6533b82bfe1ef96bd128e11b

RESEARCH PRODUCT

B-MINE, the balloon-borne microcalorimeter nuclear line explorer

Jonathan E. GrindlayRoland DiehlStephen S. MurrayStan WoosleyWilliam R. FormanBrian D. RamseyChristine JonesVictor RegleroGregory S. TuckerNorm MaddenDavid M. SmithSimon R. BandlerPatrick SlaneEugene E. HallerMarco BarberaJeffrey W. BeemanEric H. SilverAlvaro GiménezHerbert W. SchnopperJuan FabregatAlfonso ColluraSuzanne RomaineFinn E. Christensen

subject

X-ray AstronomyPhysics::Instrumentation and DetectorsSupernovaAstrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical PhenomenaBallonX-ray opticsSNRlaw.inventionAstrophysicTelescopeOpticsSettore FIS/05 - Astronomia E AstrofisicaNTD GermaniumlawMicrocalorimeterBinary starEmission spectrumX-ray OpticSpectral resolutionElectrical and Electronic EngineeringSpectroscopyLine (formation)PhysicsX-ray astronomybusiness.industryCondensed Matter PhysicsSupernovaStarsgamma rayMeasuring instrumentbusinessBalloon

description

B-MINE is a concept for a balloon mission designed to probe the deepest regions of a supernova explosion by detecting Ti-44 emission at 68 keV with spatial and spectral resolutions that are sufficient to determine the extent and velocity distribution of the Ti-44 emitting region. The payload introduces the concept of focusing optics and microcalorimeter spectroscopy to nuclear line emission astrophysics. B-MINE 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 3sigma sensitivity in 10(6) s of 3.3 x 10(-7) 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 Ti-44 emission line centroid and width in CAS A.

10.1117/12.461410http://hdl.handle.net/10447/216276