Abstract

The instrumental-line background of the Compton telescope COMPTEL onboard the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory is due to the activation and/or decay of a number of different isotopes. The major components of the COMPTEL instrumental-line background can be attributed to eight individual isotopes, namely 2D, 22Na, 24Na, 28Al, 40K, 52Mn, 57Ni, and 208Tl. In addition, evidence for the presence of 27Mg has been obtained in the search for gamma-ray lines from supernovae. The identification of the instrumental lines with specific isotopes is based on the line energies as well as on the variation of the activity with time, cosmic-ray intensity and deposited radiation dose during passages through the South-Atlantic Anomaly. The characteristic variation of the activity due to an individual isotope depends on its life-time, orbital parameters, and the solar cycle.

Department

Space Science Center, Physics

Publication Date

2000

Journal Title

AIP Conference Proceedings

Publisher

AIP Publishing

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1063/1.1303269

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Rights

© 2000 American Institute of Physics

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