The radiation environment in L-2 orbit: implications on the non-X-ray background of the eROSITA pn-CCD cameras
Abstract
The pn-CCD cameras at the focal plane of the eROSITA space observatory will be the first X-ray (0.2-12 keV) detector to operate in a L-2 orbit. Therefore, no direct information of instrumental non X-ray background (NXB) is available to make predictions for eROSITA. Since, in general, the instrumental NXB experienced in orbit has a major impact on the overall sensitivity of the cameras, we investigated and modeled the L-2 radiation environment and its interaction with the eROSITA mass distribution and cameras, in order to quantify the expected pn-CCD NXB level. We obtain an average value of NXB ∼25% lower than that observed by the pn-CCDs on-board the XMM-Newton satellite, which is placed in a Highly Elliptical Orbit (HEO). We discuss this result in light of the differences between the L-2 and HEO space environments.
- Publication:
-
Experimental Astronomy
- Pub Date:
- March 2012
- DOI:
- 10.1007/s10686-011-9269-7
- Bibcode:
- 2012ExA....33...39P
- Keywords:
-
- X-ray astrophysics;
- Instrumentation;
- CCD;
- Particle background