AUDIO:
The concept involves an assembly of two mirrors, mounted in tandem, with
highly polished reflecting surfaces set at very shallow angles. The
forward mirror is parabolic. The rear is hyperbolic.
X-rays entering the assembly barely graze the surfaces of the two
mirrors, reflected rather than being absorbed or simply passing
through the mirrors. The x-rays are concentrated and focused at a
point.
AXAF design configuration is a double array assembly of six nested and
concentrically mounted cylinder-like mirrors. The x-rays are focused
roughly ten meters back from the mirror assembly.
With an outer diameter of 1.2 meters and an effective area of 1600
square centimeters, the AXAF mirror is the largest of its type.
VIDEO:
Video shows the two curved mirrors of AXAF conctrating the X-rays and
focusing them at a point.
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