GRBAlpha: The smallest astrophysical space observatory : I.
Detector design, system description, and satellite operations

J 2023

GRBAlpha: The smallest astrophysical space observatory : I. Detector design, system description, and satellite operations

PÁL, András, Masanori OHNO, László MÉSZÁROS, Norbert WERNER, Jakub ŘÍPA et. al.

Basic information

Original name

GRBAlpha: The smallest astrophysical space observatory : I. Detector design, system description, and satellite operations

Authors

PÁL, András (guarantor), Masanori OHNO, László MÉSZÁROS, Norbert WERNER (703 Slovakia, belonging to the institution), Jakub ŘÍPA (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution), Balázs CSÁK, Marianna DAFČÍKOVÁ (703 Slovakia, belonging to the institution), Marcel FRAJT, Yasushi FUKAZAWA, Peter HANÁK, Ján HUDEC, Nikola HUSÁRIKOVÁ (703 Slovakia, belonging to the institution), Jakub KAPUŠ, Miroslav KASAL, Martin KOLÁŘ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution), Martin KOLEDA, Robert LASZLO, Pavol LIPOVSKÝ, Tsunefumi MIZUNO, Filip MÜNZ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution), Kazuhiro NAKAZAWA, Maksim REZENOV, Miroslav ŠMELKO, Hiromitsu TAKAHASHI, Martin TOPINKA, Tomáš URBANEC, Jean-Paul Bernhard RIFFALD SOUZA BREUER (76 Brazil, belonging to the institution), Tamás BOZÓKI, Gergely DÁLYA, Teruaki ENOTO, Zsolt FREI, Gergely FRISS, Gábor GALGÓCZI, Filip HROCH (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution), Yuto ICHINOHE, Kornél KAPÁS, László L. KISS, Hiroto MATAKE, Hirokazu ODAKA, Helen POON, Aleš POVALAČ, János TAKÁTSY, Kento TORIGOE, Nagomi UCHIDA and Yuusuke UCHIDA

Edition

Astronomy & Astrophysics, EDP Sciences, 2023, 0004-6361

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

10308 Astronomy

Country of publisher

France

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

References:

URL URL

Impact factor

Impact factor: 6.500 in 2022

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14310/23:00131595

Organization unit

Faculty of Science

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202346182

UT WoS

001062452800005

Keywords in English

instrumentation: detectors; space vehicles: instruments; gamma rays: general

Abstract

V originále

Aims. Since it launched on 22 March 2021, the 1U-sized CubeSat GRBAlpha operates and collects scientific data on high-energy transients, making it the smallest astrophysical space observatory to date. GRBAlpha is an in-orbit demonstration of a gamma-ray burst (GRB) detector concept suitably small to fit into a standard 1U volume. As was demonstrated in a companion paper, GRBAlpha adds significant value to the scientific community with accurate characterization of bright GRBs, including the recent outstanding event of GRB 221009A. Methods. The GRB detector is a 75 × 75 × 5 mm CsI(Tl) scintillator wrapped in a reflective foil (ESR) read out by an array of SiPM detectors, multi-pixel photon counters by Hamamatsu, driven by two separate redundant units. To further protect the scintillator block from sunlight and protect the SiPM detectors from particle radiation, we applied a multi-layer structure of Tedlar wrapping, anodized aluminium casing, and a lead-alloy shielding on one edge of the assembly. The setup allows observations of gamma radiation within the energy range of 70–890 keV with an energy resolution of ~30%. Results. Here, we summarize the system design of the GRBAlpha mission, including the electronics and software components of the detector, some aspects of the platform, and the current semi-autonomous operations. In addition, details are given about the raw data products and telemetry in order to encourage the community to expand the receiver network for our initiatives with GRBAlpha and related experiments.

Links

MUNI/I/0003/2020, interní kód MU

Name: MUNI Award in Science and Humanities 3 (Acronym: Space-Based High-Energy Astrophysics)

Investor: Masaryk University, MUNI Award in Science and Humanities 3, MASH - MUNI Award in Science and Humanities

871158, interní kód MU

Name: Integrated Activities for the High Energy Astrophysics Domain (AHEAD2020) (Acronym: AHEAD2020)

Investor: European Union, Integrated Activities for the High Energy Astrophysics Domain, RI Research Infrastructures (Excellent Science)

Citovat

PÁL, András, Masanori OHNO, László MÉSZÁROS, Norbert WERNER, Jakub ŘÍPA, Balázs CSÁK, Marianna DAFČÍKOVÁ, Marcel FRAJT, Yasushi FUKAZAWA, Peter HANÁK, Ján HUDEC, Nikola HUSÁRIKOVÁ, Jakub KAPUŠ, Miroslav KASAL, Martin KOLÁŘ, Martin KOLEDA, Robert LASZLO, Pavol LIPOVSKÝ, Tsunefumi MIZUNO, Filip MÜNZ, Kazuhiro NAKAZAWA, Maksim REZENOV, Miroslav ŠMELKO, Hiromitsu TAKAHASHI, Martin TOPINKA, Tomáš URBANEC, Jean-Paul Bernhard RIFFALD SOUZA BREUER, Tamás BOZÓKI, Gergely DÁLYA, Teruaki ENOTO, Zsolt FREI, Gergely FRISS, Gábor GALGÓCZI, Filip HROCH, Yuto ICHINOHE, Kornél KAPÁS, László L. KISS, Hiroto MATAKE, Hirokazu ODAKA, Helen POON, Aleš POVALAČ, János TAKÁTSY, Kento TORIGOE, Nagomi UCHIDA and Yuusuke UCHIDA. GRBAlpha: The smallest astrophysical space observatory : I. Detector design, system description, and satellite operations. Astronomy & Astrophysics. EDP Sciences, 2023, vol. 677, September, p. 1-9. ISSN 0004-6361. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202346182.

@article{2306638,
   author = {Pál, András and Ohno, Masanori and Mészáros, László and Werner, Norbert and Řípa, Jakub and Csák, Balázs and Dafčíková, Marianna and Frajt, Marcel and Fukazawa, Yasushi and Hanák, Peter and Hudec, Ján and Husáriková, Nikola and Kapuš, Jakub and Kasal, Miroslav and Kolář, Martin and Koleda, Martin and Laszlo, Robert and Lipovský, Pavol and Mizuno, Tsunefumi and Münz, Filip and Nakazawa, Kazuhiro and Rezenov, Maksim and Šmelko, Miroslav and Takahashi, Hiromitsu and Topinka, Martin and Urbanec, Tomáš and Riffald Souza Breuer, JeanandPaul Bernhard and Bozóki, Tamás and Dálya, Gergely and Enoto, Teruaki and Frei, Zsolt and Friss, Gergely and Galgóczi, Gábor and Hroch, Filip and Ichinohe, Yuto and Kapás, Kornél and Kiss, László L. and Matake, Hiroto and Odaka, Hirokazu and Poon, Helen and Povalač, Aleš and Takátsy, János and Torigoe, Kento and Uchida, Nagomi and Uchida, Yuusuke},
   article_number = {September},
   doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202346182},
   keywords = {instrumentation: detectors; space vehicles: instruments; gamma rays: general},
   language = {eng},
   issn = {0004-6361},
   journal = {Astronomy & Astrophysics},
   title = {GRBAlpha: The smallest astrophysical space observatory : I. Detector design, system description, and satellite operations},
   url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2302.10048},
   volume = {677},
   year = {2023}
}

TY  - JOUR
ID  - 2306638
AU  - Pál, András - Ohno, Masanori - Mészáros, László - Werner, Norbert - Řípa, Jakub - Csák, Balázs - Dafčíková, Marianna - Frajt, Marcel - Fukazawa, Yasushi - Hanák, Peter - Hudec, Ján - Husáriková, Nikola - Kapuš, Jakub - Kasal, Miroslav - Kolář, Martin - Koleda, Martin - Laszlo, Robert - Lipovský, Pavol - Mizuno, Tsunefumi - Münz, Filip - Nakazawa, Kazuhiro - Rezenov, Maksim - Šmelko, Miroslav - Takahashi, Hiromitsu - Topinka, Martin - Urbanec, Tomáš - Riffald Souza Breuer, Jean-Paul Bernhard - Bozóki, Tamás - Dálya, Gergely - Enoto, Teruaki - Frei, Zsolt - Friss, Gergely - Galgóczi, Gábor - Hroch, Filip - Ichinohe, Yuto - Kapás, Kornél - Kiss, László L. - Matake, Hiroto - Odaka, Hirokazu - Poon, Helen - Povalač, Aleš - Takátsy, János - Torigoe, Kento - Uchida, Nagomi - Uchida, Yuusuke
PY  - 2023
TI  - GRBAlpha: The smallest astrophysical space observatory : I. Detector design, system description, and satellite operations
JF  - Astronomy & Astrophysics
VL  - 677
IS  - September
SP  - 1-9
EP  - 1-9
PB  - EDP Sciences
SN  - 00046361
KW  - instrumentation: detectors
KW  - space vehicles: instruments
KW  - gamma rays: general
UR  - https://arxiv.org/abs/2302.10048
N2  - Aims. Since it launched on 22 March 2021, the 1U-sized CubeSat GRBAlpha operates and collects scientific data on high-energy transients, making it the smallest astrophysical space observatory to date. GRBAlpha is an in-orbit demonstration of a gamma-ray burst (GRB) detector concept suitably small to fit into a standard 1U volume. As was demonstrated in a companion paper, GRBAlpha adds significant value to the scientific community with accurate characterization of bright GRBs, including the recent outstanding event of GRB 221009A. Methods. The GRB detector is a 75 × 75 × 5 mm CsI(Tl) scintillator wrapped in a reflective foil (ESR) read out by an array of SiPM detectors, multi-pixel photon counters by Hamamatsu, driven by two separate redundant units. To further protect the scintillator block from sunlight and protect the SiPM detectors from particle radiation, we applied a multi-layer structure of Tedlar wrapping, anodized aluminium casing, and a lead-alloy shielding on one edge of the assembly. The setup allows observations of gamma radiation within the energy range of 70–890 keV with an energy resolution of ~30%. Results. Here, we summarize the system design of the GRBAlpha mission, including the electronics and software components of the detector, some aspects of the platform, and the current semi-autonomous operations. In addition, details are given about the raw data products and telemetry in order to encourage the community to expand the receiver network for our initiatives with GRBAlpha and related experiments.
ER  -

PÁL, András, Masanori OHNO, László MÉSZÁROS, Norbert WERNER, Jakub ŘÍPA, Balázs CSÁK, Marianna DAFČÍKOVÁ, Marcel FRAJT, Yasushi FUKAZAWA, Peter HANÁK, Ján HUDEC, Nikola HUSÁRIKOVÁ, Jakub KAPUŠ, Miroslav KASAL, Martin KOLÁŘ, Martin KOLEDA, Robert LASZLO, Pavol LIPOVSKÝ, Tsunefumi MIZUNO, Filip MÜNZ, Kazuhiro NAKAZAWA, Maksim REZENOV, Miroslav ŠMELKO, Hiromitsu TAKAHASHI, Martin TOPINKA, Tomáš URBANEC, Jean-Paul Bernhard RIFFALD SOUZA BREUER, Tamás BOZÓKI, Gergely DÁLYA, Teruaki ENOTO, Zsolt FREI, Gergely FRISS, Gábor GALGÓCZI, Filip HROCH, Yuto ICHINOHE, Kornél KAPÁS, László L. KISS, Hiroto MATAKE, Hirokazu ODAKA, Helen POON, Aleš POVALAČ, János TAKÁTSY, Kento TORIGOE, Nagomi UCHIDA and Yuusuke UCHIDA. GRBAlpha: The smallest astrophysical space observatory : I. Detector design, system description, and satellite operations. \textit{Astronomy \&{} Astrophysics}. EDP Sciences, 2023, vol.~677, September, p.~1-9. ISSN~0004-6361. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202346182.

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