Characterization and evolution of the Swift X-ray Telescope instrumental background

C. Pagani; D. C. Morris; J. Racusin; D. Grupe; L. Vetere; M. Stroh; A. Falcone; J. A. Kennea; D. N. Burrows; J. A. Nousek; A. F. Abbey; L. Angelini; A. P. Beardmore; S. Campana; M. Capalbi; G. Chincarini; O. Citterio; G. Cusumano; P. Giommi; O. Godet; J. E. Hill; V. LaParola; V. Mangano; T. Mineo; A. Moretti; J. P. Osborne; K. L. Page; M. Perri; P. Romano; G. Tagliaferri; F. Tamburelli

doi:10.1117/12.734398

Characterization and evolution of the Swift X-ray Telescope instrumental background

C. Pagani, D. C. Morris, J. Racusin, D. Grupe, L. Vetere, M. Stroh, A. Falcone, J. A. Kennea, D. N. Burrows, J. A. Nousek, A. F. Abbey, L. Angelini, A. P. Beardmore, S. Campana, M. Capalbi, G. Chincarini, O. Citterio, G. Cusumano, P. Giommi, O. GodetJ. E. Hill, V. LaParola, V. Mangano, T. Mineo, A. Moretti, J. P. Osborne, K. L. Page, M. Perri, P. Romano, G. Tagliaferri, F. Tamburelli

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

The X-ray telescope (XRT) on board the Swift Gamma Ray Burst Explorer has successfully operated since the spacecraft launch on 20 November 2004, automatically locating GRB afterglows, measuring their spectra and lightcurves and performing observations of high-energy sources. In this work we investigate the properties of the instrumental background, focusing on its dynamic behavior on both long and short timescales. The operational temperature of the CCD is the main factor that influences the XRT background level. After the failure of the Swift active on-board temperature control system, the XRT detector now operates at a temperature range between -75C and -45C thanks to a passive cooling Heat Rejection System. We report on the long-term effects on the background caused by radiation, consisting mainly of proton irradiation in Swift's low Earth orbit and on the short-term effects of transits through the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA), which expose the detector to periods of intense proton flux. We have determined the fraction of the detector background that is due to the internal, instrumental background and the part that is due to unresolved astrophysical sources (the cosmic X-ray background) by investigating the degree of vignetting of the measured background and comparing it to the expected value from calibration data.

Original language	English (US)
Title of host publication	UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XV
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1117/12.734398
State	Published - 2007
Event	UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XV - San Diego, CA, United States Duration: Aug 26 2007 → Aug 27 2007

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume	6686
ISSN (Print)	0277-786X

Other

Other	UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XV
Country/Territory	United States
City	San Diego, CA
Period	8/26/07 → 8/27/07

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Condensed Matter Physics
Computer Science Applications
Applied Mathematics
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Access to Document

10.1117/12.734398

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Pagani, C., Morris, D. C., Racusin, J., Grupe, D., Vetere, L., Stroh, M., Falcone, A., Kennea, J. A., Burrows, D. N., Nousek, J. A., Abbey, A. F., Angelini, L., Beardmore, A. P., Campana, S., Capalbi, M., Chincarini, G., Citterio, O., Cusumano, G., Giommi, P., ... Tamburelli, F. (2007). Characterization and evolution of the Swift X-ray Telescope instrumental background. In UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XV [668609] (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering; Vol. 6686). https://doi.org/10.1117/12.734398

Pagani, C. ; Morris, D. C. ; Racusin, J. ; Grupe, D. ; Vetere, L. ; Stroh, M. ; Falcone, A. ; Kennea, J. A. ; Burrows, D. N. ; Nousek, J. A. ; Abbey, A. F. ; Angelini, L. ; Beardmore, A. P. ; Campana, S. ; Capalbi, M. ; Chincarini, G. ; Citterio, O. ; Cusumano, G. ; Giommi, P. ; Godet, O. ; Hill, J. E. ; LaParola, V. ; Mangano, V. ; Mineo, T. ; Moretti, A. ; Osborne, J. P. ; Page, K. L. ; Perri, M. ; Romano, P. ; Tagliaferri, G. ; Tamburelli, F. / Characterization and evolution of the Swift X-ray Telescope instrumental background. UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XV. 2007. (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering).

@inproceedings{77540edf86dd44bb8dd9df53efa488fc,

title = "Characterization and evolution of the Swift X-ray Telescope instrumental background",

abstract = "The X-ray telescope (XRT) on board the Swift Gamma Ray Burst Explorer has successfully operated since the spacecraft launch on 20 November 2004, automatically locating GRB afterglows, measuring their spectra and lightcurves and performing observations of high-energy sources. In this work we investigate the properties of the instrumental background, focusing on its dynamic behavior on both long and short timescales. The operational temperature of the CCD is the main factor that influences the XRT background level. After the failure of the Swift active on-board temperature control system, the XRT detector now operates at a temperature range between -75C and -45C thanks to a passive cooling Heat Rejection System. We report on the long-term effects on the background caused by radiation, consisting mainly of proton irradiation in Swift's low Earth orbit and on the short-term effects of transits through the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA), which expose the detector to periods of intense proton flux. We have determined the fraction of the detector background that is due to the internal, instrumental background and the part that is due to unresolved astrophysical sources (the cosmic X-ray background) by investigating the degree of vignetting of the measured background and comparing it to the expected value from calibration data.",

author = "C. Pagani and Morris, {D. C.} and J. Racusin and D. Grupe and L. Vetere and M. Stroh and A. Falcone and Kennea, {J. A.} and Burrows, {D. N.} and Nousek, {J. A.} and Abbey, {A. F.} and L. Angelini and Beardmore, {A. P.} and S. Campana and M. Capalbi and G. Chincarini and O. Citterio and G. Cusumano and P. Giommi and O. Godet and Hill, {J. E.} and V. LaParola and V. Mangano and T. Mineo and A. Moretti and Osborne, {J. P.} and Page, {K. L.} and M. Perri and P. Romano and G. Tagliaferri and F. Tamburelli",

year = "2007",

doi = "10.1117/12.734398",

language = "English (US)",

isbn = "9780819468345",

series = "Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering",

booktitle = "UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XV",

note = "UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XV ; Conference date: 26-08-2007 Through 27-08-2007",

}

Pagani, C, Morris, DC, Racusin, J, Grupe, D, Vetere, L, Stroh, M, Falcone, A , Kennea, JA , Burrows, DN , Nousek, JA, Abbey, AF, Angelini, L, Beardmore, AP, Campana, S, Capalbi, M, Chincarini, G, Citterio, O, Cusumano, G, Giommi, P, Godet, O, Hill, JE, LaParola, V, Mangano, V, Mineo, T, Moretti, A, Osborne, JP, Page, KL, Perri, M, Romano, P, Tagliaferri, G & Tamburelli, F 2007, Characterization and evolution of the Swift X-ray Telescope instrumental background. in UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XV., 668609, Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, vol. 6686, UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XV, San Diego, CA, United States, 8/26/07. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.734398

Characterization and evolution of the Swift X-ray Telescope instrumental background. / Pagani, C.; Morris, D. C.; Racusin, J.; Grupe, D.; Vetere, L.; Stroh, M.; Falcone, A.; Kennea, J. A.; Burrows, D. N.; Nousek, J. A.; Abbey, A. F.; Angelini, L.; Beardmore, A. P.; Campana, S.; Capalbi, M.; Chincarini, G.; Citterio, O.; Cusumano, G.; Giommi, P.; Godet, O.; Hill, J. E.; LaParola, V.; Mangano, V.; Mineo, T.; Moretti, A.; Osborne, J. P.; Page, K. L.; Perri, M.; Romano, P.; Tagliaferri, G.; Tamburelli, F.

UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XV. 2007. 668609 (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering; Vol. 6686).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

TY - GEN

T1 - Characterization and evolution of the Swift X-ray Telescope instrumental background

AU - Pagani, C.

AU - Morris, D. C.

AU - Racusin, J.

AU - Grupe, D.

AU - Vetere, L.

AU - Stroh, M.

AU - Falcone, A.

AU - Kennea, J. A.

AU - Burrows, D. N.

AU - Nousek, J. A.

AU - Abbey, A. F.

AU - Angelini, L.

AU - Beardmore, A. P.

AU - Campana, S.

AU - Capalbi, M.

AU - Chincarini, G.

AU - Citterio, O.

AU - Cusumano, G.

AU - Giommi, P.

AU - Godet, O.

AU - Hill, J. E.

AU - LaParola, V.

AU - Mangano, V.

AU - Mineo, T.

AU - Moretti, A.

AU - Osborne, J. P.

AU - Page, K. L.

AU - Perri, M.

AU - Romano, P.

AU - Tagliaferri, G.

AU - Tamburelli, F.

PY - 2007

Y1 - 2007

N2 - The X-ray telescope (XRT) on board the Swift Gamma Ray Burst Explorer has successfully operated since the spacecraft launch on 20 November 2004, automatically locating GRB afterglows, measuring their spectra and lightcurves and performing observations of high-energy sources. In this work we investigate the properties of the instrumental background, focusing on its dynamic behavior on both long and short timescales. The operational temperature of the CCD is the main factor that influences the XRT background level. After the failure of the Swift active on-board temperature control system, the XRT detector now operates at a temperature range between -75C and -45C thanks to a passive cooling Heat Rejection System. We report on the long-term effects on the background caused by radiation, consisting mainly of proton irradiation in Swift's low Earth orbit and on the short-term effects of transits through the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA), which expose the detector to periods of intense proton flux. We have determined the fraction of the detector background that is due to the internal, instrumental background and the part that is due to unresolved astrophysical sources (the cosmic X-ray background) by investigating the degree of vignetting of the measured background and comparing it to the expected value from calibration data.

AB - The X-ray telescope (XRT) on board the Swift Gamma Ray Burst Explorer has successfully operated since the spacecraft launch on 20 November 2004, automatically locating GRB afterglows, measuring their spectra and lightcurves and performing observations of high-energy sources. In this work we investigate the properties of the instrumental background, focusing on its dynamic behavior on both long and short timescales. The operational temperature of the CCD is the main factor that influences the XRT background level. After the failure of the Swift active on-board temperature control system, the XRT detector now operates at a temperature range between -75C and -45C thanks to a passive cooling Heat Rejection System. We report on the long-term effects on the background caused by radiation, consisting mainly of proton irradiation in Swift's low Earth orbit and on the short-term effects of transits through the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA), which expose the detector to periods of intense proton flux. We have determined the fraction of the detector background that is due to the internal, instrumental background and the part that is due to unresolved astrophysical sources (the cosmic X-ray background) by investigating the degree of vignetting of the measured background and comparing it to the expected value from calibration data.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=42249097928&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=42249097928&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1117/12.734398

DO - 10.1117/12.734398

M3 - Conference contribution

AN - SCOPUS:42249097928

SN - 9780819468345

T3 - Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering

BT - UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XV

T2 - UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XV

Y2 - 26 August 2007 through 27 August 2007

ER -

Characterization and evolution of the Swift X-ray Telescope instrumental background

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