27 research outputs found
A new analysis of the short-duration, hard-spectrum GRB 051103, a possible extragalactic soft gamma repeater giant flare
Lorentz breaking Effective Field Theory and observational tests
Analogue models of gravity have provided an experimentally realizable test
field for our ideas on quantum field theory in curved spacetimes but they have
also inspired the investigation of possible departures from exact Lorentz
invariance at microscopic scales. In this role they have joined, and sometime
anticipated, several quantum gravity models characterized by Lorentz breaking
phenomenology. A crucial difference between these speculations and other ones
associated to quantum gravity scenarios, is the possibility to carry out
observational and experimental tests which have nowadays led to a broad range
of constraints on departures from Lorentz invariance. We shall review here the
effective field theory approach to Lorentz breaking in the matter sector,
present the constraints provided by the available observations and finally
discuss the implications of the persisting uncertainty on the composition of
the ultra high energy cosmic rays for the constraints on the higher order,
analogue gravity inspired, Lorentz violations.Comment: 47 pages, 4 figures. Lecture Notes for the IX SIGRAV School on
"Analogue Gravity", Como (Italy), May 2011. V.3. Typo corrected, references
adde
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Germanium gamma-ray spectrometer PGS for the MARS-96 mission
The Precision Gamma-ray Spectrometer (PGS) on the Russian MARS-96 spacecraft is designed to measure 0.1--8 MeV gamma rays in order to determine the elemental composition of the Martian surface, to study solar flares, and to determine energy spectra and times of arrival of gamma-ray bursts. The PGS instrument contains two high-purity, n-type germanium crystals, each similar to the one used on the Mars Observer mission. Each crystal is contained in a titanium can with Helicoflex cryogenic metal seals. An annealing capability allows repair of radiation damage. The detectors are cooled via nitrogen heat pipes attached to a passive radiator mounted on the back side of a solar panel. The radiators are designed to keep the Ge detectors below 100 K during the interplanetary flight. The electronics include first-stage electronics mounted on each crystal can and 4096-channel pulse height analyzers. Two parallel channels of electronics are provided and can be cross-switched by telecommands. In November 1995 integration of the flight detectors with flight electronics and testing of the complete system cooled by the passive radiator were successfully completed. The energy resolution degrades to about 3 keV in the flight configuration. Warming the radiators indicated that for the worst case when the radiator views Mars at the equator the maximum temperature of the detectors will be limited by the diode action of the heat pipes to 118 K. Extensive calibrations with radioactive sources are in progress. The authors conclude that they have an improved design for planetary and gamma-ray burst studies and the PGS instrument is ready for launch in November 1996