Abstract Details

Name: J S Yadav
Affiliation: TIFR, Mumbai
Conference ID: ASI2016_644
Title : Large Area X-ray Proportional Counter (LAXPC) instrument onboard ASTROSAT
Authors and Co-Authors : LAXPC instrument team
Abstract Type : Reject
Abstract Category : Instrumentation and Techniques
Abstract : ASTROSAT India's first dedicated astronomy space mission was launched on September 28, 2015. The LAXPC instrument became fully operational on 19th October 2015 for the first time in space. The Large Area X-ray Proportional Counter (LAXPC) is one of the major payloads on ASTROSAT. A cluster of three co-aligned identical LAXPC detectors provides large area of collection of about 8000 cm2. The large detection volume (15 cm depth) filled with mixture of xenon gas (90(%) and methane (10%) at ~ 2 atmospheres pressure, results in detection efficiency greater than 50%, above 30 keV. The LAXPC instrument is best suited for X-ray timing and spectral studies over energy range of 3-80 keV.  It will provide the largest effective area among all the satellite missions flown so far worldwide and will remain so during next 5-10 years for X-ray studies in the given energy range. GEANT4 simulation for LAXPC detectors was carried out to understand detector background and its response. We have performed detector calibration in orbit. The LAXPC instrument is functioning well and has achieved all detector parameters proposed initially. In this paper, we will describe LAXPC detector calibration in lab as well as in orbit along with results.