Background and Sensitivity Simulation of a Space Based Germanium Compton Telescope
نویسندگان
چکیده
A Monte Carlo simulation code has been developed that calculates the isotopes produced by spallation and propagates the products of radioactive decays for the purpose of studying activation backgrounds in space based gamma-ray telescopes. This code has been applied to study a Compton telescope consisting of two large arrays of position sensitive germanium detectors. Activation of the germanium by cosmic rays and their secondary particles is the major source of background. These simulations quantify the contributions and spectrum of each background component.
منابع مشابه
Simulated Performance of a Germanium Compton Telescope
To build upon the goals of the upcoming INTEGRAL mission, the next generation soft γ-ray (0.2-20 MeV) observatory will require improved sensitivity to nuclear line emission while maintaining high spectral resolution. We present the simulated performance of a germanium Compton telescope (GCT) design, which will allow a factor of ten improvement in sensitivity over INTEGRAL/SPI. We also discuss a...
متن کاملAdvanced Telescope for High Energy Nuclear Astrophysics Athena
We present a space mission concept for a low energy gamma-ray telescope, ATHENA, which is under investigation as the next major advance in gamma-ray spectroscopy following the current COMPTON Gamma Ray Observatory and the planned INTEGRAL missions. The instrument c o v ers the nuclear line emission energy domain with dramatically improved sensitivity and spectral resolution. The baseline conngu...
متن کاملEvent reconstruction in high resolution Compton telescopes
The development of germanium Compton telescopes for nuclear γ-ray astrophysics (∼0.2-20 MeV) requires new event reconstruction techniques to accurately determine the initial direction and energy of photon events, as well as to consistently reject background events. This paper describes techniques for event reconstruction, accounting for realistic instrument/detector performance and uncertaintie...
متن کاملConsiderations for the Next Compton Telescope Mission
A high resolution Compton telescope has been identified by the Gamma Ray Astronomy Program Working Group (GRAPWG) as the highest priority major mission in gamma ray astrophysics following GLAST. This mission should provide 25-100 times improved sensitivity, relative to CGRO and INTEGRAL, for MeV gamma ray lines. It must have good performance for narrow and broad lines and for discrete and diffu...
متن کاملPosition Sensitive Germanium Detectors for the Advanced Compton Telescope
The nuclear line region of the gamma ray spectrum remains one of the most challenging and elusive goals of high energy astrophysics. The scientific objectives are well defined, but require well over a factor of 10 increase in sensitivity compared to present day instruments to be achieved. The most promising approach to achieve this sensitivity and a broad range of scientific objectives is offer...
متن کامل