical abundances of compact-object binaries, plus phase-resolved spectroscopy of ultracompact systems.
qCMOS photometry of ultracompact binaries, optical pulsars, and accreting compact objects.
High-S/N spectroscopy of deuterium absorption in z = 2 to 3 QSO sightlines.
Atmospheric abundances, gaseous debris disks, and NIR dust emission.
Spectroscopy of lensed galaxies, quasars, and transients over a range of resolving powers.
Simultaneous Balmer-continuum, hydrogen-line, and outflow diagnostics.
Reflectance, gas-production, and isotope measurements for comets and small bodies.
Source: National Academies 2021, Pathways to Discovery in Astronomy and Astrophysics for the 2020s; ZShooter SRD Sections 2.2 and 2.3.