Cosmic ray induced degradation in X-ray detectors on board the NEAR spacecraft

Author

Floyd, S.R. ; Trombka, J.I. ; Goldsten, J.O. ; Fiore, E.M.

Author_Institution

Lab. for Extraterrestrial Phys., NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA

fYear

1997

fDate

22-23 Jul 1997

Firstpage

34

Lastpage

37

Abstract

The X-ray detectors on board the Near-Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft are argon gas filled proportional counters. Their resolution is checked periodically by commanding an Fe-55 radioactive source into position in front of the detector window. Low energy tailing and broadening of the 6 keV line is observed. The phenomenon observed, the mechanism behind the degradation and the impact on instrument performance are considered

Keywords

X-ray astronomy; X-ray spectrometers; asteroids; astronomical instruments; cosmic ray interactions; proportional counters; space vehicles; Ar; NEAR; Near-Earth Asteroid Rendezvous; X-ray apparatus; X-ray detector; X-ray spectrometer; asteroid; broadening; calibration; chemical analysis; cosmic ray induced degradation; cosmic-ray irradiation; gas filled proportional counter; instrument performance; low energy tailing; measurement technique; spacecraft; Counting circuits; Degradation; Filters; Instruments; Iron; Laboratories; Space vehicles; Spectroscopy; Voltage; X-ray detectors;

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.1997.660243

Filename

660243