The OAPA/DPSFA: Solar physics, instrumental expertise, and the XACT facility

Abstract

The potential contribution to Solar Orbiter hardware, calibration and testing from the Palermo group (Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo G.S. Vaiana + Sezione di Astronomia del Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiche ed Astronomiche (DpSFA), Università di Palermo) will be mostly based on the XACT facility and the related expertise. The X-ray Astronomy Calibration and Testing (XACT) facility of Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo "G.S. Vaiana" (OAPA) includes vacuum systems, sources, monochromators, detectors, mechanical manipulators, clean room, etc. that permits us to perform measurements in the spectrum ranging from visible light to soft X-rays (0.001 - 10 keV). The facility is currently used in the development and calibration of filters, detectors, and moderate angular resolution grazing incidence optics for X-ray astrophysics missions, as well as for other programs. A cryogenic system is under completion to study and calibrate low temperature X-ray microcalorimeters. Ongoing projects and future developments are presented in order to illustrate the wide potential of use for the Solar Orbiter coronal instruments development.