High Energy, High Resolution X-Ray Spectroscopy: Microcalorimeters For Nuclear Line Astrophysics
- Authors: SILVER E; SCHNOPPER H W; JONES C; FORMAN W; ROMAINE S; MADDEN N; LANDIS D; BEEMAN J; HALLER E E; BARBERA M; CHRISTENSEN F; RAMSEY B; WOOSLEY S; DIEHL R
- Publication year: 2005
- Type: eedings
- Key words: X- and gamma-ray telescopes and instrumentation, Photometric polarimetric and spectroscopic instrumentation,
- OA Link: http://hdl.handle.net/10447/24523
Abstract
We introduce focusing optics and microcalorimeter spectroscopy to nuclear line emission astrophysics with a balloon payload concept called, B-MINE. It is designed to probe the deepest regions of a supernova explosion by detecting 44Ti emission at 68 keV with spatial and spectral resolutions that are sufficient to determine the velocity distribution of the 44Ti emitting region. BMINE has a thin plastic foil telescope multilayered to maximize the reflectivity in a 20 keV band centered at 68 keV and a microcalorimeter array optimized for the same energy band. This combination provides a reduced background, an energy resolution of 50 eV and a 3F sensitivity in 106 s of 6 × 10-8 ph cm-2 s-1 at 68 keV. During the course of a long duration balloon flight, B-MINE could carry out a detailed study of the 44Ti emission line centroids and width in CAS A. Details of the spectrometer and simulated results are presented.