MARXS: A modular software to ray-trace X-ray instrumention

TL;DR

MARXS is a Python-based modular ray-tracing software designed for simulating X-ray instruments on satellites and rockets, aiding in instrument design and data interpretation by modeling photon paths and polarization.

Contribution

It introduces a flexible, probabilistic ray-tracing tool with polarimetric features tailored for X-ray astronomical instrumentation.

Findings

Supports detailed simulation of X-ray instrument performance

Helps distinguish instrumental artifacts from true signals

Enhances design optimization of X-ray telescopes

Abstract

To obtain the best possible scientific result, astronomers must understand the properties of the available instrumentation well. This is important both when designing new instruments and when using existing instruments close to the limits of their specified capabilities or beyond. Ray-tracing is a technique for numerical simulations where the path of many light rays is followed through the system to understand how individual system components influence the observed properties, such as the shape of the point-spread-function (PSF). In instrument design, such simulations can be used to optimize the performance. For observations with existing instruments this helps to discern instrumental artifacts from a true signal. Here, we describe MARXS, a new python package designed to simulate X-ray instruments on satellites and sounding rockets. MARXS uses probability tracking of photons and has polarimetric capabilities.