The CASTER Black Hole Finder Probe
Abstract
The primary scientific mission of the Black Hole Finder Probe (BHFP), part of the NASA Beyond Einstein program, is to survey the local Universe for black holes over a wide range of mass and accretion rate. One approach to such a survey is a hard X-ray coded-aperture imaging mission operating in the 10–600 keV energy band, a spectral range that is considered to be especially useful in the detection of black hole sources. The development of new inorganic scintillator materials provides improved performance (for example, with regards to energy resolution and timing) that is well suited to the BHFP science requirements. Detection planes formed with these materials coupled with a new generation of readout devices represent a major advancement in the performance capabilities of scintillator-based gamma cameras. Here, we discuss the Coded Aperture Survey Telescope for Energetic Radiation (CASTER), a concept that represents a BHFP based on the use of the latest scintillator technology.
Department
Space Science Center
Publication Date
10-2006
Journal Title
New Astronomy Reviews
Publisher
Elsevier
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.1016/j.newar.2006.06.042
Document Type
Article
Recommended Citation
M.L. McConnell, P.F. Bloser, G.L. Case, M.L. Cherry, J. Cravens, T.G. Guzik, K. Hurley, R.M. Kippen, J.R. Macri, R.S. Miller, W. Paciesas, J.M. Ryan, B. Schaefer, J.G. Stacy, W.T. Vestrand, J.P. Wefel, The CASTER Black Hole Finder Probe, New Astronomy Reviews, Volume 50, Issues 7–8, October 2006, Pages 633-636.
Rights
Copyright © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.