The performance of RHESSI's germanium detectors over a 16-year science mission

Andrew Inglis; Albert Shih

doi:10.1117/12.3016765

21 August 2024 The performance of RHESSI's germanium detectors over a 16-year science mission

Andrew Inglis, Albert Shih

Proceedings Volume 13093, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray; 130931F (2024) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3016765
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2024, Yokohama, Japan

Abstract

The Reuven Ramaty High-Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) was a solar X-ray mission that observed the Sun at X-ray and gamma-ray wavelengths for 16 years, with an energy range covering 3 keV – 17 MeV. RHESSI instrumentation consisted of nine cryocooled, segmented, germanium detectors. We report on the performance of these detectors over the course of 16 years of science operations in a mid-latitude, low-Earth orbit environment. We assess the evolution of the energy gain and energy calibration for each detector, the segmentation status of the detectors over time, and the effectiveness of detector annealing in restoring performance. We highlight some of the challenges associated with determining the calibration over such a long on-orbit time period. These results provide valuable context for future X-ray and gamma-ray space missions.

Conference Presentation

(2024) Published by SPIE. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Citation Download Citation

Andrew Inglis and Albert Shih "The performance of RHESSI's germanium detectors over a 16-year science mission", Proc. SPIE 13093, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 130931F (21 August 2024); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3016765

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