Simulations of expected signal and background of gamma-ray sources by large field-of-view detectors aboard CubeSats
Simulations of expected signal and background of gamma-ray sources by large field-of-view detectors aboard CubeSats
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DOI：
10.1117/1.jatis.7.2.028004
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发表时间：
2021-04-01
影响因子：
2.3
通讯作者：
Kiss, Laszlo
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Galgoczi, Gabor;Ripa, Jakub;Kiss, Laszlo
近年来，发射到太空的立方体卫星（u级航天器）的数量呈指数级增长，标志着纳米卫星技术的曙光。总的来说，与传统科学卫星相比，这些卫星的质量预算要小得多，这限制了科学仪器对空间直接和间接辐射的屏蔽。我们提出了一个模拟框架，通过考虑探测器的响应，量化由x射线/伽马射线瞬变引起的卫星大视场伽马射线闪烁探测器中的信号。此外，我们还量化了在南大西洋异常和极地以外的近地轨道上x射线和粒子背景源引起的信号。最后，我们计算了考虑不同能量阈值水平的信噪比（SNR）。我们的模拟可以用于优化材料组成和预测立方体卫星对各种天体物理源的可探测性。我们将开发的仿真应用于计划中的CAMELOT CubeSat星座的一颗卫星。该项目主要目的是探测短伽马射线暴和长伽马射线暴，作为次要科学目标，探测软伽马射线中继器（sgr）和地面伽马射线闪光（TGFs）。模拟包括一个详细的卫星计算机辅助设计模型，以尽可能准确地考虑粒子与卫星材料的相互作用。我们的模拟结果预测，立方体卫星可以补充高能天体物理学中的大型空间天文台，用于观测grb， sgr和tgf。对于计划安装在CAMELOT CubeSats上的探测器，模拟表明，对于中位数GRB和SGR通量，信噪比至少为9的探测是可以实现的。(C) 2021年光电仪器工程师学会（SPIE）
In recent years, the number of CubeSats (U-class spacecrafts) launched into space has increased exponentially marking the dawn of the nanosatellite technology. In general, these satellites have a much smaller mass budget compared to conventional scientific satellites, which limits shielding of scientific instruments against direct and indirect radiation in space. We present a simulation framework to quantify the signal in large field-of-view gamma-ray scintillation detectors of satellites induced by x-ray/gamma-ray transients, by taking into account the response of the detector. Furthermore, we quantify the signal induced by x-ray and particle background sources at a Low-Earth Orbit outside South Atlantic Anomaly and polar regions. Finally, we calculate the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) taking into account different energy threshold levels. Our simulation can be used to optimize material composition and predict detectability of various astrophysical sources by CubeSats. We apply the developed simulation to a satellite belonging to a planned CAMELOT CubeSat constellation. This project mainly aims to detect short and long gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and as a secondary science objective, to detect soft gamma-ray repeaters (SGRs) and terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs). The simulation includes a detailed computer-aided design model of the satellite to take into account the interaction of particles with the material of the satellite as accurately as possible. Results of our simulations predict that CubeSats can complement the large space observatories in high-energy astrophysics for observations of GRBs, SGRs, and TGFs. For the detectors planned to be on board the CAMELOT CubeSats, the simulations show that detections with SNR of at least 9 for median GRB and SGR fluxes are achievable. (C) 2021 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)