The response of the CGRO COMPTEL determined from Monte Carlo simulation studies.

Authors

J G. Stacy, Louisiana State University - Baton Rouge
R M. Kippen, Los Alamos National Laboratory
S C. Kappadath, Louisiana State University - Baton Rouge
Mark L. McConnell, University of New Hampshire - Main CampusFollow
D Morris, University of New Hampshire - Main CampusFollow
R S. Miller, University of New Hampshire - Main Campus
A Connors, University of New Hampshire - Main Campus
B. Hersh, University of New Hampshire - Main Campus
James M. Ryan, University of New HampshireFollow
John R. Macri, University of New Hampshire - Main CampusFollow
G. Simpson, University of New Hampshire - Main Campus
V. Schonfelder, Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestriche PhysikFollow
H Steinle, Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestriche Physik
R VanDijk, ESTEC
O R. Williams, ESTEC

Abstract

The COMPTEL collaboration has carried out an extensive series of Monte Carlo simulation studies to examine the response of the Imaging Compton Telescope COMPTEL (energy range 0.8 to 30MeV) aboard the Compton Observatory. These investigations employed the CERN GEANT Monte Carlo package, using a detailed model of the mass distribution within the COMPTEL experiment. We have derived the absolute efficiency of the COMPTEL experiment as a function of photon energy and incidence angle, and present a comparison of simulation results with pre-launch calibration measurements. Also, we report on a comprehensive study of the types of photon interactions leading to accepted COMPTEL telescope events. We briefly describe a new library of monoenergetic instrument-response functions, individual elements of which can now be combined to produce the response of COMPTEL to an input source of arbitrary spectral shape, for use in scientific analysis. A more detailed, complete report on these simulation studies is currently in preparation and will complement parallel reports on the instrument calibration and performance, and background methods and modeling techniques.

Department

Physics

Publication Date

12-1996

Journal Title

Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series

Publisher

European Southern Observatory (ESO)

Document Type

Article

Recommended Citation

J.G. Stacy, R.M. Kippen, S.C. Kappadath, M. McConnell, D. Morris, R. Miller, A. Connors, B. Hersh, J. Ryan, J. Macri, G. Simpson, V. Schönfelder, H. Steinle, R. van Dijk, and O.R. Williams. THE RESPONSE OF THE CGRO COMPTEL DETERMINED FROM MONTE CARLO SIMULATION STUDIES. 1996, Astron. Astrophys. Suppl., 120, C691.