Propagation of Thermal Energy

Usually, measurements are adversely affected by several influence factors, and adequate efforts have to be spent to control environmental conditions. We explain how it is possible to keep thermal fluctuations and thermal gradients around the X-ray interferometer less than 1 mK/h and 10 μK/cm, respectively. The Fourier equation of heat propagation is derived rigorously and an analytical solution of a simplified model in one spatial dimension is obtained by means of the method of the separation of variables. Some simulations are carried out to supply useful information about the dimensions of the real thermal shield.