scholarly journals TARANIS XGRE and IDEE Detection Capability of Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flashes and Associated Electron Beams

Author(s):  
David Sarria ◽  
Francois Lebrun ◽  
Pierre-Louis Blelly ◽  
Remi Chipaux ◽  
Philippe Laurent ◽  
...  

Abstract. With a launch expected in 2018, the TARANIS micro-satellite is dedicated to the study of transient phenomena observed in association with thunderstorms. On-board the spacecraft, XGRE and IDEE are two instruments dedicated to study Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes (TGFs) and associated electron beams (TEBs). XGRE can detect electrons (energy range: 1 MeV to 10 MeV) and X/gamma-rays (energy range: 20 keV to 10 MeV), with a very high counting capability (about 10 million counts per second), and the ability to discriminate one type of particle from the other. The IDEE instrument is focused on electrons in the 80 keV to 4 MeV energy range, with the ability to estimate their pitch angles. Monte-Carlo simulations of the TARANIS instruments, using a preliminary model of the spacecraft, allow sensitive area estimates for both instruments. It leads to an averaged effective area of 425 cm2 for XGRE to detect X/gamma rays from TGFs, and the combination of XGRE and IDEE gives an average effective area of 255 cm2 to detect electrons/positrons from TEBs. We then compare these performances to RHESSI, AGILE, and Fermi GBM, using performances extracted from literature for the TGF case, and with the help of Monte-Carlo simulations of their mass models for the TEB case. Combining these data with with the help of the MC-PEPTITA Monte-Carlo simulations of TGF propagation in the atmosphere, we build a self-consistent model of the TGF and TEB detection rates of RHESSI, AGILE, and Fermi. It can then be used to estimate that TARANIS should detect about 225 TGFs/year and 25 TEBs/year.

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Sarria ◽  
Francois Lebrun ◽  
Pierre-Louis Blelly ◽  
Remi Chipaux ◽  
Philippe Laurent ◽  
...  

Abstract. With a launch expected in 2018, the TARANIS microsatellite is dedicated to the study of transient phenomena observed in association with thunderstorms. On board the spacecraft, XGRE and IDEE are two instruments dedicated to studying terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs) and associated terrestrial electron beams (TEBs). XGRE can detect electrons (energy range: 1 to 10 MeV) and X- and gamma-rays (energy range: 20 keV to 10 MeV) with a very high counting capability (about 10 million counts per second) and the ability to discriminate one type of particle from another. The IDEE instrument is focused on electrons in the 80 keV to 4 MeV energy range, with the ability to estimate their pitch angles. Monte Carlo simulations of the TARANIS instruments, using a preliminary model of the spacecraft, allow sensitive area estimates for both instruments. This leads to an averaged effective area of 425 cm2 for XGRE, used to detect X- and gamma-rays from TGFs, and the combination of XGRE and IDEE gives an average effective area of 255 cm2 which can be used to detect electrons/positrons from TEBs. We then compare these performances to RHESSI, AGILE and Fermi GBM, using data extracted from literature for the TGF case and with the help of Monte Carlo simulations of their mass models for the TEB case. Combining this data with the help of the MC-PEPTITA Monte Carlo simulations of TGF propagation in the atmosphere, we build a self-consistent model of the TGF and TEB detection rates of RHESSI, AGILE and Fermi. It can then be used to estimate that TARANIS should detect about 200 TGFs yr−1 and 25 TEBs yr−1.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anders Lindanger ◽  
Martino Marisaldi ◽  
Nikolai Østgaard ◽  
Andrey Mezentsev ◽  
Torstein Neubert ◽  
...  

<p>Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes (TGFs) are sub milliseconds bursts of high energy photons associated with lightning flashes in thunderstorms. The Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor (ASIM), launched in April 2018, is the first space mission specifically designed to detect TGFs. We will mainly focus on data from the High Energy Detector (HED) which is sensitive to photons with energies from 300 keV to > 30 MeV, and include data from the Low Energy Detector (LED) sensitive in 50 keV to 370 keV energy range. Both HED and LED are part of the Modular X- and Gamma-ray Sensor (MXGS) of ASIM.<br><br>The energy spectrum of TGFs, together with Monte Carlo simulations, can provide information on the production altitude and beaming geometry of TGFs. Constraints have already been set on the production altitude and beaming geometry using other spacecraft and radio measurements. Some of these studies are based on cumulative spectra of a large number of TGFs (e.g. [1]), which smooth out individual variability. The spectral analysis of individual TGFs has been carried out up to now for Fermi TGFs only, showing spectral diversity [2]. Crucial key factors for individual TGF spectral analysis are a large number of counts, an energy range extended to several tens of MeV, a good energy calibration as well as knowledge and control of any instrumental effects affecting the measurements.</p><p>We strive to put stricter constraints on the production altitude and beaming geometry, by comparing Monte Carlo simulations to energy spectra from single ASIM TGFs. We will present the dataset and method, including the correction for instrumental effects, and preliminary results on individual TGFs.</p><p>Thanks to ASIM’s large effective area and low orbital altitude, single TGFs detected by ASIM have much more count statistics than observations from other spacecrafts capable of detecting TGFs. ASIM has detected over 550 TGFs up to date (January 2020), and ~115 have more than 100 counts. This allows for a large sample for individual spectral analysis.</p><p>References:</p><ol><li>Dwyer, J. R., and D. M. Smith (2005), A comparison between Monte Carlo simulations of runaway breakdown and terrestrial gamma-ray flash observations, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L22804, doi:10.1029/2005GL023848.</li> <li>Mailyan et al. (2016), The spectroscopy of individual terrestrial gamma-ray flashes: Constraining the source properties, J. Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 121, 11,346–11,363, doi:10.1002/2016JA022702.</li> </ol>


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anders Lindanger ◽  
Martino Marisaldi ◽  
David Sarria ◽  
Nikolai Østgaard ◽  
Nikolai Lehtinen ◽  
...  

<p>Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes (TGFs) are sub-millisecond bursts of high-energy photons associated with lightning flashes in thunderstorms. The Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor (ASIM), launched in April 2018, is the first space mission specifically designed to detect TGFs. We will mainly focus on data from the High Energy Detector (HED) which is sensitive to photons with energies from 300 keV to > 30 MeV, and include data from the Low Energy Detector (LED) sensitive in 50 keV to 370 keV energy range. Both HED and LED are part of the Modular X- and Gamma-ray Sensor (MXGS) of ASIM.</p><p>The energy spectrum of TGFs, together with Monte Carlo simulations, can provide information on the production altitude and beaming geometry of TGFs. Constraints have already been set on the production altitude and beaming geometry using other spacecraft and radio measurements. Some of these studies are based on cumulative spectra of a large number of TGFs (e.g. [1]), which smooth out individual variability. The spectral analysis of individual TGFs has been carried out up to now for Fermi TGFs only, showing spectral diversity [2]. Crucial key factors for individual TGF spectral analysis are a large number of counts, an energy range extended to several tens of MeV, a good energy calibration as well as knowledge and control of any instrumental effects affecting the measurements.</p><p>Thanks to ASIM’s large effective area and low orbital altitude, single TGFs detected by ASIM have much more count statistics than observations from other spacecraft capable of detecting TGFs. By comparing Monte Carlo simulations to the energy spectrum from single ASIM TGFs we will aim to put stricter constraints on the production altitude and beaming geometry of TGFs. We will present the dataset, method, and some results of the spectral analysis of individual TGFs.</p><p>References:</p><p>1. Dwyer, J. R., and D. M. Smith (2005), A comparison between Monte Carlo simulations of runaway breakdown and terrestrial gamma-ray flash observations, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L22804, doi:10.1029/2005GL023848.</p><p>2. Mailyan et al. (2016), The spectroscopy of individual terrestrial gamma-ray flashes: Constraining the source properties, J. Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 121, 11,346–11,363, doi:10.1002/2016JA022702.</p>


1994 ◽  
Vol 144 ◽  
pp. 635-639
Author(s):  
J. Baláž ◽  
A. V. Dmitriev ◽  
M. A. Kovalevskaya ◽  
K. Kudela ◽  
S. N. Kuznetsov ◽  
...  

AbstractThe experiment SONG (SOlar Neutron and Gamma rays) for the low altitude satellite CORONAS-I is described. The instrument is capable to provide gamma-ray line and continuum detection in the energy range 0.1 – 100 MeV as well as detection of neutrons with energies above 30 MeV. As a by-product, the electrons in the range 11 – 108 MeV will be measured too. The pulse shape discrimination technique (PSD) is used.


1971 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
pp. 73-74
Author(s):  
H. A. Mayer-Hasselwander ◽  
K. Pinkau ◽  
K. H. Schenkl ◽  
W. Voges ◽  
H. J. Schneider

The registration of gamma rays in a spark chamber has been simulated by Monte-Carlo-calculation technique. The spark chamber pictures of these gamma-ray events having a known energy and direction of incidence have been analysed for determinability of direction of incidence. The values obtained for angular resolution depending on energy are compared with values derived by other authors.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (06) ◽  
pp. 1950046
Author(s):  
M. Kasztelan ◽  
K. Jȩdrzejczak ◽  
J. Szabelski

In this work, we have focused on results of measurements of the hydrogen line 2223 keV and compared them with the results of Geant4 simulations. The paraffin containing hydrogen was irradiated by neutrons produced by the weak AmBe source. Produced gammas were measured with the germanium detector. The experimental setup was placed inside a carbon chamber which provided the shielding from the external neutrons. The measurements were performed for different amounts of paraffin. The processes playing a role in the description of our measurements are transport and moderation of neutrons, production of gamma rays in neutron-hydrogen interactions, transport and detection of gamma rays. It has been shown that the correctly carried out Monte Carlo simulations reproduced the measured values of the intensity of the observed gamma line 2223 keV from the neutron capture on hydrogen. The absorption of gamma rays is also described correctly. This has been shown in comparing the measurements of gamma line 322 keV from [Formula: see text]Pb with the simulations.


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