AGILE sky exposure and sensitivity maps
Abstract
The very large field of view (~1/5 of the sky) of the AGILE gamma-ray satellite allows us to monitor broad sky regions with a few pointings, increasing the chance of detecting variable sources and efficiently sampling their characteristics. We present the AGILE exposure and sensitivity maps for several examples of selected pointing programs taking into account Earth occultation effects and other satellite constraints. Considering instrument efficiencies, point spread function, particle background noise and a model for the diffuse gamma-ray emission, we estimate the global scientific performance of AGILE in observations simulating both single pointing and complete sky surveys (i.e., Galactic Plane scans and selected deep exposures). In this way we provide an estimate of the number of detectable sources giving some highlights bout the AGILE observation planning strategy. .
- Publication:
-
Gamma 2001: Gamma-Ray Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- October 2001
- DOI:
- 10.1063/1.1419495
- Bibcode:
- 2001AIPC..587..759P
- Keywords:
-
- 95.55.Aq;
- 95.80.+p;
- 98.70.Rz;
- 07.87.+v;
- Charge-coupled devices image detectors and IR detector arrays;
- Astronomical catalogs atlases sky surveys databases retrieval systems archives etc.;
- gamma-ray sources;
- gamma-ray bursts;
- Spaceborne and space research instruments apparatus and components