How will IXO fit in with other planned multiwavelength facilities?
Virtually every phenomenon in the sky requires a panchromatic view to be fully understood. This is because the various wavelengths provide windows on different processes and components of the source, and only by considering all the pieces of information together can astronomers hope to capture the fundamental physical processes at work. With its large collecting area and improved spectral resolution, IXO will complement and augment planned future ground- and space-based observatories such as JWST, E-ELT, TMT, ALMA, and others, in shedding light on the most energetic processes at work in the heart of galaxies, on primordial black holes and their connection to forming structures, and on the mysterious “dark” components of the Universe. Indeed, IXO’s science drivers are the same as those of the other Great Observatories, ensuring future synergy and commonality of scopes.
