In-flight calibration of EGRET on the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory

Authors
Esposito, JA Bertsch, DL Chen, AW Dingus, BL Fichtel, CE Hartman, RC Hunter, SD Kanbach, G Kniffen, DA Lin, YC Mayer-Hasselwander, HA McDonald, LM Michelson, PF von Montigny, C Mukherjee, R Nolan, PL Reimer, OL Schneid, E Sreekumar, P Thompson, DJ Tompkins, WF Willis, TD
Citation
Ja. Esposito et al., In-flight calibration of EGRET on the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory, ASTROPH J S, 123(1), 1999, pp. 203-217
Citations number
20
Categorie Soggetti
Space Sciences
Journal title
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL SUPPLEMENT SERIES
ISSN journal
00670049 → ACNP
Volume
123
Issue
1
Year of publication
1999
Pages
203 - 217
Database
ISI
SICI code
0067-0049(199907)123:1<203:ICOEOT>2.0.ZU;2-5
Abstract
The Energetic Gamma-Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET) on the Compton Gamma-R ay Observatory has been operating for over 7 yr since its launch in 1991 Ap ril. This span of time far exceeds the design lifetime of 2 yr. As the inst rument has aged, several changes have occurred owing to spark chamber gas e xchanges as well as some hardware degradation and failures, all of which ha ve an influence on the instrument sensitivity. This paper describes postlau nch measurements and analysis that are done to calibrate the instrument res ponse functions. The updated instrument characteristics are incorporated in to the analysis software.