Big Science with a nUV-MidIR Rapid-Response 1.3m telescope at L2

TL;DR

This paper discusses the potential of a space-based 1.3m telescope at L2 for time-domain astrophysics, emphasizing spectroscopy from near UV to mid IR to study transients and variables with unprecedented detail.

Contribution

It introduces the TSO mission concept, a space telescope capable of rapid-response spectroscopy across multiple wavelengths, complementing ground-based and other space observatories.

Findings

TSO can achieve rapid-response spectroscopy from UV to IR.

It enables detailed physics of transients and variables.

Complementary to LSST and other observatories.

Abstract

Time-domain Astrophysics (TDA), a foundation of Astronomy, has become a major part of current and projected (2020s) astrophysics. While much has been derived from temporal measures of flux and color, the real physics comes from spectroscopy. With LSST coming on line in 2022, with TDA as one of its original drivers, the deluge of Transients and new types of variables will be truly astronomical. With multi-wavelength targeted EM surveys and multi-messenger (e.g. LIGO-international and advanced ICECUBE), and the possibility of full-sky and full-time X-ray imagers, the discovery of new Transients and Variables will flood telescopes on the ground and in space, and this just for multi-band imaging without spectroscopy. In this White Paper we briefly summarize several long-standing major science objectives that can be realized with TDA imaging and spectroscopy (near UV to mid IR) from space. We provide a brief description of how these can be achieved with the Time-domain Spectroscopic Observatory (TSO), a Probe-Class mission concept that ELTs on the ground and Flagship missions in space can not achieve on their own.