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Hunter, S. D.

Publications and source records attributed to Hunter, S. D..

63 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1991

The estimation of background production by cosmic rays in high-energy gamma ray telescopes

A calculational method of estimating instrumental background in high-energy gamma-ray telescopes, using the hadronic Monte Carlo code FLUKA87, is presented. The method is applied to the SAS-2 and EGRET telescope designs and is also used to explore the level of background to be expected for alternative configurations of the proposed GRITS telescope, which adapts the external fuel tank of a Space Shuttle as a gamma-ray telescope with a very large collecting area. The background produced in proton-beam tests of EGRET is much less than the predicted level. This discrepancy appears to be due to the FLUKA87 inability to transport evaporation nucleons. It is predicted that the background in EGRET will be no more than 4-10 percent of the extragalactic diffuse gamma radiation.

Edwards, H. L.↗
NASA NTRS1988

The project EGRET (Energetic Gamma-Ray Experiment Telescope) on NASA's Gamma-Ray Observatory (GRO)

The design, predicted performance, and scientific objectives of the 20-30,000-MeV gamma-ray telescope EGRET for the NASA GRO spacecraft (scheduled for Space Shuttle launch to a 450-km 28.5-deg orbit in 1990) are reviewed. The other GRO instruments are briefly characterized, including the burst and transient-source experiment, the oriented scintillation spectrometer, and the imaging Compton telescope. EGRET comprises an anticoincidence system, a spark chamber, a triggering telescope, an NaI total-absorption spectrometer, a gas supply capable of refilling the chamber four times, and support electronics. EGRET will operate with energy resolution about 15 percent, effective area about 2000 sq cm, sensitivity about 5 x 10 to the -8th/sq cm sec, angular resolution 0.1-0.4 deg, and FOV about 40 deg FWHM. Observations of Galactic point sources, Galactic and extragalactic diffuse emission, gamma-ray bursts, and solar flares are planned.

Kanbach, G.↗
NASA NTRS1985

High energy gamma ray balloon instrument

The High Energy Gamma Ray Balloon Instrument was built in part to verify certain subsystems' performance for the Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET) instrument, the high energy telescope to be carried on the Gamma Ray Observatory. This paper describes the instrument, the performance of some subsystems, and some relevant results.

Thompson, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

A star camera aspect system suitable for use in balloon experiments

A balloon-borne experiment containing a star camera aspect system was designed, built, and flown. This system was designed to provide offset corrections to the magnetometer and inclinometer readings used to control an azimuth and elevation pointed experiment. The camera is controlled by a microprocessor, including commendable exposure and noise rejection threshold, as well as formatting the data for telemetry to the ground. As a background program, the microprocessor runs the aspect program to analyze a fraction of the pictures taken so that aspect information and offset corrections are available to the experiment in near real time. The analysis consists of pattern recognition of the star field with a star catalog in ROM memory and a least squares calculation. The performance of this system in ground based tests is described. It is part of the NASA/GSFC High Energy Gamma-Ray Balloon Instrument (2).

Hunter, S. D.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Searches for gamma ray emission from radio pulsars

Searches were made for pulsed high energy (E greater than 35 MeV) gamma radiation from 43 pulsars using the SAS-2 data base and radio parameters. No positive results were found, and the upper limits are consistent with the concept that gamma ray production efficiency increases with increasing apparent age. Two limits suggest that efficiency cannot be a simple function of apparent age beyond 1,000,000 years. Previously announced in STAR as N83-24463

Thompson, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Photon and helium energy spectra above 1 TeV for primary cosmic rays

Energy spectra of protons and helium nuclei in primary cosmic rays were measured above 1 TeV in a series of balloon flights carrying emulsion chambers. Differential spectra may be represented by power laws of indices -2.81 + or - 0.13 and -2.83 + or - 0.20 for protons and He, respectively. No index change was observed for either species over the energy ranges 5-500 TeV for protons and 2-50 TeV/nucleon for He. Intensities were consistent with extrapolations of previously published data below 1 TeV/nucleon.

Burnett, T. H.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Searches for gamma ray emission from radio pulsars

Searches were made for pulsed high energy (E 35 MeV) gamma radiation from 43 pulsars using the SAS-2 data base and radio parameters. No positive results were found, and the upper limits are consistent with the concept that gamma ray production efficiency increases with increasing apparent age. Two limits suggest that efficiency cannot be a simple function of apparent age beyond 10,000,000 years.

Thompson, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Japanese-American Cooperative Emulsion Experiment /JACEE/

The instrumentation and results of long duration balloon flights carried out jointly by U.S. and Japan researchers to examine high energy cosmic rays are reported. Basic detector geometries are 2.5 sq m sr with operation at altitudes with 3-4 g/sq cm pressure, with observations thus far of over 100 hr. Energies from 2-100 TeV are recorded for nucleus-nucleus and hadron-nucleus interactions, and searches are made for new particle or interactions. The detector is an emulsion chamber which comprises doubly-coated nuclear emulsions on 800 micron thick methacryl substrates, X-ray films, etchable detectors, low density spacers, and lead sheets. Segmentation of the instrument into a primary charge module, a target section, a spacer section, and a lead-emulsion calorimeter allows accurate charge measurement for primary nuclei, reliable energy resolution, and a large geometrical factor for collecting high energy events. A primary Ca nucleus of 300 TeV has been observed.

Huggett, R. W.↗