Author :
Schönfelder, V. ; Diehl, R. ; Lichti, G.G. ; Steinle, H. ; Swanenburg, B.N. ; Deerenberg, A.J.M. ; Aarts, H. ; Lockwood, J. ; Webber, W. ; Macri, J. ; Ryan, J. ; Simpson, G. ; Taylor, B.G. ; Bennett, K. ; Snelling, M.
Abstract :
This instrument is based on a newly established concept of ¿-ray detection in the very difficult 1-30 MeV range. It employs the unique feature of a two-step interaction of the y-ray: a Compton scattering collision in a first detector followed by an interaction in a second detector element. COMPTEL has been designed to perform a very sensitive survey of the y-ray sky. Extreme care has been taken to minimize background so that the detection limits of COMPTEL will be dominated by source counting statistics. It combines a wide field of view (about 1 steradian) with a good angular resolution. The design criteria of COMPTEL and the perforrmance of a Science Model are described.
