Event reconstruction in high resolution Compton telescopes

The development of germanium Compton telescopes for nuclear gamma-ray astrophysics (~0.2-20 MeV) requires new event reconstruction techniques to accurately determine the initial direction and energy of photon events, as well as to consistently reject background events. This paper describes techniques for event reconstruction, accounting for realistic instrument/detector performance and uncertainties. An especially important technique is Compton Kinematic Discrimination, which allows proper interaction ordering and background rejection with high probabilities. The use of these techniques are crucial for the realistic evaluation of the performance and sensitivity of any germanium Compton telescope configuration.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&AS

Searching for annihilation radiation from SN 1006 with SPI on INTEGRAL

Historical Type Ia supernovae are a leading candidate for the source of positrons observed through their diffuse annihilation emission in the Galaxy. However, search for annihilation emission from individual Type Ia supernovae has not been possible before the improved sensitivity of \integral. The total 511 keV annihilation flux from individual SNe Ia, as well as their contribution to the overall diffuse emission, depends critically on the escape fraction of positrons produced in $^{56}$Co decays. Late optical light curves suggest that this fraction may be as high as 5%. We searched for positron annihilation radiation from the historical Type Ia supernova SN 1006 using the SPI instrument on \integral. We did not detect significant 511 keV line emission, with a 3$\sigma$ flux upper limit of 0.59 x 10$^{-4}$ ergs cm^-2 s^-1 for \wsim 1 Msec exposure time, assuming a FWHM of 2.5 keV. This upper limit corresponds to a 7.5% escape fraction, 50% higher than the expected 5% escape scenario, and rules out the possibility that Type Ia supernovae produce all of the positrons in the Galaxy (~ 12% escape fraction), if the mean positron lifetime is less than 10$^{5}$ years. Future observations with \integral will provide stronger limits on the escape fraction of positrons, the mean positron lifetime, and the contribution of Type Ia supernovae to the overall positron content of the Galaxy.Comment: 3 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ

Correspondence to General William Robertson Boggs, 1890s: March 7, 1892 - October 1, 1899.

Boggs Family Papers, Box 1, Folder 5. Correspondence to General William Robertson Boggs, 1890s: March 7, 1892 - October 1, 1899.https://digitalcommons.wofford.edu/littlejohnboggs/1004/thumbnail.jp

Diffuse Galactic Soft Gamma-Ray Emission

The Galactic diffuse soft gamma-ray (30-800 keV) emission has been measured from the Galactic Center by the HIREGS balloon-borne germanium spectrometer to determine the spectral characteristics and origin of the emission. The resulting Galactic diffuse continuum is found to agree well with a single power-law (plus positronium) over the entire energy range, consistent with RXTE and COMPTEL/CGRO observations at lower and higher energies, respectively. We find no evidence of spectral steepening below 200 keV, as has been reported in previous observations. The spatial distribution along the Galactic ridge is found to be nearly flat, with upper limits set on the longitudinal gradient, and with no evidence of an edge in the observed region. The soft gamma-ray diffuse spectrum is well modeled by inverse Compton scattering of interstellar radiation off of cosmic-ray electrons, minimizing the need to invoke inefficient nonthermal bremsstrahlung emission. The resulting power requirement is well within that provided by Galactic supernovae. We speculate that the measured spectrum provides the first direct constraints on the cosmic-ray electron spectrum below 300 MeV.Comment: 26 pages, 7 figure, submitted to Ap

Spectral Analysis of GRBs Measured by RHESSI

The Ge spectrometer of the RHESSI satellite is sensitive to Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) from about 40 keV up to 17 MeV, thus ideally complementing the Swift/BAT instrument whose sensitivity decreases above 150 keV. We present preliminary results of spectral fits of RHESSI GRB data. After describing our method, the RHESSI results are discussed and compared with Swift and Konus.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, conference proceedings, 'Swift and GRBs: Unveiling the Relativistic Universe', San Servolo, Venice, 5-9 June 2006, to appear in Il Nouvo Ciment

Use of a pulsed laser to study properties of CdZnTe pixel detectors

We have investigated the utility of employing a short (<4 ns) pulsed laser with wavelength tunable between 600 - 950 nm as a tool for studying and characterizing CdZnTe detectors. By using a single mode optical fiber and simple optics, we can focus the beam to a spot size of less than 10 micrometers and generate the number of the excess carriers equivalent to a several MeV gamma-ray either at the surface or deep inside the sample. The advantages of this technique over use of a collimated X-ray or alpha particle source are strong induced signal, precise pointing, and triggering capability. As examples of using this technique, we present the results of measurements of the drift velocity, electron lifetime, and electric field line distribution inside CZT pixel detectors

Search for polarization from the prompt gamma-ray emission of GRB 041219a with SPI on INTEGRAL

Measuring the polarization of the prompt gamma-ray emission from GRBs can significantly improve our understanding of both the GRB emission mechanisms, as well as the underlying engine driving the explosion. We searched for polarization in the prompt gamma-ray emission of GRB 041219a with the SPI instrument on INTEGRAL. Using multiple-detector coincidence events in the 100--350 keV energy band, our analysis yields a polarization fraction from this GRB of 99 +- 33 %. Statistically, we cannot claim a polarization detection from this source. Moreover, different event selection criteria lead to even less significant polarization fractions, e.g. lower polarization fractions are obtained when higher energies are included in the analysis. We cannot strongly rule out the possibility that the measured modulation is dominated by instrumental systematics. Therefore, SPI observations of GRB 041219a do not significantly constrain GRB models. However, this measurement demonstrates the capability of SPI to measure polarization, and the techniques developed for this analysis