The Black Hole Explorer (BHEX) is a next-generation space very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) mission concept that will extend the ground-based millimeter/submillimeter arrays into space. The mission, closely aligned with the science priorities of the Japanese VLBI community, involves an active engagement of this community in the development of the mission, resulting in the formation of the Black Hole Explorer Japan Consortium. Here we present the current Japanese vision for the mission, ranging from scientific objectives to instrumentation. The Consortium anticipates a wide range of scientific investigations, from diverse black hole physics and astrophysics studied through the primary VLBI mode, to the molecular universe explored via a potential single-dish observation mode in the previously unexplored 50-70 GHz band that would make BHEX the highest-sensitivity explorer ever of molecular oxygen. A potential major contribution for the onboard instrument involves supplying essential elements for its high-sensitivity dual-band receiving system, which includes a broadband 300 GHz SIS mixer and a space-certified multi-stage 4.5K cryocooler akin to those used in the Hitomi and XRISM satellites by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Additionally, the Consortium explores enhancing and supporting BHEX operations through the use of millimeter/submillimeter facilities developed by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, coupled with a network of laser communication stations operated by the National Institute of Information and Communication Technology.
Black Hole Explorer (BHEX) is a space VLBI mission concept, which can probe the black hole spacetime and the plasma properties including the magnetic fields of the accretion flows and relativistic jets. We propose scientific inquiries anticipated to be addressed by EHE, primarily through the imaging of microarcsecond-scale signatures in target sources. An appearance of a crescent-shaped shadow in a bright state of the M87 will enable us to constrain the magnitude of the black hole spin (Kawashima et al. 2019). A possible appearance of the plasma injection region in the vicinity of the black hole results in the formation of the multiple ring structure and may enable us to understand the jet formation processes (Kawashima et al. 2021, and Ogihara et al. submitted to ApJ). In addition, the reversal of the sign of the circular polarization and the separation of linear and circular polarization flux peaks will constrain the magnetic field structure and the thermal properties of the electrons, respectively (Tsunetoe et al. 2021, 2022). Other topics, including potential scientific inquiries of luminous active galactic nuclei, will be also discussed.
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