The Low-Energy Module (LEM): Development of a CubeSat Spectrometer for Sub-MeV Particles and Gamma-Ray Burst Detection
An accurate flux measurement of low-energy charged particles trapped in the magnetosphere is necessary for space weather characterization and to study the coupling between the lithosphere and magnetosphere, which allows for the investigation of the correlations between seismic events and particle pr...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-02-01
|
| Series: | Physical Sciences Forum |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9984/7/1/21 |
| _version_ | 1797592937846013952 |
|---|---|
| author | Riccardo Nicolaidis Francesco Nozzoli Giancarlo Pepponi Pierluigi Bellutti Evgeny Demenev Francesco Maria Follega Roberto Iuppa Veronica Vilona |
| author_facet | Riccardo Nicolaidis Francesco Nozzoli Giancarlo Pepponi Pierluigi Bellutti Evgeny Demenev Francesco Maria Follega Roberto Iuppa Veronica Vilona |
| author_sort | Riccardo Nicolaidis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | An accurate flux measurement of low-energy charged particles trapped in the magnetosphere is necessary for space weather characterization and to study the coupling between the lithosphere and magnetosphere, which allows for the investigation of the correlations between seismic events and particle precipitation from Van Allen belts. In this work, the project of a CubeSat space spectrometer, the Low-Energy Module (LEM), is shown. The detector will be able to perform an event-based measurement of the energy, arrival direction, and composition of low-energy charged particles down to 0.1 MeV. Moreover, thanks to a CdZnTe mini-calorimeter, the LEM spectrometer also allows for photon detection in the sub-MeV range, joining the quest for the investigation of the nature of Gamma-ray bursts. The particle identification of the LEM relies on the <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mo>Δ</mo><mi>E</mi><mo>−</mo><mi>E</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> technique performed by thin silicon detectors. This multipurpose spectrometer will fit within a 10 × 10 × 10 <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msup><mi>cm</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></semantics></math></inline-formula> CubeSat frame, and it will be constructed as a joint project between the University of Trento, FBK, and INFN-TIFPA. To fulfil the size and mass requirements, an innovative approach, based on active particle collimation, was designed for the LEM; this avoids the heavy/bulky passive collimators of previous space detectors. In this paper, we will present the LEM geometry, its detection concept, and the results from the developed GEANT4 simulation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:00:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c4ead2c66f6b4a3bb3ddc4e702afdc42 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-9984 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:00:19Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Physical Sciences Forum |
| spelling | doaj.art-c4ead2c66f6b4a3bb3ddc4e702afdc422023-11-18T12:20:25ZengMDPI AGPhysical Sciences Forum2673-99842023-02-01712110.3390/ECU2023-14055The Low-Energy Module (LEM): Development of a CubeSat Spectrometer for Sub-MeV Particles and Gamma-Ray Burst DetectionRiccardo Nicolaidis0Francesco Nozzoli1Giancarlo Pepponi2Pierluigi Bellutti3Evgeny Demenev4Francesco Maria Follega5Roberto Iuppa6Veronica Vilona7Department of Physics, University of Trento, 38123 Trento, ItalyDepartment of Physics, University of Trento, 38123 Trento, ItalyFondazione Bruno Kessler, 38123 Trento, ItalyFondazione Bruno Kessler, 38123 Trento, ItalyFondazione Bruno Kessler, 38123 Trento, ItalyDepartment of Physics, University of Trento, 38123 Trento, ItalyDepartment of Physics, University of Trento, 38123 Trento, ItalyDepartment of Physics, University of Trento, 38123 Trento, ItalyAn accurate flux measurement of low-energy charged particles trapped in the magnetosphere is necessary for space weather characterization and to study the coupling between the lithosphere and magnetosphere, which allows for the investigation of the correlations between seismic events and particle precipitation from Van Allen belts. In this work, the project of a CubeSat space spectrometer, the Low-Energy Module (LEM), is shown. The detector will be able to perform an event-based measurement of the energy, arrival direction, and composition of low-energy charged particles down to 0.1 MeV. Moreover, thanks to a CdZnTe mini-calorimeter, the LEM spectrometer also allows for photon detection in the sub-MeV range, joining the quest for the investigation of the nature of Gamma-ray bursts. The particle identification of the LEM relies on the <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mo>Δ</mo><mi>E</mi><mo>−</mo><mi>E</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> technique performed by thin silicon detectors. This multipurpose spectrometer will fit within a 10 × 10 × 10 <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msup><mi>cm</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></semantics></math></inline-formula> CubeSat frame, and it will be constructed as a joint project between the University of Trento, FBK, and INFN-TIFPA. To fulfil the size and mass requirements, an innovative approach, based on active particle collimation, was designed for the LEM; this avoids the heavy/bulky passive collimators of previous space detectors. In this paper, we will present the LEM geometry, its detection concept, and the results from the developed GEANT4 simulation.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9984/7/1/21low-energy modulelow-energy particlesgamma-ray burstsspace weathercubesatΔ<i>E</i> − <i>E</i> technique |
| spellingShingle | Riccardo Nicolaidis Francesco Nozzoli Giancarlo Pepponi Pierluigi Bellutti Evgeny Demenev Francesco Maria Follega Roberto Iuppa Veronica Vilona The Low-Energy Module (LEM): Development of a CubeSat Spectrometer for Sub-MeV Particles and Gamma-Ray Burst Detection Physical Sciences Forum low-energy module low-energy particles gamma-ray bursts space weather cubesat Δ<i>E</i> − <i>E</i> technique |
| title | The Low-Energy Module (LEM): Development of a CubeSat Spectrometer for Sub-MeV Particles and Gamma-Ray Burst Detection |
| title_full | The Low-Energy Module (LEM): Development of a CubeSat Spectrometer for Sub-MeV Particles and Gamma-Ray Burst Detection |
| title_fullStr | The Low-Energy Module (LEM): Development of a CubeSat Spectrometer for Sub-MeV Particles and Gamma-Ray Burst Detection |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Low-Energy Module (LEM): Development of a CubeSat Spectrometer for Sub-MeV Particles and Gamma-Ray Burst Detection |
| title_short | The Low-Energy Module (LEM): Development of a CubeSat Spectrometer for Sub-MeV Particles and Gamma-Ray Burst Detection |
| title_sort | low energy module lem development of a cubesat spectrometer for sub mev particles and gamma ray burst detection |
| topic | low-energy module low-energy particles gamma-ray bursts space weather cubesat Δ<i>E</i> − <i>E</i> technique |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9984/7/1/21 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT riccardonicolaidis thelowenergymodulelemdevelopmentofacubesatspectrometerforsubmevparticlesandgammarayburstdetection AT francesconozzoli thelowenergymodulelemdevelopmentofacubesatspectrometerforsubmevparticlesandgammarayburstdetection AT giancarlopepponi thelowenergymodulelemdevelopmentofacubesatspectrometerforsubmevparticlesandgammarayburstdetection AT pierluigibellutti thelowenergymodulelemdevelopmentofacubesatspectrometerforsubmevparticlesandgammarayburstdetection AT evgenydemenev thelowenergymodulelemdevelopmentofacubesatspectrometerforsubmevparticlesandgammarayburstdetection AT francescomariafollega thelowenergymodulelemdevelopmentofacubesatspectrometerforsubmevparticlesandgammarayburstdetection AT robertoiuppa thelowenergymodulelemdevelopmentofacubesatspectrometerforsubmevparticlesandgammarayburstdetection AT veronicavilona thelowenergymodulelemdevelopmentofacubesatspectrometerforsubmevparticlesandgammarayburstdetection AT riccardonicolaidis lowenergymodulelemdevelopmentofacubesatspectrometerforsubmevparticlesandgammarayburstdetection AT francesconozzoli lowenergymodulelemdevelopmentofacubesatspectrometerforsubmevparticlesandgammarayburstdetection AT giancarlopepponi lowenergymodulelemdevelopmentofacubesatspectrometerforsubmevparticlesandgammarayburstdetection AT pierluigibellutti lowenergymodulelemdevelopmentofacubesatspectrometerforsubmevparticlesandgammarayburstdetection AT evgenydemenev lowenergymodulelemdevelopmentofacubesatspectrometerforsubmevparticlesandgammarayburstdetection AT francescomariafollega lowenergymodulelemdevelopmentofacubesatspectrometerforsubmevparticlesandgammarayburstdetection AT robertoiuppa lowenergymodulelemdevelopmentofacubesatspectrometerforsubmevparticlesandgammarayburstdetection AT veronicavilona lowenergymodulelemdevelopmentofacubesatspectrometerforsubmevparticlesandgammarayburstdetection |