Characterizing particle background of ATHENA WFI for the science products module: Swift XRT full frame and XMM-PN small window mode observations

Esra Bulbul, Ralph Kraft, Paul Nulsen, Eric Miller, Catherine Grant, Mark Bautz, David N. Burrows, Steven Allen

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Wide Field Imager (WFI) is one of two focal plane detector systems of ESA's Advanced Telescope for High ENergy Astrophysics (ATHENA) X-ray observatory. The Science Products Module (SPM) will have on-board processing algorithms that will reduce the ATHENA WFI particle background level significantly by improving background rejection on board and in post-processing on the ground. To this end, we examine the full frame observations from existing X-ray telescopes to understand and characterize the physics of the particle background. In particular, we determine phenomenological correlations between high energy particle events and X-ray events to improve the rejection of particle background events. We will present our results from the Swift XRT and XMM-Newton PN full frame data analysis in this talk. We will also discuss how these results could be used to reduce the expected background in the ATHENA WFI observations by the SPM processing.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationSpace Telescopes and Instrumentation 2018
Subtitle of host publicationUltraviolet to Gamma Ray
EditorsShouleh Nikzad, Jan-Willem A. Den Herder, Kazuhiro Nakazawa
PublisherSPIE
ISBN (Print)9781510619517
DOIs
StatePublished - 2018
EventSpace Telescopes and Instrumentation 2018: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray - Austin, United States
Duration: Jun 10 2018Jun 15 2018

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume10699
ISSN (Print)0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)1996-756X

Other

OtherSpace Telescopes and Instrumentation 2018: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityAustin
Period6/10/186/15/18

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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