High-purity germanium Gamma-Ray Spectrometer with stirling cycle cryocooler Original Research Article

The Japanese lunar polar orbiter SELENE carries a gamma-ray spectrometer which uses a high-purity Ge detector cooled to 80-90 K by a Stirling mechanical cooler. The Gamma-Ray Spectrometer (GRS) consists of a large volume n-type Ge detector (252 cc) as the main detector and bismuth-germanate (BGO) and plastic scintillators as an active shielding. The engineering model still maintains excellent energy resolution even after severe vibration testing. The Gamma-Ray Spectrometer will globally map of the Moon for the major elements of O, Mg, Al, Si, Ti, Fe, etc. and natural radioisotopes of K, Th and U with a high precision. The energy resolution of the GRS is such that it would identify prompt gamma-ray line from hydrogen and the location and the amount of ice, if it exists at the polar regions.