Speaker
Description
The Einstein Probe Wide-Field X-ray Telescope (WXT), leveraging lobster-eye optics, rejuvenates the soft X-ray imaging all-sky survey. We present the first EP-WXT narrow-band maps and hardness ratio maps, where a global anti-correlation between soft X-ray and HI emission is evident. We highlight intriguing diffuse soft X-ray emission features shaping the formation and evolution of the Milky Way, including potential hot debris associated with the last major merger of the Milky Way, a complex region with new Galactic supernova remnant candidate(s), a coherent soft shell enveloping the northern X-ray bipolar bubble, contrasting with a highly asymmetric southern counterpart, and other enigmatic features. By design, this inaugural paper serves not as a definitive discovery but as an exploration portfolio, charting intriguing features to catalyze dedicated follow-up studies. The EP-WXT all-sky maps showcase the unique potential of lobster-eye optics, promising a legacy survey of the X-ray emitting hot Universe.