Nuclear Compton Telescope

The Nuclear Compton Telescope (NCT) is a balloon-borne Compton telescope to observe the gamma-ray sky in the energy range from a few hundred keV to several MeV. Its main goals are to improve the understanding of Galactic nucleosynthesis, gamma-ray bursts, supernovae, black holes, and more.[1]

Instrumentation

The Compton telescope uses an array of twelve Germanium detectors with high spectral resolution to detect gamma rays. On its bottom half the detector is surrounded by a Bismuth germanate scintillator to shield it from atmospheric gamma rays. The telescope has an overall field of view (FOV) of 25% of the sky.

Flights

Since low-to-medium-energy gamma rays are only detectable from above the atmosphere, NCT is launched with a large 1-million m3 (35-million cu ft) Helium balloon into the stratosphere. So far NCT had two successful and one unsuccessful balloon campaigns:

  • A two-detector prototype was successfully test flown on 1 June 2005 from the Scientific Balloon Flight Facility, Fort Sumner, New Mexico.[2][3]
  • On 19 May 2009, the full instrument successfully launched from Fort Sumner in New Mexico and was able to observe the Crab pulsar.[4]
  • Unfortunately, on 28 April 2010 a launch mishap occurred at Alice Springs, Australia, when the gondola release mechanism failed, leading to the partial destruction of the gondola.[5][6]
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References
  1. "NCT".
  2. Zoglauer, Andreas; Boggs, SE. Bandstra, M. Bellm, E. Perez-Becker, D. Wunderer, CB. (9 January 2007). "The Balloon Flights of the Nuclear Compton Telescope NCT" (PDF). Max Planck Institute. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 November 2009. Retrieved 21 July 2010.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. "Details of the balloon and launch operations". Stratocat. Retrieved 21 July 2010.
  4. Huang', Ming-Huey; Ming-Huey A. Huang'; Amman, M. Bandstra, ME. Bellm, E.; et al. "The Nuclear Compton Telescope (NCT): a status report after 2009 balloon flight" (PDF). PROCEEDINGS OF THE 31st ICRC, ŁODZ 2009. Nuclear Compton Telescope team. Retrieved 21 July 2010.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. Malkin, Bonnie (29 April 2010). "Nasa space balloon crashes into car during takeoff" (Text and video). London: The Daily Telegraph (Telegraph.co.uk). Retrieved 21 July 2010.
  6. "NASA Balloon Suffers Mishap in Australia". NASA. Retrieved 21 July 2010.
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