Activation in the COMPTEL double-scattering gamma-ray telescope

Author

Morris, D.J. ; McConnell, M.L. ; Ryan, J.M. ; Diehl, R. ; Oberlack, U.G. ; Schonfelder, V. ; Varendorff, M. ; Weidenspointner, G. ; De Boer, H. ; Bennett, K.

Author_Institution

Space Sci. Center, New Hampshire Univ., Durham, NH, USA

fYear

1997

fDate

22-23 Jul 1997

Firstpage

26

Lastpage

29

Abstract

The COMPTEL gamma-ray telescope has been operating in low Earth orbit for six years, since the launch of the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory in April 1991. Comparisons of data for different orbits and epochs show evidence of activation on time scales from minutes (²⁷Mg, τ_1/2=9.5 min) to years (²²Na, τ _1/2=2.58 yr). The activation is correlated with both the orbital altitude and solar cosmic-ray modulation. Because it requires coincident measurements in two different detectors, COMPTEL is most susceptible to instrumental background events in which two or more photons are produced simultaneously

Keywords

astronomical instruments; astronomical telescopes; cosmic ray interactions; gamma-ray apparatus; gamma-ray astronomy; gamma-ray detection; 1 to 30 MeV; CGRO; COMPTEL; Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory; activation; astronomical telescope; cosmic ray irradiation; detector noise; double-scattering gamma-ray telescope; induced radioactivity; instrument; instrumental background event; orbital altitude; radioactivation; solar cosmic-ray modulation; Extraterrestrial measurements; Hydrogen; Identity-based encryption; Isotopes; Neutrons; Photomultipliers; Photonic integrated circuits; Protons; Space vehicles; Telescopes;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

High Energy Radiation Background in Space, 1997 Conference on the

Conference_Location

Snowmass, CO

Print_ISBN

0-7803-4335-2

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/CHERBS.1997.660241

Filename

660241