Monte Carlo simulation of the gamma ray spectrometer performance on Lunar Prospector

Author

McMurray, Robert E., Jr. ; Grimmer, Marie C. ; Feldman, William C. ; Hubbard, G. Scott ; Zins, Steven D.

Author_Institution

NASA Ames Res. Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA

fYear

1997

fDate

9-15 Nov 1997

Firstpage

601

Abstract

We present results of a simulation for the GRS instrument response expected in lunar orbit, using 90 spectral lines and a continuum gamma ray background taken from Apollo 15 and 16 data. The Monte Carlo program uses the exact dimensions and composition of the GRS in order to most accurately predict spectral performance, assuming an operating temperature on orbit of -30°C. We expect to obtain a resolution at 662 keV @ -30°C of about 9.6% FWHM. The data set is expected to be 2.5 to 8 times better in terms of peak intensity than the NaI data from Apollo orbiters. This factor depends on the gamma ray energy and is due to the high-Z BGO detector used in the GRS. Both coincidence and anticoincidence data will be returned, and a linear combination of the two spectra will be determined for best peak to background ratios

Keywords

Monte Carlo methods; gamma-ray astronomy; gamma-ray detection; gamma-ray spectrometers; solid scintillation detectors; Apollo 15; Apollo 16; BGO detector; Lunar Prospector; Monte Carlo simulation; anticoincidence data; coincidence data; continuum gamma ray background; gamma ray energy; gamma ray spectrometer; lunar orbit; Bismuth; Energy resolution; Gamma ray detection; Gamma ray detectors; Instruments; Monte Carlo methods; Moon; Plastics; Silicon; Spectroscopy;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Nuclear Science Symposium, 1997. IEEE

Conference_Location

Albuquerque, NM

ISSN

1082-3654

Print_ISBN

0-7803-4258-5

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/NSSMIC.1997.672654

Filename

672654